nauled on plywood shed / cabin / roof sheeting

[MossRoad]

Have her look at these pictures and see which it is... There are three different "ground squirrels" in Illinois (4 if you count woodchucks).
Wildlife Directory: Ground Squirrel — Living with Wildlife — University of Illinois Extension

 

[MossRoad]

We had tree squirrels that ate the redwood trim off of my dad's house in Indiana when I was a kid. They'd just come up and start gnawing on it. As others have mentioned, they were after something in the stain. He had to treat it with some chemical that made it displeasing to the squirrels (no, it wasn't lead ).

 

[Zerk]

she is normally one at cabin. fishing / swimming / etc... with other family / friends. after speaking with my mom a bit more ground squirrels are in large amount in the area around the cabin / shed.

for now will place bet, on ground squirrels. and will place porcupines on the lower list, until i actually see / catch one.

I am just saying, I see all kinds of wild life, doesn't mean they are the one doing damage. Squirrels run all over the place. I shoot them out the kitchen window, but not because they chew on OSB or plywood.

But as I said, I haven't seen pictures. If something is chewing a hole, then I would say squirrel. Something just chewing on wood, not my first guess.

 

[Zerk]

Probably not a porky. But I just googled about bow hunter coming across one in IL.

 

[MossRoad]

Probably not a porky. But I just googled about bow hunter coming across one in IL.

Yeah, I googled that, too, but found no corroborating stories. It was posted in 2008 and the bow hunter didn't find it, "My buddy found a dead porcupine in north central Illinois yesterday" so its double hearsay. Also, that guy hasn't posted on that forum for three years, so no way to get more info on it. For what its worth, he said north central Illinois, which means close to WI, where they have porcupines, but they are generally only found in the northern half of that state. Not saying it couldn't of happened. Heck, we have a bear wondering around northwest Indiana all this summer. First one in over a hundred years! :laughing:

 

[Boiler74]

Squirrels. Have the same problem on cedar house and plywood shed. Have seen them doing it. And I'm in Indiana. It's squirrels.

 

[Zerk]

Yeah, I googled that, too, but found no corroborating stories. It was posted in 2008 and the bow hunter didn't find it, "My buddy found a dead porcupine in north central Illinois yesterday" so its double hearsay. Also, that guy hasn't posted on that forum for three years, so no way to get more info on it. For what its worth, he said north central Illinois, which means close to WI, where they have porcupines, but they are generally only found in the northern half of that state. Not saying it couldn't of happened. Heck, we have a bear wondering around northwest Indiana all this summer. First one in over a hundred years! :laughing:

I doubt it is a porky, since they are rare. but I don't doubt one turns up across state lines once in awhile. Though maybe it is an internet conspiracy to spread rumors of porkies

Whatever it is, you need to put up some metal, or get your mom a .22.

 

[MMagis]

Never heard of rabbits or squirrels doing that kind of damage. I had problems with squirrels, running rampant in my barn and yard. They chew a hole to get in, but don't do wide spread damage. .

Squirrels in particular will cause all sorts of problems. Being in Indiana, it's almost certainly squirrels.

 

[Zerk]

I have shot lots of problem squirrels. Usually they just chew holes. Kill em all and see if the problem goes away.

 

[KennyG]

Yeah, I googled that, too, but found no corroborating stories. It was posted in 2008 and the bow hunter didn't find it, "My buddy found a dead porcupine in north central Illinois yesterday" so its double hearsay. Also, that guy hasn't posted on that forum for three years, so no way to get more info on it. For what its worth, he said north central Illinois, which means close to WI, where they have porcupines, but they are generally only found in the northern half of that state. Not saying it couldn't of happened. Heck, we have a bear wondering around northwest Indiana all this summer. First one in over a hundred years! :laughing:

I'm pretty sure we had porcupines in central Illinois when I was a kid (50+ years ago). I don't go much by the DNR. We had cougars also, some sightings and often hearing them. The DNR steadfastly maintained there were none in Illinois but about 10 years ago they started to grudgingly admit the sightings were verified.