Squirrels

[nerobot]

OK, this might seem like on odd question, but I'll ask it anyway.

What is the legal issues around killing squirrels (grey) found in my own back garden, and then eating it? Tried it once and it was VERY nice meat, so would like to try at least one of the ones in my garden (and it might stop them pulling up all my bulbs).

Steven

[Alice]

As far as I know they are classed as vermin Nerobot so you van kill them if you like. National Heritage are planning to cull them - everything north of the Antonine Wall I think - to save the red squirrels. We have gorgeous little red squirrels round here.
Scotland culls grey squirrels to save reds

[nerobot]

Saw my first red up in Braemar last summer. Made me think differently about the greys in my garden.

Steven

[HayleyB]

Yep, Alice is right, the only thing illegal involving grey squidges is you can't let 'em go if trapped so, as long as humanely done.............

[Alice]

They are officially vermin Nerobot.
Are you allowed to kill Grey Squirrels? - Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers

[Nicos]

If you are happy to kill them- then it's fine to eat them- just make sure they look healthy.
Remember that the females are probably nursing about now- and if you kill her then the babies would slowly starve to death - and that would be cruel.

Here's a site I found a while ago on hunting/eating grey squirrels

www.woodybobs.com/view_page.php?id=6&page=Buy_Squirrel_Meat"

[bubblewrap]

One problem you need more than one to make a hat.

[nerobot]

Thanks for all the advice. Wasn't sure what kind of response I would get.

Nicos: Thanks for letting me know that they might be nursing around now. I'll wait till later in the year I think.

Steven

[lynda66]

my neighbour wanted to kill our squirrel, cos it was trying to get in his roof, but i told him he wasn't allowed cos the old ladies in the sheltered housing put food out and sit at their windows watching them ........ so he blocked the hole off ....... in the absence of red squirrels, greys are the next best thing and they are very cute. ..... ok i'm soft

[Flummery]

Soft! You boil slugs!

[Eco-Chic]

Oh they're cute until they dig up your plants then invade your loft space and commence line dancing while you're trying to sleep

They overran the park behind my house and for several years we hardly saw a bird. When the birds started to return it was the aggressive crows and magpies. After a long time the littlies are back but I think another squirrel cull may be on the cards soon.

[BrideXIII]

Soft! You boil slugs!

yeah but slugs deserve it!!

[Flummery]

Ok, fair enough!

[lynda66]

i don't intentionally boil em, i just make them nice and warm ....... and chooks are more important

[bluemoon]

Once you've caught a grey squirrel then you have to kill it, it is actually illegal to release it, so in those circumstances what you do with the corpse is irrelevant and eating it is far more eco-friendly than chucking it in the bin. I suppose what we really need is a fashionable chef to decide that roast squirrel is trendy, that would probably put paid to any squirrel problems we have within a few months. Personally I think they're quite entertaining, (but not in September when the little b******s are munching our sweetcorn)