Squirrel murder?

[SarzWix]

Our cat kills them He's brought home 3 or 4 in the last few weeks, not babies either! I'd rather he was catching them than birds, but I do worry that he might catch something nasty off 'em...

[Scarlet]

Tips...?
I can now recomend cut into slithers,coat with flour,dip in egg and coat again with flour...then fry in hot oil for about five mins (the recipe I found suggested adding various spices but as DD is a little fussy I just used flour and a little salt)

Personally,I think shooting is far more humane than poison.
Also if you do poison you obviously wouldn't be able to eat the meat.

Did it really taste good? I might give it a go...

[Alison]

oh-- please dont shoot the squirells, as someone suggested- they are just living thier lives. i think, either feed them so they leave the plants alone, or humanely trap them and move them on ( even if they are grey- no need to be racist to little grey squirrels- they didnt choose to live here- they got brought in)

As said above, it is illegal to release them if you catch them, they're vermin.

[binley100]

One of my neighbours has caught them in the traps she had set for rats. They got drowned in the water butt.

[di]

Did it really taste good? I might give it a go...

I know it sounds like a cliche,but it honestly did taste a little like chicken.Maybe just a little gamier.(similar to the dark leg meat or Cockeral)
When I was cutting the meat there was a subtle rabbit smell but once cooked the taste was nothing like as strong.

[Scarlet]

I know it sounds like a cliche,but it honestly did taste a little like chicken.Maybe just a little gamier.(similar to the dark leg meat or Cockeral)
When I was cutting the meat there was a subtle rabbit smell but once cooked the taste was nothing like as strong.

I'm interested! I will try to catch another and let you know.

[Pumpy]

What sort of air rifle and pellets will do the job?

[DarkCrow]

What sort of air rifle and pellets will do the job?

177 for feather, 22 for fur, round head pellets. but before you pull the trigger make sure you have all the permissions you need to be using and shooting on the land that your on. if you miss and your shot leaves the boundarys of your property. It's illegal and you could be up for firearms offences Most off the shelf rifles are under the 12ft/pound legal limit. But be careful

Remember if you maime it's cruel and again you could be faced with charges.

Also check what is "legal quarry" and that your not shooting something thats been protected, last time i checked common greys are fair game.

Hope this helps. DC

[GreatBlah]

I have squirrels digging everything up plus foxes and sometimes some inconsiderate children. A sprinkle of hot chilli powder* over the top of soil tends to make them all leave digging my pots and soil alone.

However this doesn't stop the squirrels or children snapping the head of my flowers so I am now growing plants that neither of them like which includes anything strong smelling like lavender and thyme, and anything nasty tasting like daffodils.

In regards to bulbs I just plant them under chicken wire making sure there is sufficient amount of soil on the top so they can't dig them up.

Oh and my neighbour has managed to kill 3 this year, and one decided to commit suicide in my shed last year by suffocating itself in a plastic bag of fleece it found there.

*Available from your local ethnic shop in cheaply in bulk qualities otherwise depending on where you live in the country your large Asda should sell it.

[bearded bloke]

air rifle is at the back door the little darlings have been using the new shoots as markers to bury nuts,wouldn`t be so bad if they were beside them but they are digging under the plants on the plus side there is a posh restaurant not too far away that will buy them

[Madasafish]

Not seen many this year.. Someone must be killing them :-)

Now foxes are a different story.. two young in the set in the field. Why can't they eat all the sqirrels and then go elsewhere rather than dig holes in the lawn looking for worms?

[buzzingtalk]

Shoot them. Its far more humane and kills them straight away but don't do it unless you know what your doing! Plus, you can then use them as food.

You wouldn't catch me eating a squirrel, or killing one for that matter. But I think poison is inhumane and can affect the food chain furthr on, plus it causes suffering to the squirrel.