Finally got a pecan thief today!

[GD Giles]

So if you don't know, I have 6 pecan trees on my suburban lot but get no crop because of all the squirrels. Plus they're in the attic but the WMWW thinks they're 'cute' and doesn't want me to shoot them in the yard.  This means shooting conditions must be perfect, which is rare, meaning daylight, home alone, neighbor's kids aren't in their backyard, etc. Today I was walking through the den and I saw a squirrel in the backyard. Home alone - check. I grab the Hatsan 95 Vortex .22 and pop a JSB 18.13 in it. Open the back door and storm door and I don't see him. Look to the neighbor's yard, no kids - check. When I step onto the back landing I see a chipmunk scurry for cover. I figure if I wait long enough I might see him come back out and keep that little tunnel digger out of my house too.

After just a few seconds I see something come back into view and at first I think it's the chipmunk. The grass is tall and leaves already on the ground. But she stopped behind a bush and I don't have a clear view, then she bounds several more feet into the center of the yard. It's the squirrel. I'm 25 yards away and take aim but she moves again. I find her again and aim for a heart lung and pull the trigger. I didn't see the impact but I heard it and she dropped and was on all 4's w/her tail tucked over her head. Normally this tells me it was an off hit and she's playing possum until she assesses the threat. But all of a sudden the death dance started and a few kicks for a few seconds and it was all over.

After I went up to her I saw the shot went straight through her head, perfect fuse box shot even though that wasn't what I was aiming for. I could've moved, she could've moved, I could've aimed wrong but hey, who's arguing? The whole reason I got this gun, the whole reason I got back into air gunning was handle my pecan thieves and it finally happened. One down, several more to go, but it won't be easy with my strict shooting conditions.     

[dk1677]

Nice shot Glen!

[LDP]

Good shot Glen.

[BenjiHunter]

Great shot, Glen!!

[tinsoldier]

Great headshot on the potential pecan marauder.

[Wayne52]

Great shooting Glen!!!

[Squirrel_Hammer]

You could explain to the "Boss" that pecans sell for $7.00 per pound with each tree producing 25 pounds, that could mean some new shoes or clothes for her.  Just a thought.  Rock on.

[Smaug2]

You could explain to the "Boss" that pecans sell for $7.00 per pound with each tree producing 25 pounds, that could mean some new shoes or clothes for her.  Just a thought.  Rock on.

...or, you could hire an exterminator to come and get them out of the attic. Spend several hundred bucks to do what you could've done for free with your trusty air rifle. (AND had meat in the freezer) Then, maybe she'll see here way clear.

Do you have an upper window you could shoot out of? Down into the ground? If so, and your rifle's quiet, you could dispatch them as long as neighbors' kids aren't in the line of fire. Or build a backstop of plywood and put a bait station in front of .

[GD Giles]

Single story and I've toyed with idea of a bait station and back stop but I'm concerned about getting blood off the back stop before she got home. Our next anniversary will be our 30th. You don't get that far not knowing which battles to pick.

[DOKF]

I feel for you.  Keep up the stealth attacks!

[Tater]

I feel for you.  Keep up the stealth attacks!

Yep.

But....if he painted the backstop red....

[DOKF]

I feel for you.  Keep up the stealth attacks!

Yep.

But....if he painted the backstop red....

Like in Deadpool?  Red hides the blood?


.

[Tater]

Like in Deadpool?  Red hides the blood?

That's it.

[GD Giles]

hmm, red paint. Hmm.....

Thanks for the props guys. It really felt good to get one for once. The chipmunks are getting out of hand too. We'll see.

[customcutter]

When my In-law lived in S Georgia they had a small pecan grove.  My FLAw said the local Ago agent told him that one squirrel could ruin up to 90#s of pecans a year.  I have no idea if that's true, but that's what he was told.

Keep up the silent attacks!

[Smaug2]

hmm, red paint. Hmm.....

Thanks for the props guys. It really felt good to get one for once. The chipmunks are getting out of hand too. We'll see.

Old fashioned rat traps work on chipmunks, if you can't hunt them as much as you need to...

The trick is just placing them so the chipmunks will find them before squirrels and such. (rat traps SOMETIMES work on squirrels, but sometimes, they just knock them out)

[beachgunner]

Glen, congrats man! I know this one has been a long time coming and you got a perfect head shot in there. Who cares if it was luck or not! Job done.

Go get some more…quietly…without the wife around….

[codytwoeyes]

You might tell your wife that tree rats are one of the leading causes of house fires each year. As we know they will eat any thing your wireing is a soft food to them an therein makes them a real danger to the home owner.

[shadow]

Another nut thief that won't nabbing em >:(great shooting and pic . Ed

[GD Giles]

Thanks guys.

I know the perils of squirrels in the home but my wife just has a different, very different, view about them. I'm guessing when she was a very little girl she was out in the yard or at a park and observed squirrels running around, etc and was fascinated by them. To the point that if asked 'if you died and were reincarnated as an animal, what would it be?' she'd say a squirrel. She thinks they're cute, graceful, entertaining, etc. I can't put myself into her headspace on this but she puts squirrels on a pedestal. It's weird. Monday I saw 3 in the backyard at the same time ( I can't shoot in the front yard) but the kids were home from school, teacher planning day, and the neighbor kids were home too. I'm mulling over this red back stop idea.