GTA
All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => Hunting Gate => Topic started by: GD Giles on October 16, 2016, 06:57:50 PM
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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. ;D :o :(
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Nice shot Glen!
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Good shot Glen.
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Great shot, Glen!!
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Great headshot on the potential pecan marauder.
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Great shooting Glen!!!
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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.
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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 .
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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. ;)
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I feel for you. Keep up the stealth attacks!
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I feel for you. Keep up the stealth attacks!
Yep.
But....if he painted the backstop red....
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I feel for you. Keep up the stealth attacks!
Yep.
But....if he painted the backstop red....
Like in Deadpool? Red hides the blood?
.
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Like in Deadpool? Red hides the blood?
That's it.
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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.
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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!
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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)
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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….
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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.
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Another nut thief that won't nabbing em >:(great shooting and pic ;). Ed
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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.
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One squirrel can eat one pound of nuts per week: http://www.livescience.com/28182-squirrels.html (http://www.livescience.com/28182-squirrels.html)
Assuming that the pecans are on the trees for about 3 months, that means that a squirrel will eat up to 192 ounces per year. That's 192 servings of pecans. http://convert-to.com/621/pecan-nuts-halves-conversion-with-nutritional-facts-table-listed.html (http://convert-to.com/621/pecan-nuts-halves-conversion-with-nutritional-facts-table-listed.html)
Squirrels have 2-4 babies per litter for two litters a year. That means that in addition to mom and pop you could have 8 squirrels (plus) living in your pecan tree for the first year. That's assuming the squirrels have just moved into the neighborhood. However they have a high mortality rate their first year. So let's assume that when the family moves into the neighborhood and your pecan tree you could see a net growth of two squirrels per year for every two squirrels; rising from 2 for the first to as much as 64 squirrels in five years.
That means that at the end of five years those squirrels could be consuming as much as 12,288 - one ounce servings per year. However, once the food supply is diminished and the population cannot be supported any longer they will move to a new area. I find that doubtful, however, as I have hunted the same patch of woods for the past 25 years and have seen NO reduction in the squirrel population.
So the next time your wife complains about shooting the little buggers you can tell her that those squirrels are consuming a lot of pecans that could feed starving families and you have to exterminate them for the children.
This is what over-eating pecans does to a squirrel.
(http://www.pleated-jeans.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/eui1HAh-1.jpg)
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That guy looks like he is ready to pop if you shoot him!
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That guy looks like he is ready to pop if you shoot him!
The fattest squirrels that I ever saw were at Yosemite National Park. I swear I saw several that were dragging their bellies on the ground. I got to the top of one of the falls one day and decided to rest. I laid down on the ground with my pack underneath my head and dozed off. I was awakened by something pulling on my back pack. You guessed it. A squirrel was trying to get in the pack for some food. After I yelled, "Stop - thief!" he ran away.
Squirrels; they're all alike. Nothing but thieves!
This is one fat squirrel that's ate too much: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evRGIOj7nko (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evRGIOj7nko)
This is a long video but one that you have to watch to the end. They never give up when it comes to filling their bellies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS4ach0CwN4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS4ach0CwN4)
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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.
You could also strategically start baiting them .... er, I mean feeding the songbirds, before the times your wife won't be home. Use Black Oil Sunflower Seeds from Home Depot. Cardinals love them. (and squirrels) Get them in the habit of checking that spot on their food patrol, then, when you DO have the chance to shoot when she's away, you'll have better odds of having a customer at that moment.
On the flip side, the squirrels will also be there more often when your wife is there, which will make HER happy too. It's a win-win, as long as she doesn't find out you're ventilating them, hehehe.
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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.
You could also strategically start baiting them .... er, I mean feeding the songbirds, before the times your wife won't be home. Use Black Oil Sunflower Seeds from Home Depot. Cardinals love them. (and squirrels) Get them in the habit of checking that spot on their food patrol, then, when you DO have the chance to shoot when she's away, you'll have better odds of having a customer at that moment.
On the flip side, the squirrels will also be there more often when your wife is there, which will make HER happy too. It's a win-win, as long as she doesn't find out you're ventilating them, hehehe.
Use this automatic feeder to dispense the squirrel bird feed when your SWMBO isn't there. To make the SWMBO happy, set it for a few times when she is there. When the SWMBO isn't around you can dispatch the little tree rats to your heart's content.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCIvSnA1QiE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCIvSnA1QiE)
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That feeder is pretty cool.
I popped off 2 shots this morning, both misses, before the back neighbor came into his back yard. Next time I'm going with the Gladius as it's much quieter and I can hold it steadier than the 95. I like Hatsans but they ain't lightweights.
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That feeder is pretty cool.
I popped off 2 shots this morning, both misses, before the back neighbor came into his back yard. Next time I'm going with the Gladius as it's much quieter and I can hold it steadier than the 95. I like Hatsans but they ain't lightweights.
What's the maximum distance? If it's inside 20 yards it might be a good excuse to get something like a Beeman R7/HW30s or an HW50 or something like the HW30 Urban Pro at AOA. Just to be a good neighbor and keep things quiet.
(http://www.airgunsofarizona.com/Weihrauch/HW30SUrbPro.png)
Don't let the SWMBO know.
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I don't need another gun, I need to be a better shot. :). :(
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I too nailed a long tailed rat today from only about 15 yrds. I aimed a bit low because of the closeness and I actually hit with a perfect heart shot....instant death.
My wife too thought the lil ^(^^%$#^ were cute until I caught 8 in my attic and paid about $1000 to repair the damage they had done. Now she does not care and I use the squirrels to attract hawks......beautiful birds.
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I too nailed a long tailed rat today from only about 15 yrds. I aimed a bit low because of the closeness and I actually hit with a perfect heart shot....instant death.
My wife too thought the lil ^(^^%$#^ were cute until I caught 8 in my attic and paid about $1000 to repair the damage they had done. Now she does not care and I use the squirrels to attract hawks......beautiful birds.
You need to get an air rifle for your SWMBO. Both of you could spend romantic mornings and afternoons, together, putting holes into the little buggers.