A pair of GS enjoying the early spring sunshine outside my window right now. I also have my Airarms S200 ready for action.

For some reason I’m also fairly full of spring happy thoughts and i’m torn between ‘what have they done to hurt you?’ and ‘they’re vermin and should be dispatched’ – should I get rid of them or leave them be?

Got my ski helmet out of the loft to find it had been chewed by grey squirrels. Also had a go at my wheelie case. I say shoot the little feckers.

Someone once described them as rats with really good pr. Although I personally leave them along.

They keep burying whole eggs in my lawn, makes a right mess. As for where they get the eggs from, no idea. Maybe they keep chickens?

Vermin with a fluffy tail.. shoot them, skin then eat. That will show the others that you mean business. Add tail to your riding helmet.

leave them alone.

If you’re going to shoot them, headshots only please.

Then gut, skin and butcher the lower half (anything below ribcage).

Roll in well seasoned flour and shallow fry. Delish.

Whack them now before the songbirds lay.

hen gut, skin and butcher the lower half (anything below ribcage).

Roll in well seasoned flour and shallow fry. Delish.

Whack them now before the songbirds lay.

Or huck them at old ladies.

what makes an animal “vermin”?

My Nan used to live next to a canal. She would trap squirrels and drown them in the canal. About 2 a week for the 30 years she lived there.
You kill one and another appears to take its place, they shag to keep up the numbers. Once a territory is up to capacity they shag less.

Only bother to kill squirrels if its purely for your own pleasure and enjoyment rather than to think it will actually have a real effect.

KILL

somewhatslightlydazed – Member
what makes an animal “vermin”?

Air Max and white cider.

I always chuckle at the thought of humans describing any other species as vermin. We’re the absolute worse example of vermin possible.

Only bother to kill squirrels if its purely for your own pleasure and enjoyment

… and if you are killing animals purely for your own pleasure and enjoyment, might I suggest an appointment with a psychiatrist?

^ my point exactly. Don’t try and convince yourself you are doing the eco system a favour by shooting a squirrel.

Given your location, leave them be.

Mum gave us a load of stuff from the Coquetdale Squirrel Group. They are busy trapping and killing greys in the Cheviots to preserve the habitat for reds.

Tree rats

and as such …. you really ought to be telling us already, what an excellent shot you are

Bang Bang

fairly full of spring happy thoughts

Use an HW80 instead!

I always chuckle at the thought of humans describing any other species as vermin. We’re the absolute worse example of vermin possible.

Or to quote Bill Hicks “a virus in shoes”

If said squirrels are really causing a problem open fire, if not leave them to their squirrely ways.

Kill it cook it eat it.
Jamie Oliver did squirrel the other week.

FWIW, they’re a nightmare to shoot… all fur and no body. But yeah they’re vermin… despatch.

Oh… and trust me if you shoot enough, the can’t shag quick enough! 🙂

You know you want to…

We used to hunt them for food as kid in the far east. Ours are the black ones which can be larger than grey. We usually hunt them in the coconut plantation where they are normally rather fat due to coconut diet.

As we are coming out of winter I bet they have not been fatten yet so pointless culling them.

If these game meat are sold cheaply I would buy them instantly like rabbit.

I think I saw in the local farmer market where someone was trying to sell it for £5 … yeah … right … did you shoot them with silver bullet? That’s one reason not many people eat them. Same go to rabbit.

🙄

Skinning is a mare. Covered in flees and tough to skin

I’d have a go at eating squirrel. A friend of ours was once served crow in a soup. Dunno if I’d try crow.

i like squirrels of all colours (not to eat i might add).

watching the grey squirrels where i live,does cheer me up.they are bloody ninjas,and real characters (once saw a grey squirrel do a standing leap from one tree to another-must have been at least 10-12 feet gap.

lets not forget that the grey squirrels didn’t bring themselves over here 😉

My Nan used to live next to a canal. She would trap squirrels and drown them in the canal

RSPCA will prosecute for that sort of thing.

I killed one once thinking I’d eat it but decided too much trouble as hard to get the skin off without it contaminating the meat I thought.

BBC Linky thing to Edinburgh Restaurant that serves Squirell

Red ones have a much nuttier flavour.

Now now Josh, your Troll-fu needs more practice.

If said squirrels are really causing a problem open fire

everyone knows they prefer a woodburner!

must have been at least 10-12 feet gap.

ask them for input to the drops and gaps thread?

… and if you are killing animals purely for your own pleasure and enjoyment, might I suggest an appointment with a psychiatrist?

Agree. Like people who used to fox hunt, claiming they did it to control the population. At least be honest about why you want to kill something.

Bit unfair to say fox hunters are specifically interested in the death of the animal – more the thrill of the chase.

Grey squirrels? How very ordinary. We ONLY have reds down here.

Bit unfair to say fox hunters are specifically interested in the death of the animal – more the thrill of the chase.

That completely explains the blooding ritual, then. And why they let the fox go once they’ve caught it.

Oh.

somewhatslightlydazed – Member

what makes an animal “vermin”?

Being disease carrying destructive parasites, like us

Well I set a limit as to what I’d put up with – namely if they kept clear of the 3 bird feeders (which MrsSB seems to love so much, especially as they;ve attracted a pair of woodpeckers) the I’d leave them be for now.

Then they disappeared (must have a hotline through to STW) to be replaced by a pair of Partridge wandering up the drive and into the field, and my friendly kestrel which came and perched on a gate no more than 12′ from me.
It’s like a damn disney movie out here today!

Our squirrel invasion hasn’t been so bad since we got Presley.

He makes quite a racket dragging them through the cat flap, but he does look massively smug when he presents you with his latest gift

Little Git!!

Interested to hear the anti-hunting folks’ solution to dwindling red numbers.

dwindling red numbers

Are you sure? I thought they lived in some places and were non-existent in others