Squirrels- " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
#1821923
02/13/10 09:02 PM
02/13/10 09:02 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 17,383 Central Ohio
LT GREY
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 17,383
Central Ohio
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The other day, I posted on a thread and got some feedback from a WCO, who stated he would have done it quite another way. So, that got me to thinking that we have a lot of brilliant minds here, who don't always think alike, but can still solve the problem, somewhat differently perhaps, than myself. I came up with the idea to present a problem and see how you, the WCO professional, would solve it, where would you set the traps, etc. Ok, that said, here's the scenario: I receive a call about 9 pm one night from a gentleman, who says "You came as a referral"....(Always good to hear.) He explains that he had a woodpecker peck a hole in his cedar home and now, a squirrel has taken over a woodpecker hole and then made it's way through the drywall in his son's room. (They are 2 and 4 years of age.) To make matter's worst, he has to leave on a plane tomorrow morning and can I come, ASAP. Well tomorrow happens to be ASAP, because we are in a snowstorm! Well, tomorrow, I drive over to find a huge house in a rather posh neighborhood, over a foot of snow on the ground and the hole where the squirrel has entered, is 40 ft up in the air and a tree in the way. The stairs to the 2nd story balcony is covered with snow and ice. Dog tracks everywhere, covering the squirrels tracks and no one home.... Here are a few pictures: Ok, lets hear it... How would you go about it? Hole is on the right side, about 8 planks from the top, along the white trim. If you see a black dot, that's it!
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: Bob Jameson]
#1822148
02/13/10 10:36 PM
02/13/10 10:36 PM
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 193 Tipton, IN
Travis Wolford
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 193
Tipton, IN
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I cant see what those soffit vents are but they look like ones I have seen before, are they just window screen? If thats the case then if you put a one way over the hole (if you can access it) and the squirrel happens to be outside when you do it will most likely go on up and sit on the downspout elbow and be back in most likely within seconds. I cant tell from the pic how close that little (looks like a soft maple) tree is to the house but I would suspect its gaining access from either that or the cedar corner (cant say for sure without seeing it). Im afraid I would side with Bob on that one and try the one way inside until the weather is fit (at this rate early April). If those soffit vents are what they look like and if that clap board has much age on it I would want to make sure I had every squirrel around caught before I sealed it up, I have done too many houses just like that to not catch them all. That just looks like a call back waiting to happen if you dont. Also if you can hang a one way when its fit I have taken a squirrel trap and zip tied it on top to catch ones that were outside when I hung the one way. It cuts down on chew ins while the job is going and you have a live squirrel for bait sometimes. Thats the best I can do with the pics. Im sure there are other ways but thats what I would do.
it is not a stupid question if you do not know the answer
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: Travis Wolford]
#1822167
02/13/10 10:43 PM
02/13/10 10:43 PM
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 193 Tipton, IN
Travis Wolford
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 193
Tipton, IN
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If that tree is as close to the house as it looks and it is a soft maple the easiest solution to your problem would be fire up the 029 and make it go away. Then take the forty footer off the truck and go to work, after the basketball court ceases to be a hockey rink of course.
it is not a stupid question if you do not know the answer
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: Travis Wolford]
#1822434
02/14/10 12:42 AM
02/14/10 12:42 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,191 Mt. Olive, IL
Ron Scheller
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,191
Mt. Olive, IL
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Providing the roads are in good enough condition for towing.... I would back into my storage canopy, hook onto the towable lift, back it onto the BB court, and proceed to install a shelf and traps next to the hole just like any other squirrel job. If it doesn't block the driveway, leave the lift in place for the duration of the job. It would take 10 or 15 minutes a day to SAFELY retrieve the traps, replace, re-bait, and on the road again. After 2 or 3 days of no catches, remove traps, repair hole (or install a squirrel excluder), and schedule for a return visit when conditions are better for a complete, detailed inspection of the structure and possible additional critter-proofing. Don't forget to provide an estimate for tree branch trimming to minimize squirrel activity on the rooftop. Did I mention the towable lift is BY FAR the best investment I ever made for my business? In the past 2 weeks I have used it for a woodpecker job at a huge auto dealership and for a squirrel job on a 2.5 story home.... both jobs performed during snow/ice conditions. Left the ladders at home..... of course this pic is from summer bat work.
Ron Scheller
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: warrior]
#1822448
02/14/10 12:51 AM
02/14/10 12:51 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,191 Mt. Olive, IL
Ron Scheller
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,191
Mt. Olive, IL
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I love that kind of cheating! I have a few guys (WCO's) that work within 50 to 75 miles from me, and they will refer these type of jobs to me as they know I have the ability to "cheat" and be safe. Of course I appreciate the referals, but I am even happier to know they will not put themselves in a dangerous situation just for "a few bucks".
Ron Scheller
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: Ron Scheller]
#1822720
02/14/10 08:52 AM
02/14/10 08:52 AM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 78 E. Iowa
hvtrapper
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 78
E. Iowa
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Nicely put, Ron. It's just too bad that some customers think their "problem" is more important than our safety.
Tom Walters
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: BUD25]
#1823182
02/14/10 12:18 PM
02/14/10 12:18 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 570 newark Ohio
Trapstar Charlie
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 570
newark Ohio
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Ron, kinda like driving a 8 penny nail with a 10 lb sledge? =) Grey, why cant you put a 12 ft ladder on that deck after you clear a spot? Just reach around.
Lifetime OSTA member
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: ccary]
#1823243
02/14/10 12:40 PM
02/14/10 12:40 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 17,383 Central Ohio
LT GREY
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 17,383
Central Ohio
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These all were really great advice. I do appreciate all the input, as it helps others in this field be able to 'rethink' a situation, when they are faced with one that they aren't sure about. At some point, we all come across something new or different than we are used to. Warrior's advice to 'go right to the source' was interesting, because that would normally be what I would want to do, except that you notice it is way-y-y up there...(about 35-40 ft. up), perhaps the picture are a bit deceiving. If you note the top of a door at the bottom of the picture, that is about 8ft high. The ground is covered with ice and snow, as is the roof, deck and everything else, which makes this dangerous ladder work for a $50. squirrel. Not sure you noticed the stone retainer walls that were build, in the left bottom side of the picture, noting this was 'at the bottom' of a hill. The reason the deck is so high up. This home was built into a hillside with the front touching the road side, the back of the house facing downhill. Because of a small fenced in yard, a 'lift' as Ron pointed out, would NOT be accessible. Great idea on a flat surface though. Warrior mentioned setting a 110 over a hole and I confess I've tried this trick before with mixed results. more often being the trap fired. I'd like to see your version Warrior, of how you MOUNT a 110 kill trap on a flat wood surface. Shelf w/ bracket? I mean, I don't know. The one thing I wouldn't want is to have the woodpecker, who originally made the hole return, because then we have a dead, (or worst a wounded screaming) woodpecker dangling high above the ground for the neighbor to see. Because in a high society neighborhood, you're ALWAYS being watched, don't think you're not! No one mentioned, setting a cage trap by the air conditioning unit, which is where I showed the picture of fresh tracks. Maybe that's fur trapper mentality to set on fresh sign, but it's what I did. I also set a cage trap at the base of the tree, just under the deck, to help with the weather conditions (expecting more snow) because that's where the squirrel was climbing up. There were two ideas that I liked, one the consideration of the deck railing closest to the hole, I believe by Warrior, accessible with some slow, slippery conditions up the icy and snow covered stairs, but doable. The best one I thought was by Bob Jameson and not to 'jump on the Bobby J band wagon' but it was I thought. Considering the ice and snow conditions, and the height of the hole from the outside, IN THESE CONDITIONS a doable option! After setting a few traps outside, the homeowner arrived and I was able to see things from the inside. The hole in the boys bedroom was about the size of a baseball, covered by the homeowner with layers of DUCT TAPE, what else! When I peeled it off, well, there sat the squirrel, at least, I could see part of it. You know , somehow I was figuring just how to reach in there and grab that squirrel that was only inches away...only the hole wasn't big enough, but being a creature of habit, I tried it anyway...Man, that squirrel shot out of that hole, lickety split and was gone in a flash, this almost right at dark. I re-taped the hole shut. Bob's idea to place a nose cone trap there, would have been a good choice! The next morning, I had the squirrel, a pregnant female on top of the railing.
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: warrior]
#1824052
02/14/10 06:44 PM
02/14/10 06:44 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,347 NWWA/AZ
Vinke
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,347
NWWA/AZ
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I would have welcomed the opportunity to set up a 40 foot ladder in the snow.......The ability to stick the base into the ground eliminates the need for addition people usually required for safe set up......
I have been on many ladders, and very few times will a tree impede "My" ability to get in....
Tie, bungy or rope the ladder in if need be..... The painting "type" extension arms that attach to the top can make "some" feel more stable.......
The way I look at it is....I have to get "there" to fix the hole anyway.........
Slightly used Shoes 4 sale……………
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: Vinke]
#1824191
02/14/10 07:18 PM
02/14/10 07:18 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 17,383 Central Ohio
LT GREY
OP
trapper
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OP
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 17,383
Central Ohio
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Yes Dave, but you have a cape.......
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: LT GREY]
#1824244
02/14/10 07:32 PM
02/14/10 07:32 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,823 Lower Alabama (Daleville)
LAtrapper
"Professor"
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"Professor"
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,823
Lower Alabama (Daleville)
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---Warrior mentioned setting a 110 over a hole and I confess I've tried this trick before with mixed results. more often being the trap fired. I'd like to see your version Warrior, of how you MOUNT a 110 kill trap on a flat wood surface. Shelf w/ bracket?--- I’m not Warrior, but here is how I set 55’s over a squirrel hole. I prefer the 55 over the 110. I don’t have any squirrels in my soffits or walls so used a piece of plywood for illustrative purposes. Make a Conicubby out of ½ X 1 inch mesh weld wire. See pictures- Attach Conicubby over hole using fender washer and screws. To prevent viewing of trapped squirrels by the public I usually run a length of 16 gauge wire from the trap to ground level. Run the wire through the trap chain ring and place a trap stop at the bottom of the wire. When the trap is fired, it will kick out of the cubby and slide down the wire. I have sometimes used a brick as a trap stop and placed the brick in a bucket on the ground. The squirrel usually ends up in the bucket. Body grip traps are not 100% kill traps, so use good judgment when using them. I use positive catch set-ups for all of my squirrel trapping. Probably 80% of my gray squirrel trapping is done with the Tomahawk M-80 with a nosecone. Tomahawk The nosecone can be attached up (for soffits), down (for roof holes), left or right (for walls), or modified for other circumstances.. I run into many instances that squirrels are entering where a soffit meets a lower roof and there is not room to set the M-80. For these, I have built some smaller positive catch traps. Nosecones are manufactured, on site, to fit the situation. For flying squirrels, a smaller homemade version to the M-80 is used when possible. Let’s see some more methods!
Note to self- Engage brain before opening mouth (or hitting the ENTER key/SUBMIT button).
Ron Fry
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#1824534
02/14/10 08:42 PM
02/14/10 08:42 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,823 Lower Alabama (Daleville)
LAtrapper
"Professor"
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"Professor"
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,823
Lower Alabama (Daleville)
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--- My only question is, doesn't having the regular cage on top of or beside the repeater, cause a lot of sprung cages? Not really. But it sure helps to catch those that may have been outside the structure when the trap is set. I am trying to catch all, but only, those squirrels actually using that entrance. Around here, it seems that only one female and her last litter of young actually live in the attic at a time. When the new litter is due, Mom runs the previous litter off. But some of the previous litter still want to return. I want to catch them too (to prevent call-backs). Yes all entrances are sealed when the traps are removed. I have also found that as the latest litter begins exploring, but aren't going outside yet, Mom seems to want some peace of mind and doesn't stay inside with them all day. Kind of like us with kids going through the "terrible two's". I try to make most of my squirrel setups after the morning and before the afternoon feeding periods, when they should all be inside. Often TIME doesn't allow that though. What are your experiences in your part of the world?
Note to self- Engage brain before opening mouth (or hitting the ENTER key/SUBMIT button).
Ron Fry
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: LAtrapper]
#1826155
02/15/10 01:27 PM
02/15/10 01:27 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,361 mequon, wisconsin
Paul Winkelmann
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,361
mequon, wisconsin
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Yesterday I ran across something really rare: AN INTELLIGENT CUSTOMER. He had a squirrel loose in his basement. When I got to his house, he was still in the basement watching the squirrel. He told me it was by a window, behind a pile of cardboard, and if I went over there it would jump on a pile of carpeting that was piled five feet high between the furnace and the basement wall.
I thanked him for this valuable information and went over to the pile of carpeting. I set up a 7" by 8" Safeguard on top of the carpeting and flush with the wall. I held it in place and closed off the rest of the space with a handy cardboard box.
I then proceeded to set up another cage by the window, which caused the squirrel to get nervous and jump into the first cage. I yelled "Bingo, we got him. I'm getting better at this." To which my customer replied, "Better, you're already a genius."
I told you he was intelligent.
What's the difference between a northern zoo and a southern zoo? At a southern zoo, after the description of the animal they have A RECIPE
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: Trapstar Charlie]
#1831346
02/17/10 12:02 AM
02/17/10 12:02 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,191 Mt. Olive, IL
Ron Scheller
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,191
Mt. Olive, IL
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Ron, kinda like driving a 8 penny nail with a 10 lb sledge? =) Absolutely..... My preference by far as compared to driving a railroad spike with a feather duster. I would never suggest purchasing such equipment just for squirrel or other standard critter work.... I have it due to the large number of bat jobs and bird netting jobs I perform, mostly on 2.5 and 3 story homes, churches, condos, truck docks, storefronts, etc. However, since it is sitting there with all the rest of my equipment, in those rare cases where a squirrel or coon job requires some extra-high access, I never hesitate to utilize it for such work. I will often use it for tall structures that I could reach with a 32-foot ladder, but I prefer the safety aspect of using the lift. It's awesome for installing large chimney caps on 3-story homes.
Ron Scheller
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Re: " Well, how would YOU do it ? "
[Re: LT GREY]
#1862147
03/01/10 01:07 AM
03/01/10 01:07 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,576 St Louis, Missouri
Barkstone
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,576
St Louis, Missouri
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I also prefer the 55 size trap for squirrels but would strongly suggest going to the 60. I do not use the one spring 55's anymore, yes it'll hold. but I have had to make one too many trips out to quite down a squirrel in the middle of the night. The 60 is a much more humane trap where I need it to be. and the second spring makes it easier to stablize.
Paul R. Ellsworth
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