Are Grey Squirrels a Problem?

C

Callee

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Seguin, Ontario
Hope this is the right forum.

For years i had a terrible problem with red squirrels. They would tear through the trim and fascia and get into my shop/storage loft. They were extremely destructive. They actually chewed right through the wiring for the overhead lights!

At first i tried just using traps inside the storage loft. That got a lot of them, but with the endless supply waiting in the surrounding forest, that soon started to feel like a futile game.

Then i picked up a gamo .22 pellet gun, which really let me take the fight to them. After the first year i seem to have got most of them, and in the last few months there's only been one that i know of.

Problem solved, yes?

I've noticed that without the cursed red squirrels, i have a lot more song birds, and that is nice.

Today i noticed a pair of big fluffy grey squirrels hopping about the trees.

I haven't seen a grey squirrel on the property for years. I read somewhere that the aggressive red squirrels usually chase the grey squirrels away, so maybe now that the red squirrels are gone, the greys can come back?

It made me wonder though if the grey squirrels would also be a destructive pest or not?

So what are all your experiences with grey squirrels? Destructive pest that should be taken car of? Or harmless fluffballs hopping through the trees?

Thanks.
 
grey squirrels are native to Eastern Canada, so you seeing them in your area shouldn't really be that concerning. Out here in BC those bastards are like the spawn of satan, they get into the nest of the columbian ground squirrels we have here and do damage. not sure what you have as far as hnting regs for squirrels in Ontario but I am a fan of getting rid of squirrels at the earliest possible chance.
 
The greys and blacks can be a valuable food resource in hard times but yes are destructive around buildings just through their taking advantage of the shelter we can provide them and can really turn into a problem if left unchecked. As far as greys vs reds goes, both are native species and can sort things out for themselves, but where greys have been introduced they do create havoc. In Murph's post we've read about them in BC; when introduced it Great Britain they immediately started killing off the native squirrel species and eating them, and also went nuts on British oak trees, stripping them of their bark wholesale and killing them too. Scientists claim to be puzzled by the bark thing but I believe it's because the greys miss the extra tannin found in the oak trees here and are getting it that way.

At one point I was running 4-5 bird feeders here but despite the fact they were effectively squirrel proof (with some home improvements), the seed scatter from picky birds attracted red, grey and black squirrels in such numbers that I actually just gave up on the feeders.
 
Callee said:
Hope this is the right forum.

For years i had a terrible problem with red squirrels. They would tear through the trim and fascia and get into my shop/storage loft. They were extremely destructive. They actually chewed right through the wiring for the overhead lights!

At first i tried just using traps inside the storage loft. That got a lot of them, but with the endless supply waiting in the surrounding forest, that soon started to feel like a futile game.

Then i picked up a gamo .22 pellet gun, which really let me take the fight to them. After the first year i seem to have got most of them, and in the last few months there's only been one that i know of.

Problem solved, yes?

I've noticed that without the cursed red squirrels, i have a lot more song birds, and that is nice.

Today i noticed a pair of big fluffy grey squirrels hopping about the trees.

I haven't seen a grey squirrel on the property for years. I read somewhere that the aggressive red squirrels usually chase the grey squirrels away, so maybe now that the red squirrels are gone, the greys can come back?

It made me wonder though if the grey squirrels would also be a destructive pest or not?

So what are all your experiences with grey squirrels? Destructive pest that should be taken car of? Or harmless fluffballs hopping through the trees?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure red squirrels are considered a fur bearing mammal and aren't allowed to be shot in Ontario. The pelt of a fur bearing mammal also must be used and not allowed to go to waste. So you must have trapped them and used them for tying fly fishing lures right? Lol
 
53Izzy744 said:
Pretty sure red squirrels are considered a fur bearing mammal and aren't allowed to be shot in Ontario. The pelt of a fur bearing mammal also must be used and not allowed to go to waste. So you must have trapped them and used them for tying fly fishing lures right? Lol
Click to expand...

Out in the bush, yes.

On your own property, the conservation act gives you the authority to to harass, capture or kill any animal, excluding white tails, that is being destructive or is reasonably believed to going to be destructive of your property.

Here, i just looked it up, section 31:

Protection of property

31 (1) If a person believes on reasonable grounds that wildlife is damaging or is about to damage the person’s property, the person may, on the person’s land,

(a) harass the wildlife for the purpose of deterring it from damaging the person’s property; or

(b) capture or kill the wildlife. 1997, c. 41, s. 31 (1).

Agents

(2) The person may use an agent to harass, capture or kill the wildlife under subsection (1) if the agent has the authorization of the Minister or belongs to a class of agents prescribed by the regulations. 1997, c. 41, s. 31 (2).

Exceptions

(3) Subsection (1) does not apply to,

(a) a moose or woodland caribou; or

(b) a white-tailed deer, an American elk or other wildlife prescribed by the regulations, unless the person harasses, captures or kills the wildlife in accordance with the authorization of the Minister or in the circumstances prescribed by the regulations.

(c) Repealed: 2009, c. 33, Sched. 22, s. 2 (15).

1997, c. 41, s. 31 (3); 2009, c. 33, Sched. 22, s. 2 (15); 2017, c. 2, Sched. 14, s. 8.

Scope of authority

(4) A person who harasses, captures or kills wildlife under this section shall not harass, capture or kill more wildlife than is necessary to protect the property. 1997, c. 41, s. 31 (4).

Unnecessary suffering

(5) A person who harasses, captures or kills wildlife under this section shall not cause it unnecessary suffering. 1997, c. 41, s. 31 (5).

Certain provisions do not apply

(6) Sections 5 and 6, clauses 11 (1) (a) to (d), section 27 and such other provisions of this Act and the regulations as are prescribed by the regulations do not apply to a person who harasses, captures or kills wildlife under this section. 1997, c. 41, s. 31 (6).

Night hunting

(7) Section 20 does not apply to a person who, under this section, harasses, captures or kills wildlife, other than white-tailed deer, American elk or wildlife prescribed for the purpose of clause (3) (b). 2009, c. 33, Sched. 22, s. 2 (16).
Click to expand...
 
Callee said:
Out in the bush, yes.

On your own property, the conservation act gives you the authority to to harass, capture or kill any animal, excluding white tails, that is being destructive or is reasonably believed to going to be destructive of your property.

Here, i just looked it up, section 31:
Click to expand...

Kill yes, but im refering to shooting. As far as the regs are concerned, fur bearing mammals need to be trapped not shot, you are still killing them. But it is interesting that they dont make a distinction of fur bearing animal damaging property if they are allowed to be shot then. As far as i am seeing, fur bearing animals are distinct because the gov considers them more valuable than regular animals and because of that they are not to be shot and ruin their pelt value.

Like with a fox killing chickens. Kill the damn thing for sure, but because its a fur bearing mammal can i shoot it or no?

Obviously the three S rule applies but as usual the regs are clear as mud.
 
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53Izzy744 said:
Kill yes, but im refering to shooting. As far as the regs are concerned, fur bearing mammals need to be trapped not shot, you are still killing them. But it is interesting that they dont make a distinction of fur bearing animal damaging property if they are allowed to be shot then.
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It was explained to me that the right to protect your property overrides those hunting and trapping regulations, and that the only exceptions to that are the ones spelled out in the act for whitetail, etc.

The catch, of course, is that this only applies while on your property. We were told about one man who had a black bear come on his property and charge his grand children. He put the kids inside and took his rifle and went after the bear, stalking and killing it. But the ministry charged him, because the spot where he shot the bear was half a km past his property line!
 
I live in rural Ont. Same place since 1990. Greys & blacks all this time without issues.
2 years ago the reds came in. Troubles started with them. Ont. hunting regs save these guys
for trappers , but most people do not know this & do what they need to.
.22 LR , .22 Shot , .410 all come to mind. BTW : chipmonks are NOT protected in Ont.
I use to have several cats that kept them down. Cats all gone now so .22 shot does the trick.
 
The red squirrels can be dealt with as protection of property. You can shoot them, provided you're not in city limits, etc.

Grey squirrels are not so much destructive as just a nuisance. Raiding bird feeders, stuffing walnuts up downspouts, in the grill of my truck, in my bbq...

I like hunting grey squirrels. Make some good "chicken wings" from the legs.
 
I have Grey's and reds on the property, never had any issue with the Grey's but the red ones are bad for getting into outbuildings, building nests, chewing holes in stuff to get inside and store food ect.
 
There's a trick to squirrels... the trick is to get them to see you as friends. Talk to 'em, toss 'em nuts, put up feeders with sunflower seeds on trees away from your house.

Before too long you get moments like this...
image.png

Lefty here had a bum foreleg when he moved in, but between feeding and play as therapy (we built him a little castle on the porch to explore and climb on) he's comin along nicely... at the cost of being overprotective of "HIS humans" and running other squirrels off.
 
We have Greys and Blacks here as a result of escape from the Calgary zoo, decades ago, they've even spread to surrounding small towns. I saw one in Sundre a few years ago.
 
Diamondback Six said:
There's a trick to squirrels... the trick is to get them to see you as friends. Talk to 'em, toss 'em nuts, put up feeders with sunflower seeds on trees away from your house.

Before too long you get moments like this...
image.png

Lefty here had a bum foreleg when he moved in, but between feeding and play as therapy (we built him a little castle on the porch to explore and climb on) he's comin along nicely... at the cost of being overprotective of "HIS humans" and running other squirrels off.
Click to expand...

So you shoot them once you gain their trust, clever.
 
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