Well, i've been watching the two of them carefully, and today i caught one trying to break into our winterised camper trailer, so unfortunately he had to go. I was impressed how well the .22 pellets out of the gamo did on the larger grey squirrel. He was up in a tall spruce, about 50 yards on the angle from me. I didn't see where the first shot hit him, but it was enough to make him stop and stumble which was more than long enough to get a second shot into him. That made him fall from the tree, and by the time i got to him he was already dead. Nice to get a pretty clean kill like that with just a pellet gun.
Are Grey Squirrels a Problem?
- Thread starter Callee
- Start date
They can be a problem if you don't cook them properly.
Those Gray/Black Squirrels are about 5X the size of a Red Squirrel and have quite a bit of meat on them.
They can taste nice and be tender when they're young but the old ones need to be soaked in baking soda/water for at least 48 hours to tenderize enough for the frying pan.
If you're going to stew them, debone them first and don't use backbones or ribs.
I like cooking them with salt/garlic/beer and diced tomatoes. They're not bad roasted on a stick over a hot bed of campfire coals either.
More than one good way to deal with that problem.
In the small town where I live in the southern BC Interior we had an infestation of Gray Squirrels back in the early sixties.
The railroad brought them in when they hitched rides in boxcars.
The local authorities had a fit. They immediately put a bounty on them, but only wanted the tails. They wanted them so bad, we were given more for a tail than trappers were getting for the hides at the time.
My father's farm was a haven for them and they breed very quickly. They're also very hard on the other types of local squirrels and chipmunks.
We heard all sorts of things about them, such as they would raid bird's nests for chicks and eggs. I never saw any evidence of that, so took it with a grain of salt.
I shot a couple of hundred on our property that summer/fall and most of them went into the freezer.
I haven't seen one in our area for over 50 years but that doesn't mean they aren't around in isolated areas.
We never had rats, until a batsh1t crazy local, decided to let a few hundred she had been feeding in her basement go out into the local community. Now we have a rat problem and that's much worse than any squirrel problem.
Those Gray/Black Squirrels are about 5X the size of a Red Squirrel and have quite a bit of meat on them.
They can taste nice and be tender when they're young but the old ones need to be soaked in baking soda/water for at least 48 hours to tenderize enough for the frying pan.
If you're going to stew them, debone them first and don't use backbones or ribs.
I like cooking them with salt/garlic/beer and diced tomatoes. They're not bad roasted on a stick over a hot bed of campfire coals either.
More than one good way to deal with that problem.
In the small town where I live in the southern BC Interior we had an infestation of Gray Squirrels back in the early sixties.
The railroad brought them in when they hitched rides in boxcars.
The local authorities had a fit. They immediately put a bounty on them, but only wanted the tails. They wanted them so bad, we were given more for a tail than trappers were getting for the hides at the time.
My father's farm was a haven for them and they breed very quickly. They're also very hard on the other types of local squirrels and chipmunks.
We heard all sorts of things about them, such as they would raid bird's nests for chicks and eggs. I never saw any evidence of that, so took it with a grain of salt.
I shot a couple of hundred on our property that summer/fall and most of them went into the freezer.
I haven't seen one in our area for over 50 years but that doesn't mean they aren't around in isolated areas.
We never had rats, until a batsh1t crazy local, decided to let a few hundred she had been feeding in her basement go out into the local community. Now we have a rat problem and that's much worse than any squirrel problem.
Indeed, great squirrels are excellent table fare. Creamy mushroom squirrel or squirrel with dumplings are both good. They're fun and challenging to hunt, too. Seems they're everywhere until you pick up a .22 and go after them, then you'll find (most days) that you need to be patient and expect to shoot 40-60 yards to bag your limit of tree rabbits.
Rod B
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
There ALL just furry tailed destructive RATSRJ
Damn things are a right pain in the butt.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
That’s the truth, squirrel’s on the property see me without a .22 and they’re tapping away like normal. They see me with a .22 and they don’t make a peep or move, they can’t stay quiet for long though lol.
You have a bag limit on tree rats? Around here they’re in they’re own classification in the hunting regs and there’s no bag limit or closed season for them. Nor do you need a hunting license to shoot them.
Last edited:
Grey (black) and Fox squirrels, limit of 5, possession of 15. Reds are considered furbearers and aren't supposed to be shot. You need a trappers licence.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Interesting, squirrels fall under schedule C animals, here’s what is in the bc regs for schedule B & C:
Schedule B and C wildlife are known to destroy property and/or are detrimental to native wildlife or habitat. These species have fewer restrictions regulating their hunting, killing or capturing. Any capture or killing
of these species must still abide by provincial laws regarding the humane treatment of animals.
» Schedule B lists animals that may be captured or killed on private land only for the specific purpose of protecting property; no hunting license or open season is required. On Crown land a person must abide by the open seasons for Schedule B species (see Regional Schedules for open seasons). Schedule B species include coast mole, snowshoe hare, lemmings, bushy-tailed woodrat, deer mice, porcupine, northern pocket gopher, yellow-bellied marmot, woodchuck, Columbian ground squirrel, striped skunk, raccoon, and spotted skunk.
» For all Schedule C species there are no closed seasons or bag limits. Furthermore, there are no requirements to remove edible portions or report the killing to an officer. Schedule C birds may be hunted using electronic calls.
» You do not need a hunting licence to capture,
hunt or kill the following Schedule C wildlife: American bullfrog, green frog, snapping turtles, North American opossum, eastern cottontail, European rabbit, nutria, gray squirrels, fox squirrels, house sparrow, European starling, and rock dove (domestic pigeon).
» You do need a hunting licence to hunt the following Schedule C wildlife UNLESS you are hunting them on your property or they are damaging your property: Feral Pig, Northwestern Crow, American Crow, black-billed magpie, and brown-headed cowbird.
Last edited:
In Ontario not other provinces
I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. In my previous home in Ontario, we had tons of both Grey Squirrels (both grey and black phases) and Reds, along with lots of Chipmunks. Here in Manitoba, lots of Chipmunks and Reds, with only the occasional Grey.
Aside from some slight damage to a couple of wooden birdfeeders, they have never caused any problems. I have no issue with shooting destructive wildlife around my house...a Porcupine in any of the trees in or near my yard, a Coyote anywhere within range, Ground Squirrels digging holes around the house or outbuildings, all are shot on sight. I have lots of birdfeeders and regularly shoot House Sparrows, Starlings and Cowbirds whenever any show up. No need to research the legality or worry about it.
But I have never felt any inclination or need to bother tree squirrels of any species. Used to enjoy eating them when I had lots around and there was a season, in Ontario. I don't even know if there is a squirrel season in Manitoba, and we have so few Greys that I wouldn't shoot one even if it were legal. I like having them around.
Aside from some slight damage to a couple of wooden birdfeeders, they have never caused any problems. I have no issue with shooting destructive wildlife around my house...a Porcupine in any of the trees in or near my yard, a Coyote anywhere within range, Ground Squirrels digging holes around the house or outbuildings, all are shot on sight. I have lots of birdfeeders and regularly shoot House Sparrows, Starlings and Cowbirds whenever any show up. No need to research the legality or worry about it.
But I have never felt any inclination or need to bother tree squirrels of any species. Used to enjoy eating them when I had lots around and there was a season, in Ontario. I don't even know if there is a squirrel season in Manitoba, and we have so few Greys that I wouldn't shoot one even if it were legal. I like having them around.
In case you werent aware, Exeter Ontario has white squirrels.
https://www.stopsalongtheway.ca/home-to-the-white-squirrel
You could set up a squirrel obstacle course for entertainment.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hFZFjoX2cGg&pp=ygUYc3F1aXJyZWwgb2JzdGFjbGUgY291cnNl
https://www.stopsalongtheway.ca/home-to-the-white-squirrel
You could set up a squirrel obstacle course for entertainment.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hFZFjoX2cGg&pp=ygUYc3F1aXJyZWwgb2JzdGFjbGUgY291cnNl
Last edited:
I have hordes of grays in my backyard. So many, that I see daily grey, black and albinos. They are destroying my stand of cedars by ripping the bark to make their nests. Today I found one in my outdoor garbage can as he managed to lift the cover and get in. Never seen a red squirrel here and only reds at my cottage 60km north no grays there...yet.
However I did have a nest of flying squirrels at my cottage and the young ones are cute to see.
However I did have a nest of flying squirrels at my cottage and the young ones are cute to see.
Here in the burbs it is impossible to eradicate the blacks/greys. I have a bird/squirrel house that is used by the hoods' dominant squirrel every year, and she/he keeps most other squirrels away from her younguns. As a side benefit, watching the babies come out for the first time and rough each other up is priceless. As long as this family plays nice and doesn't trash the place they get to live in peace. Otherwise the removal crew steps in and we start all over.
John
John
That's why I prefer an air rifle for those sorts of jobs. Not talking about a kid's model of course.
Diamondback Six
CGN frequent flyer
Lefty just wanted to say "Hello"...
Diamondback Six
CGN frequent flyer
That's the problem right there... you see it as needing to work against them, I've persuaded ours that working WITH us is in everybody's best interests. Problem is, they fight each other for my peanuts... admittedly, our neighborhood is known for being multigenerational squirrel feeders across decades so here they've learned not to bite the hands that feed them. They just go from house to house working the neighborhood like it's Trick-or-Treat every day...
