I Give Up!!!!

[Al Beatty 0]

Hi Peter,

 

I may have accidentally stumbled onto a solution that could work for you. It's a two part fix and goes like this:

 

1. I have/had my bird feeder hanging from a tree limb easily seen from the kitchen window (over the sink). You are right, those darned squirrels found a way into it for a couple of years until last year. First I got a large, shallow (round) pan like those you set a large plant in to keep water from getting on the carpet. I think the one we used was about 14" in diameter. I drilled a hole in the center of it and threaded the cable from the feeder up through it (pan was upside down). That made for a kind of "tippy roof" over the feeder. It really slowed the squirrels down but one wise ole character can still get in to it.

 

2. The second part of the solution came this past winter when I ran out of bird feed, went to the store to get more and didn't find my regular blend. Instead I got a blend of really small, round seeds good for the wrens, etc. that visit but it also had about 10% cracked corn in it. The wrens (and others) didn't like the cracked corn so they "flip" it out of the feeder and it ends up on the ground. Since then I've not seen the squirrels trying to get in the feeder. I always see them cleaning up the cracked corn on the ground. We've also picked up several pairs of mallards that visit to clean up the corn as well.

 

I don't know if this would work for you but I has solved our problem for about a year now. Take care & ...

 

Tight Lines - Al Beatty

www.btsflyfishing.com

[JayMorr 0]

HAHAHAHA. Honestly Peter you had me thinking all morning long how a bird feeder should now be squirrel certified. The "Pam" idea is hilarious! What about using something that would not wear off as fast? Crisco??? Or some type of oil? That is too funny.

 

 

[Tybugs1 0]

The topic was one to get a laugh. I understand the frustration but guys it was way funny!

I like the Paintball concept. Might as well have fun

 

I almost want to get me a bird feeder now

[Peterjay 0]

Jay, the Pam trick was an absolute howl, even though it didn't really work. They just kept climbing up and sliding down over and over until the stuff wore off. I expected to see a lot of greasy-pawed squirrels falling out of trees for a while, but I guess they licked it off, because they were as sure-footed as ever.

 

Thanks for the tip Al, I'm definitely going to try your trick with the pan, though the cracked corn doesn't seem to appeal to the spoiled squirrels we've got here in the East. I used to scatter it around under the feeder for the turkeys and doves and the squirrels pretty much ignored it. I'm not surprised that your Boise squirrels eat it though; I remember them as being a particularly hard-nosed bunch. The ones here do a fair amount of bickering, but the squirrels in our yard in Boise would practically kill each other over a pine cone. The guy who fixed our air conditioner told me that the ones in his yard used to form a pack and attack his cat. (He swore up and down it was true) I asked around to see if there was a subspecies of bloodthirsty Idaho squirrel that I hadn't heard of, and I was told that they were eastern gray squirrels that somebody had transplanted out there for some unknown reason. (Who the heck transplants squirrels? Can you imagine driving out there on I-80 with a carload of ill-tempered rodents?) Apparently, the squirrels didn't think much of their new surroundings, because it certainly showed in their attitude. I guess they missed the walnut trees.

[Tybugs1 0]

Like a lot of people with bird feeders, I've been waging a running battle with squirrels for about the last 20 years or so. It seems that no matter what I do, they always find a way around it and end up getting all the food and wrecking the feeder in the process. I've tried suspending the feeder with wire and 100-pound mono stretched between trees, but as soon as they figure out the mechanics, they just chew through it and knock it down. I even tried putting the feeders on aluminum poles and spraying the poles with Pam. That was hilarious to watch for a while but it didn't take long for the Pam to wear off and they'd just shinny up the pole and get down to business. A while ago, somebody gave us a nice feeder that was encased in heavy wire and I thought I had it licked. Like the critter in the picture below, they could grab a bite without wrecking the system. (Hey, everybody's gotta eat)

 

 

 

 

I was feeling pretty smug about it until I looked out my office window this morning to check the seed level and found that one of the little SOBs had knocked off the cover and was down inside the feeder stuffing his gut. At first I thought that this might be the Einstein of the squirrel world until my wife pointed out that he had absolutely no need to be in there in the first place and that if he kept it up, he'd be too bloated to get out. (It was a very tight squeeze as it was) If this is a case of Man vs. Nature, it would appear that nature is winning hands down, at least in this neck of the woods.

 

 

 

 

I couldn't resist Peterjay. Been home sick for two days and my mind is traveling to the dark side

 

[Brian Brown75 0]

We had the same problem, we got the squirrels they're own feeder or just get a dried corn on the cob and drill a hole on the bottom of it and stick a dowel rod into an l shaped piece of wood big enough so they can get on and put the corn on the dowel they wont bother the bird feeder anymore

[FlyTyingPhotographer 0]

Buy yourself a 500,000 volt stun gun and connect some extension wires to the feeders. Run 'em to a window and let the fun begin. One or two zaps from one of those babies and I think your problems are over. All you have to do is push the button on the stun gun when you see 'em on the feeders. By the way, I have one for sale if you're interested.

[Brian Brown75 0]

Wouldnt that kill the birds?

[FlyTyingPhotographer 0]

No, It wouldn't kill the birds because it only works when you press the button on the stun gun. You can control it from the window. You only press the button when the squirrels are on the feeder. Give 'em a quick zap and watch 'em run. ......... er, uh, fall to the ground ? maybe Die ?. I don't really know what it would do to a squirrel. Maybe knock 'em out. Maybe kill 'em. I guess it depends on the voltage of the stun gun. They come in all kinds of sizes. Popular sizes are 60,000 volt, 100,000 volt, 300,000 volt and 500,000 volt. The 500,000 might kill a squirrel. The 60,000 would probably just give them a nasty shock. I tested a 60,000 volt gun on my leg. Trust me when I say this, it would get their attention real fast. I carried a 100,000 volt gun when I was driving a cab because they're small and fit in a pocket easily. Prices run anywhere from about 29.00 for a small one up to about 89.00 for the larger ones. You also need to check the laws in your state to see if you can have one in your possesion. Different states have different regulations. You could easily cut an old extension cord and attach the wires to a bird feeder on one end and the stun gun on the other end. Another option would be speaker wire because you can readily buy that from stores like radio shack in any length. Be ready with the video camera and be sure to upload some clips to Youtube because this is something people will want to see. ........ Hmmm, I wonder how high a squirrel can actually jump ? Well, this is one way to find out.

[FlyTyingPhotographer 0]

here's something I found on YouTube that I thought was hilarious. It's called "Twirl a Squirrel".

 

 

Check out the Carling Black Label squirrel

[smallieFanatic 0]

Very funny!

[FlyTyingPhotographer 0]

Teamwork .....

 

[flygirl 0]

well....you definitely need to move it onto a branch away from the tree trunk so the squirrels have no support .....check out DunCraft , they have a few squirrel proof feeders that are expensive ,but worth it. I have the one with the break away perches that holds about 5 lbs of seed....now the squirrels just hang out underneath it.

[FlyTyingPhotographer 0]

Here's a guy that used electricity by rigging a battery and some stuff from an electric fence.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUygSwox5y8

 

Here's one that looks interesting.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuGw1F8AvYg

[Peterjay 0]

Aside from the fact that electrocuting small animals is a sure way to wind up in front of a judge, (taking game animals out of season, illegal methods, and animal cruelty at the very least) it's also one of the diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder. It'd be just my luck to have a neighbor who enjoys reading his DSM IV and has the local game warden on speed dial. I drove a cab for five years, and the only "persuader" I carried was a socket wrench I kept under the front seat. (it came in handy a few times) My main deterrent was the fact that I'm at least as crazy as any potential robber and that I happen to look like a member of Hell's Angels. My boss said I held the world record for throwing lowlifes out of my cab. Good way to work out hostility and make some money at the same time. I've considered going back part-time, but the thought of getting up at 4 AM makes my stomach churn.