Attracting squirrels for harvesting

[MrCalicoty]

We have a 5 acre mini-farm which is surrounded by crop fields. Within half a mile or so we have large wooded areas with squirrels. Unfortunately we don't have any on our property. We're new out here so I'm wondering if there's a way to attract them. We have plenty of mature locust, oak, poplar, pine, and box elder for them to nest. We've only been here less than a year but I've yet to see any squirrels.

Also, what might be the downside to having them here? We wouldn't want them destroying foods were trying to grow but I'd like the chance to take a few for table fare.

Maybe I should mention that we also have some apple and pear trees. Sorry if I seem stingy but I really don't want critters eating what I want to!

[whatrset]

Put corn out for them. I cant immagine that they dont come over to visit, squirrells are more than a lil nutty.

[big rockpile]

Corn if you keep it up high Squirrels but if you get Automatic Feeder All Kinds of Animals and Turkeys.

big rockpile

[Chuck R.]

We’re sort of in the same boat, we’ve got 80 acres of which about 35 are in hardwoods, but we don’t really have that many squirrels.

What we’ve done so far is start putting up squirrel nesting boxes and planting Sawtooth Oaks (primarily for deer) and cleaning up/fertilizing what oaks, hickory’s and walnuts we have. From what I’ve read, the biggest impact should be the nesting boxes.

I run a 300lb deer feeder (corn/soy beans) about 10 months out of the year. Last FEB I watched a brave little fox squirrel negotiate about 200 yards of open terrain to get to it, just in time for it to go off. So I know feeders will work.

Chuck

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by Chuck R.

We’re sort of in the same boat, we’ve got 80 acres of which about 35 are in hardwoods, but we don’t really have that many squirrels.

What we’ve done so far is start putting up squirrel nesting boxes and planting Sawtooth Oaks (primarily for deer) and cleaning up/fertilizing what oaks, hickory’s and walnuts we have. From what I’ve read, the biggest impact should be the nesting boxes.

I run a 300lb deer feeder (corn/soy beans) about 10 months out of the year. Last FEB I watched a brave little fox squirrel negotiate about 200 yards of open terrain to get to it, just in time for it to go off. So I know feeders will work.

Chuck

Chuck something I have found in Kansas for both Deer and Squirrels of all things is Osage Orange Trees.

big rockpile

[fishhead]

I would be surprised if you have oaks and no squirrels. They are experts at putting the tree between you and them.

Try sitting quietly in various spots on your property and see if they don't suddenly appear.

[JJ Grandits]

I have a hard time imagining a place without squirrels.We are kind of lousy with them. If you have oaks and apples You should have some somewhere. I agree with sitting very quietly at first light.

[MrCalicoty]

Where we just moved from about 30 miles away from here we had tons of squirrels but it was a residential area. We had lots of pines, maples, pin oaks, and ash trees and I could spot the nests up very high in the tree tops. Not so where we are here.

I'll have to keep a look out but I have spent a considerable amount of time watching for them and looking up into the trees. We also have english walnuts and pears so there's no lack of food for them. I will try putting some corn cob feeders out on the fence posts.

As for the nest boxes... I could make them in the woodshop but just how high is high? 30 feet? I'm not an able tree climber (the boy might want to try). How high do I need to put them to keep the other critters away?

Looking forward to a future squirrel harvest...

[Pops2]

if you're on good terms w/ any of your old naighbors, see if you can trap & move some for seed.

[EDDIE BUCK]

I made a couple of shell corn feeders out of 4 inch PVC by two ft long.On top drill a couple holes for a wire handle to hang by,use a cap or make a lid.On the bottom cut a small hole for the corn to come out,then attach a 1x6x8 inch board with small L shaped braces,and tack a small three quarter strip around its top to keep the corn from falling off.Just hang on a nail driven in a tree, high enough deer can't reach it.About a week the squirrels should have found it.

[Oldcountryboy]

Believe it or not, squirrels are migraters. Sometimes you can have a flood of squirrels everywhere and in a few years they might slowly trickle down to hardly any around at all. Then all of a sudden your flooded with them again.

So if that's the case, they might just be migrated out of your area for right now.

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by Oldcountryboy

Believe it or not, squirrels are migraters. Sometimes you can have a flood of squirrels everywhere and in a few years they might slowly trickle down to hardly any around at all. Then all of a sudden your flooded with them again.

So if that's the case, they might just be migrated out of your area for right now.

Yea I'm thinking thats what happen here.Had all kinds of Squirrels then one year no Acorns and sever Ice Storm,no Squirrels to the point not a Hickory Nut being toched.

big rockpile

[MrCalicoty]

Originally Posted by EDDIE BUCK

I made a couple of shell corn feeders out of 4 inch PVC by two ft long.

I have some PVC laying around so I might just give that a try Eddie. Would you happen to have a photo or two that you could post?

I'm kind of a visual guy... and a picture is worth a thousand words!

[EDDIE BUCK]

Originally Posted by MrCalicoty

I have some PVC laying around so I might just give that a try Eddie. Would you happen to have a photo or two that you could post?

I'm kind of a visual guy... and a picture is worth a thousand words!

Heres one I found on the web thats close to mine.Cut the 4 in pvc 24 inches.Just have one small hole on the bottom for the corn to come out.This picture the hole is way to big and too high up.Make the hole about 1 inc in size and close to the bottom..Where this one looks like some type of lid,mine is a board thats flush with the pvc on the back,the side close to tree and the front extends out 4 inches for a feeding platform.

A small three quarter inch strip is tacked around the top of the platform to keep the corn from falling off.Also make sure the bail wire that hangs it, is in the right position according to the direction of the feeding platform.Any more questions just pm me.Hope this helps.

[Chuck R.]

Originally Posted by MrCalicoty

As for the nest boxes... I could make them in the woodshop but just how high is high? 30 feet? I'm not an able tree climber (the boy might want to try). How high do I need to put them to keep the other critters away?

20-30 feet, facing south, preferably with a branch near the entrance hole. From what I read it also depends on the type of squirrel. I’m in eastern KS, and we have both Gray and Fox. Grays and Foxes have slightly different habits. Foxes like the edges of treelines, whereas Greys like to be deeper in the woodline. On my place though the few squirrels I do see are all Foxes.

We used a ladder and climbed the rest of the way. Use a rope over a branch with a “D” ring as a pulley and have a ground helper hoist the box up. One box is supposed to be good for a family of 5. I also used my treestand safety harness with a climbing loop to make sure I "stayed" in the tree.

BR,

You’re right, my place (like most farms here) is surrounded by hedge trees and the squirrels (and rats) do like the hedge apples come late fall and winter.

Chuck

[fishhead]

Our gray squirrels build nests out of branches and leaves. I think they line them with chewed bark from basswoods. They also nest in cavities if they can find them.

[dave_p]

When building feeders keep in mind predators of squirrels. A friend bought about 100 acres 20 years ago and we cleared a right of way along his line. He loved to squirrel hunt and set out to cultivate the squirrel crop. He built several feeders consisting of two short boards attached at right angles to hang in trees around his place. He would nail them up and each had a perch with a nail which he would attach an ear of corn, so that it stood upright. He was replenishing the feeders one day a couple months after putting them out, after leaving one he heard a sound and looked back to see a squirrel get snatched up by an owl....he realised that he was not only feeding the squirrels, but owls as well. He remedied this by putting another board up above the corn to give them some cover from the owls. dp

[Danaus29]

Plant a peach tree or Hall's hardy almond. Once it fruits you'll see squirrels.

[braggscowboy]

Plant tomatoes. They also love gourd sees and bird seed. Better that that come on to Okla and I will give you some. I am going to shoot a couple that are getting my tomatoes and sunflowers. They don't just eat the sunflower, but cut the stem. When making nesting boxes, I used some ammo boxes that I got somewhere and they worked really well. I would tie and not nail them. You might want to cut a tree some day for wood.

[GBov]

In my neighborhood there are LOTS of squirrels but less than 5 miles away where I hunt I have only seen 3

Lots of oak and wild orange trees and heaps of cover.

I thought for a while that it was just that hunting pressure makes for really shy squirrels but as the ones I have seen act like normal squirrels (well, normal but with faster reflexes, the buggers cant half move :smiley-laughing013: ) I dont think that thats it.....................

Is it possible for populations to be so close together and yet so wildly different ?