Feeding Squirrels....

[hudlow]

.....is about all I do with my bird feeders. Shooting the little boogers is out of the question, unless someone has some easy and cheap plans for an effective silencer....

I've bought a couple of supposedly squirrel proof feeders but they only work until the squirrels figure them out.

What have you seen that will work to keep these bushy tailed rats out of my feeders?

Does anyone have any experience with the Yankee Flipper feeder? It supposedly starts spinning with the weight of a squirrel and flips the squirrel off the feeder.

It costs about $75 and I don't want to spend that kind of beer money on a squirrel feeder unless I get some feedback from actual users.

Thanks,

hud

 

[DieselPower]

Have you tried shooting them with Flobert's? They are very very small 22 caliber bullets. The shell contains no powder, only the primer and is only about as loud as a toy cap gun. Not accurate at long ranges but they work great for me out of the bathroom window down to my feeding station.

 

[hudlow]

Have you tried shooting them with Flobert's? They are very very small 22 caliber bullets. The shell contains no powder, only the primer and is only about as loud as a toy cap gun. Not accurate at long ranges but they work great for me out of the bathroom window down to my feeding station.

I'd be shooting in the general direction of another residence. I just can't take the chance.

But I've been wanting to try that ammo out on my steel spinners in the backyard.

Thanks,

hud

 

[schmism]

when i first moved into my house in STL city i eliminated nearly 30 long tailed limb rats in 2 months (out of my backyard) with a .22 pellet gun and scope.

I have the benifit of shooting out of my "bunker" walk out basement stair so missed shots dont wind up in neighbors windows.

the dogs go nuts when i pull out the pellet gun now.....

live trap and a 5 gallon bucket of water works also

 

[Egon]

How have you got your bird feeder set up or located?

 

[hudlow]

How have you got your bird feeder set up or located?

Hanging off a pine limb in the front yard so I can watch it from the den.

hud

 

[Pilot]

If he gets to the feeder from above, you might try this: Take a garbage can lid or one of those slider disks kids use to slide down hills on snow and put it above your feeder, convex side up. If has to be big enough so that when it tips on it's side, it shields the feeder. When the squirrel gets on it, it tilts to the side he is on & he slides off onto the ground.

 

[Egon]

Now that's a location the little varmint can jump too or come down the rope. About all I could suggest a feeder that closes with the squirrels weight.

I too had that problem with a bird feeder. Finally got it set on a metal post with a circle of flat metal under the feeder. Stopped the squirrels but gave the raccoons a nice ledge to sit on. The bear just pulled the feeder down, no messing with him.

 

[JRobyn]

What works for me is one of the expensive steel auto-closing feeders (about $35, but they last forever), mounted on a steel pole with a large, loose, dome-shaped guard on the pole under the feeder. Once in the last 5-6 years we evidently had a generation of genetically superior squirrels that figured out how to hang by their claws from the lip on the top of the feeder and help themselves without putting any weight on the movable door. A RWS hi-power .177 cal pellet rifle is an absolutely instant and certain kill with a headshot. No more super-squirrels.

Jay

 

[JRobyn]

But the video adds for the flipper feeder look hilareous. I'm tempted to cough up for one of them just for the entertainment!

- Jay

 

[jbrumberg]

I have an old "Sheridan" air rifle. I believe it is a "Blue Streak" model. I have a 3-6X variable scope on it and it is "sighted in" pretty well. My wife will not let me use it on squirrels, but it would definately do the job. I feed grey, black, red, and flying squirrels during the winter season . My cat will get an ocassional red ! Jay

 

[jand38]

This works for me I put my bird feeder on top of a 4 or 6 in. plastic sewer pipe squirrels can not climb the pipe. This must be in a place where they can not jumb and land on feeder. It is fun to watch the squirrels try and slide down they always look around as to check our if one of their buddies saw them fail. MD

 

[pennwalk]

I got one of those 4 armed squirrel feeders this year. I gleaned a bucket of corn from the field. It started out with my wife laughing at me but we all enjoyed the squirrel acrobatics. I had hoped that the squirrels would eat the corn and lay off the bird food. Yeah right. I guess you have to keep a positive attitude. Squirrels can be pretty entertaining. Trying to outsmart them can give you something to do through the long boring winter. If you succeed you can tell yourself that you are smarter than a squirrel.

Chris

 

[hudlow]

I have an old "Sheridan" air rifle. I believe it is a "Blue Streak" model. I have a 3-6X variable scope on it and it is "sighted in" pretty well. My wife will not let me use it on squirrels, but it would definately do the job. I feed grey, black, red, and flying squirrels during the winter season . My cat will get an ocassional red ! Jay

I've been wanting a nice pellet rifle. I have a pellet pistol but I just don't have the eyes anymore.

I'll get out and cruise the pawn shops to see what they have to offer. I might trade one of my old .22s for a nice pellet rifle and scope setup. My wife is advocating violence.........and it might be a good way for me to teach her to shoot without her realizing it...

In other words, I might kill two squirrels with one stone

I'm still thinking about going with that Yankee Flipper bird feeder. I'd like to see 'em fly.

'Course there'd be no shooting at a $60 feeder.



hud

 

[waynokakid]

I have used a small amount of cayenne pepper, mixed with the bird seed. Birds don't sense it. But the squirrels sure don't like getting their mouths burned. I use an old coffee container and add about a tablespoon to the seed and shake to mix.

 

[1bush2hog]

Save your money on the Yankee "squirrel thrower". I had one and while it was entertaining to watch a few squirrels get flung off the feeder, the battery does not hold a charge long and the battery for my feeder lasted only about a year. Squirrels figured out how to pop the top of the feeder off, hanging by their back legs and used their front feet, and go down inside it to get the seed.

I mounted my feeder on a 4x4 pole and used a pole baffle Squirrel Baffles (Post Mounted) at BestNest.com!

This has been the mose effective squirrel deterent that I have used. Just make sure there are no trees or limbs close by that the squirrels can jump from.

I also have used one of the less expensive benjamin pellet rifles in .22 cal. These are very effective, silent, and inexpensive - the only problem is the squirrels will learn when the coast is clear and it seems like the more you get rid of the more that move in to take their place.

 

[Jaybr]

I second the pellet gun method, I've got a .177 cal Gamo that shoots 1000 fps and very accurate.

and if you've got a good dog, they'll remove the evidence

 

[elalexander]

Hud. We use the squirrel baffels. They work great. In the winter as the snow piles up you may have to move the baffel up some. We do have a few toys for the "limb rats" our granddaughts love watching them on a bungie cord that holds a food block for them as well as the wheel thing. These guys are very smart and it doesn't take them long to figure things out.

 

[Edstir]

Thanks for the knowledge. I'm going to try your pipe approach. How high can a squirrel jump? I feed squirrels bread and plan to use the pole for the new bird feeder recently purchased. I won't kill the critters there not that much trouble.