It's a "clousy" day, so I'm entertaining myself by pissing off the squirrels.

[John Schmidt]

Don't feel like working on the GL1200 project just now, so decided to do some browsing on the net. Our birdfeeder is just outside the window next to the 'puter and the squirrels are trying their best to empty it. They have figured out how to hang on the pole with their hind feet and reach the seed openings. It's supposed to drop when their weight is on it, but won't if they hang like I described. So, just for giggles I get out the can of blue bearing grease and simply grease the pole. Right now, there's at least six of them running around with a blue belly, and they get so frustrated they start fighting amongst themselve. It's really fun to watch. They try jumping as high as possible on the pole and grab on. Then they climb like crazy all the while sloooowwwllly sliding down. Finally they give up and jump off. It's also close enough for me to hit them with the sprayer on the kitchen sink, but then I have to stand there watching for them. One time I even invited my neighbor over to watch, she got so tickled by it she went out and bought a birdfeeder just so she could do the same thing. Next thing I know, we'll have a neighborhood full of neurotic squirrels. 

Most of them left a while ago but one just came back and tried at least three more times....with no success. Guess you could say he isn't the class valedictorian. Think I'll name him Harry Reid. 

[Patrick]

The things we do to keep busy and entertain ourselves !  Why not just shoot and eat Harry ? Why allow genes like those to be passed on ?

[R J]

I piss my squirrels off by shooting at them with the Cross Bow.

[Robert]

Glad to hear someones getting some laughs out of them, they sit just on the wires looking at my dog jumping around and barking at them. First it was the top of the fence looking down, till my dog had a a squirrel counter measure for this, that involved running at the fence and basically doing a flying kick at the fence with all his 13 pound weight. A couple almost fell off  and so they decided to go to the wires That is till I get pissed and get the hose and spray the heck out of them. They hate that.

[Jess from VA]

Squirrel Catapult	powered by Aeva

The Squirrel Catapult	powered by Aeva

Squirrel Catapult	powered by Aeva

squirrel catapult	powered by Aeva

Aguila Super Colibri .22 LR	powered by Aeva

[BobB]

Gosh, I was looking for my next wood working project.  Found it! 

[John Schmidt]

Jess, I might have to rig up a catapult, aim it to the back of the house so they land on the golf course. Imagine some guy cruising along in his golf cart when suddenly a squirrel comes flying past. What a hoot. Have to be careful where I aim it, we have a couple ponds not too far away. Hate to have him get so startled that he drives off into the water. 

[Patrick]

ROTFLMAO at the catapult !  I gotta make one of those !  Who the heck thought of that ? I want to buy him a beer.

[WNGD]

I know EXACTLY what you're talking about with the squirrels hanging off the pole on their hind legs to defeat the weight-closing bird feeders. Near my deck and outside the kitchen where I like to have two feeders, there are too many trees nearby to keep them off and I have tried every type of feeder.

Just when you figure it out, they actually sit and stare at what you've come up with and ponder and ponder and then try a few things until they beat you again. 

I just oiled the poles after your reminder and that ticks them off until the oil dries.

We have two foxes denning up right across the ravine from my house now and I've seen them carrying three squirrels in the last 4 days so maybe it will sort itself out naturally....... 

[John Schmidt]

There's a five acre wooded area across the fairway from our house and we have a couple families of hawks living there. When they start screeching while circling, you can't find a single squirrel, they're all hiding. They know it's lunch time and I've seen the hawks dive and pick them right out of a tree on the fly. Sometimes I'll sit on the front porch and make a loud screechy noise and they scatter. Only last a few minutes, bugs the wife more than those furry rats. That alone kinda makes it worth it, depending on how the day is going. 

[Willow]

... Sometimes I'll sit on the front porch and make a loud screechy noise and they scatter. Only last a few minutes, bugs the wife more than those furry rats. That alone kinda makes it worth it, depending on how the day is going. 

You're a bad, bad man, Stuffy.   

[T-Bird]

I catch them in a live trap, dunk the trap with them still in it into a barrel of blue hair dye, then let them go. The neighborhood kids go grazy when they see one. 

[miscott]

Jess, I might have to rig up a catapult, aim it to the back of the house so they land on the golf course. Imagine some guy cruising along in his golf cart when suddenly a squirrel comes flying past. What a hoot. Have to be careful where I aim it, we have a couple ponds not too far away. Hate to have him get so startled that he drives off into the water. 

 Daniel Meyer would be the one to ask about flying squirrels!!   
 I still laugh just thinkin` about that story!   

[old2soon]

As he or she fly thru the air with the greatest of ease they are thinkin-exactly F-ing WHEN did I join the astronaut program??  I'm trying to type thru laughter generated tears.  Those squirrel launchers are downright funny.  RIDE SAFE.

[John Schmidt]

... Sometimes I'll sit on the front porch and make a loud screechy noise and they scatter. Only last a few minutes, bugs the wife more than those furry rats. That alone kinda makes it worth it, depending on how the day is going. 

You're a bad, bad man, Stuffy.   

I don't bug her very much, she's been too good to me...and for me. Besides, you know how these gals operate, you end up paying for it in the end. 

[alph]

being that i'm an electrician, i wired my bird feeder to a 120v outlet.  got myself a 3/4" stick of PVC, put hot bear wire, then a nuetral bear wire, then hot, nuetral, hot, nuetral......  plugged it into the outlet  then watched the squirels zap themselves!!  sure, it's not very safe, but my bird feeders never empty from the squirls anymore, just the birds!!  oh, and the neighbor kids leave it a lone too!! 

you can kinda see it in this picture, the white PVC tube and how it's wired;

[Hooter]

  PLUNKER is sending us some more SNOW this week.     Soooo I think I have a couple of woodchucks to eliminate this afternoon before the weather changes back to crap. I don't piss em off I just eliminate em with my 22.250. I have a hard time just settin in the house.

[Jess from VA]

I lack the skills, but my catapult would use garage door springs and launch them a minimum quarter mile.

Would need some kind of winch to rooster the thing.

I've tried it all, and the .22 Super Colibri works the best.

[BobB]

Actually, we do not have much of a squirrel problem around us.  We have a good population of well fed red tail hawks out here in the country.

Hooter, quit with the sending you snow garbage.  I have nothing to do with it.   

Alph, nice use of a very old Coleman lantern.