Getting Rid Of Squirrels

[organic]

Is Monbiot right for once?

http://www.theguardian.com/environm...-squirrels-without-firing-a-shot-pine-martens

 

[Cowcalf]

If you believe that shite, pine martens kill everything they come across, just about as bad as mink. They wonder why there are less ground nesting birds with pine martens and raptors predating on them.

 

[organic]

I didn't say I believed it - I posted the item for discussion.

 

[Woolless]

Is Monbiot right for once?

http://www.theguardian.com/environm...-squirrels-without-firing-a-shot-pine-martens

If you want shot of squirrels, try traps baited with fat balls or bread and peanut butter and bump them with an air rifle. Not a great idea to introduce pine marten to Wales, I don't suppose.

 

[Dry Rot]

Apparently there was a meeting out in the West of Scotland by the conservationists to explain to the crofters that pine martens are dear little fluffy things that don't kill lambs. One old crofter stood up and asked, "And why do you think we got rid of them in the first place?"

I am all for reintroducing pine martens, wolves, lynx, and a few bears. But release them where there is no livestock to destroy and where they won't be persecuted.

How about Hyde Park?

 

[kelpiekid]

He just keeps hammering away doesn't he, got a skin like a rhino.

 

[nick...]

I love squirrels.its the highlight if my day watching my dogs chasing them
Nick...

 

[jade35]

I am all for reintroducing pine martens, wolves, lynx, and a few bears. But release them where there is no livestock to destroy and where they won't be persecuted.

How about Hyde Park?

No, I've earmarked the London Parks for resettlement of badgers from country areas. Should be no problem with the relocation as far as I can see

 

[Blod]

Plenty of polecats around here. Maybe the mink were the downfall of return of the pine martens. They must share similar prey but are probably more adaptable.

 

[David.]

Just don't hold their mouth shut and jump on their lungs, for Christ sake

 

[Danllan]

I have two problem's with Monbiot: 1) He mixes some genuinely good ideas with a lot of utter rubbish; 2) He seems to have a (deliberate?) knack of phrasing things to get the backs up of those he wants to carry out his ideas.

Pine Martens used to be called just 'Martens', only when they were made extinct in the general UK and restricted to remote pinewoods did they get the 'Pine' bit added to their name. The crofter who asked why they were wiped out to start with is a born bl**dy fool if he really thinks it was to do with lambs; it was the predation (real or perceived) of game on estates that spelled their doom, just like the other awful sheep killers... e.g. Hen Harriers and Peregrines. I'd have no problem with them here in West Carms.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy hunting and shooting and don't want wolves on my back door taking out my sheep or calves; but seeing creatures that we wiped out for very dubious reasons being reintroduced seems both a moral and common sense thing to do

I think it wouldn't be a bad thing to see them after grey squirrels, would it?

 

[Giles1]

Unfortunately they are colour blind and take Reds big time around here.Local retired gamekeeper had half a dozen Reds attending his bird table last year,they got less and he wondered why,until he saw the Marten at the same table.Don't see Martens very often,but when you do it always coincides with a reduction in Red Squirrel sightings.

 

[Dave6170]

Pine martins are ruthless killers of anything! Their ability to climb makes them the ultimate predator. They ll raid nests, nest boxes, go in sheds anything is game.
They wonder why capercaillie numbers are dwindling in scotland but they won't admit its the pine martins!

 

[Danllan]

Of course they kill the red squirrels, they are their native natural prey! So do any number of birds of prey too and ditto for the capercaillie. The point is, we wiped them out for our convenience and now in by far the greater part of the UK they would only have the choice of grey squirrel on their menu - very likely in part due to the lack of martens. So, why not right the wrong of their destruction and help get rid of the greys at the same time?

 

[Dry Rot]

Pine martins are ruthless killers of anything! Their ability to climb makes them the ultimate predator. They ll raid nests, nest boxes, go in sheds anything is game.
They wonder why capercaillie numbers are dwindling in scotland but they won't admit its the pine martins!

Possibly the change in policy and the FC's halt to controlling foxes? I recall a two day caper shoot on Speyside back in the 1970's when they were considered vermin. The bag was 54 the first day and, I think, 36 the second day. Back then, if a gamekeeper SAW a fox, all the keepers from round about would have a drive and if a den was found, steel traps would be put at each entrance and someone would be delegated to wait up for the parents coming in at daybreak to shoot them with a rifle. (No spot lights back then), . Thirty years ago I was shown a Press clipping from a newspaper published 25 years previously where a man had got his name in the paper for shooting a fox! Human memory is very short.

 

[aggravated farmer]

I hear fox are good at critter removal

 

[Paddington]

We had a neighbour that got tired of squirrels pinching nuts etc from his bird table so he made a special table for the squirrels with a metal base and a little metal trough to hold peanuts which was connected to a wire leading to the house. He would sit and watch the squirrel pick the nuts up in its little paws, its grey tail twitching with excitement................ before he hit the mains switch.