Trapping Beaver Is Easy Compared to Trapping These!

[gitano]

DavidLT89 isn't the only hard-core trapper here at THL. Have a gander at this beast. Haven't decided what I'm going to do with him yet: Make a fur coat or have him life-size mounted. Of course I'll have to make a whole new addition to the house if I have him stuffed. Maybe just a rug... :angel:





Paul

[sakorick]

You will need a few more for a coat!:MOGRIN:

[j0e_bl0ggs (deceased)]

I know what I would do.....

[drinksgin (deceased)]

Stew with dumplings!
There are only 2 at your house now, so it could be divided so each got at least a few bites.
In Texas, the varmit would have to be released, with apologies, as they are game animals.
Next time, try peanut butter on the tray.

[gitano]

First, it's a red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), not a gray squirrel (Sciurus virginianus). (You're not the only one to try to tell me it is a gray squirrel.) I don't care if it "looks" gray, IT'S A RED SQUIRREL. There are two tree squirrels in Alaska: the red or pine squirrel (T. hudsonicus) and the flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus). The primary diet of pine squirrels is spruce seeds and they taste like it - horrible.

I let this guy go this morning. The reason I caught him was that he was harassing the birds at the feeder, hanging around even when he wasn't eating and running the birds off. The idea was to catch him and 'slap him around' a little bit a turn him loose, expecting him to be spooked enough to leave the birds alone at least for a while. I turned him loose this morning.

Second, what makes you think there wasn't peanut butter on the trip pan? There was. I've been trapping little critters professionally, (scientifically), since about '74.

Paul

[drinksgin (deceased)]

First, it appears the pore varmit needs to hit the beauty parlor and see about some lady clairol work.
Second, the smears on the tray appeared yellow, not brown.

[gitano]

The color was washed out by the flash.

Paul

[j0e_bl0ggs (deceased)]

Had a peek over at wikipedia for these squizzers...

American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

[gitano]

I remember talking about the Eurasian red squirrel in the past and recalling those ear tufts. Otherwise, they are very similar. More often than not, the North American red squirrel has a narrow black line between the white belly hair and the red-colored hair of the back. I didn't notice that in the pictures I looked at of the Eurasian red squirrel. Also, the white eye-ring might be a bit more pronounced, in the ones around here anyway.

Nonetheless, since they are 1) too small to eat, 2) taste terrible, and 3) mostly just annoying, as far as I'm concerned they are not 'good' for much other than amusement. If they get too annoying - like digging up my potted plants or tearing out insulation from the attic or chewing on electrical wiring in the attic - I have no qualms about 'eliminating the problem'.

Up here they are food for Coopers hawks, sharp-shinned hawks and pine martins. To me, that's their best use.

Paul

[drinksgin (deceased)]

Everything needs to be good for something.
You mentioned pine marten, do you also have fishers?

[gitano]

I think there have been fishers recorded in southeast Alaska. Not certain about that, but martens are  certainly the primary predator of these in AK.

Paul

[davidlt89]

Just seeing this now!!! you better rest up Paul:grin: I read the post first without seeing the picture and thought I might see a wolverine!;) I NEED one of those skins:biggthumpup:
We have about one billion of those guys here, I find the 120's work best.

Beaver have been raising havoc here! I have caught some monsters! I had one a couple weeks ago that was probably closer to 70# than 60#'s! I thought I was just going to heave him in the woods....did not happen:grin: God Bless.