Turning tables on the greedy greys

A test to find out which bait has top pulling power when trying to lure grey squirrels out of the trees confirms Mat Manning’s suspicions

- Mat Manning

The grey squirrels that frequent the woods where I shoot have had a real clobbering over the past few months. Feeding stations loaded with tasty morsels had the destructive rodents queuing up during the winter and a concentrated campaign of drey poking has really set them back. These combined efforts have accounted for hundreds of squirrels since the autumn leaf fall, but it is vital to maintain the pressure.

It is all too easy to ease back on grey squirrel control as the days get longer and the trees start to leaf up. The extra cover will eventually make it difficult to spot squirrels in their treetop hiding places and the reduction in sightings can give the false impression that there aren’t many about.

Eradicating grey squirrels from just a small area is a seriously tall order, and even if you do, others will quickly move in from surrounding territories. These prolific and highly destructive invasive rodents tend to breed between February and April, so the first litters of the year will soon be wreaking havoc, and it’s not unusual for second litters to follow towards the latter part of the summer.

Leave them unchecked and numbers will quickly build, your hard work will be undone and the resident squirrels will soon be wrecking trees, raiding nests and monopolising the natural food sources that vulnerable native species depend on.