Generally, I prefer to handle my own problem wildlife issues around my home, such as dealing with destructive garden-raiding raccoons (which once tried to reside in my attic), and I have usually been successful. That is until now.
Red squirrels are considered as being pests in Michigan, and I fully agree. I used to have both fox and gray squirrels (the larger tree-squirrel species) near our home, and I much enjoyed watching their antics, especially viewing all they went through to raid my birdfeeders. I had an ongoing and enjoyable contest in finding ways to outsmart them and was amazed at how they would continually probe around and eventually, quite ingeniously, figure things out. Yep, folks, squirrels are quite smart, not to mention being very persistent and agile critters. I’ve always gotten a kick out of seeing “squirrel-proof” birdfeeders for sale, which maybe they are – maybe not, but the squirrels I observed would consider them to be a very entertaining challenge!
Red squirrels were in the minority around our yard, until a couple years ago, when I began seeing an ongoing melee between them and the larger squirrels. Red squirrels are clearly very territorial, not to mention extremely aggressive, and I noticed as of a year ago, I no longer saw any gray or fox squirrels anywhere near our yard. In fact, I witnessed a steady red squirrel population increase happening in literal leaps and bounds, and obviously our woodsy yard meets all their requirements, including lodging. Unfortunately, a preferred abode is my beloved Jeep Wrangler, which the little “red demons” have disabled three times in the past year, by chewing the wires, which obviously offer a favorite flavor.
I’ve been trying various “rodent repellants”, and spraying everything, including wires with a minty-smelling concoction “guaranteed to work”, and I also do a routine inspection of my Jeep. There is a squirrel-favorite space just forward of the battery in which I had placed a rodent repellant packet combined with mothballs. The next day I discovered a new squirrel nest atop it all, obviously the new aroma offered a pleasant ambiance. I recently lifted the hood and discovered a very large grass squirrel nest which covered the entire engine, obviously a red squirrel version of a bed & breakfast. I had almost driven off without doing a “preflight” inspection, and I do believe it would have gotten a bit interesting when matters heated up and caught fire!
Yep, folks, there comes a time when you need to throw in the towel. Living in the country, I’ve been shooting red squirrels on sight whenever possible, but such has made them super wary, not to mention flighty (it is amazing how fast and far the little demons can jump through the trees and rarely hold still), and I wasn’t putting much of a dent in them. It had become an obvious situation in which to seek professional help. That is when I contacted Chad Seley of Elkton (nuisanceanimalcontrol.net or call 989-551-0013), who I’ve dubbed the “Critter-Gitter”, because he is very good at handling matters, and I have long recommended his services to folks having issues with the local wildlife.
Just a week prior to contacting Seley, I saw an albino red squirrel, pink eyes and all, on the mulberry tree in front of our bay window (this tree has always been a literal goldmine for birdwatching when the berries come about, and yep, squirrels also appreciate it). Seeing this unique squirrel was a first for me, and when I did my research, I would discover it is a very rare occurrence in red squirrels. Albinism is a congenital lack of melanin, and the pink eyes are caused by a lack of pigment in the iris. Albino animals tend to often have a low survivability rate in the wild because it is difficult for them to blend in with their natural environment.
We have cooper’s hawks routinely flushing birds from the mulberry tree and the birdfeeders hanging from it, into our bay window, and then snatching up the stunned birds. I long ago discovered this was not an accidental occurrence, but very well-planned and intentional, which works for the hawks! I was pretty sure the little albino red squirrel was destined to become “hawk-bait”, and I assumed that was what had happened when I never saw it again for several days.
When Chad Seley arrived to survey the situation and set traps, I told him about my albino squirrel sighting, and he kept a very polite and pokerfaced expression, and let me know he had never seen such in all his years of dealing with nuisance red squirrels. However, when Seley arrived the following morning to check traps, he was greeted by a solid white squirrel with pink eyes sitting in front of the garage eating mulberries. Yep, folks, I was vindicated!
It didn’t take Seley long to read the situation and set the traps, and I especially appreciated the focus he put near my parked Jeep. Most of his traps for red squirrels were attached to tree trunks and I could tell he knew how to read the tree and place the trap accordingly. The kill-traps he used were new to me, and were so effective, I’m going to get some, and I watched and learned from the expert. Something tells me, due to the woodsy habitat around the yard, red squirrel “replacements” might be back in full force next year. My hope is to clear the way for the fox and gray squirrels to return, which have never been a problem that the “red demons” thoroughly enjoy creating with genuine enthusiasm.
On the third morning, the albino red squirrel was in a livetrap being used (critters caught in this manner are always humanely dispatched because it is illegal to transport and release them elsewhere). Knowing I had a rarity on hand, I did try to find a facility to take the squirrel in but found no takers. Also, even if I could get a permit, which is doubtful, I didn’t have any place to keep a captive red squirrel, and it sure wasn’t “pet-friendly”. It got nasty and aggressive when I tried to photograph it, and it attempted to bite my fingers when I moved the livetrap to some cool shade.
Nope, folks, there are no prisoners being taken here, and this unique squirrel is already at the taxidermist. On the fourth and final morning of Seley’s assistance, over two dozen red squirrels were taken (we had lost count) around the house and especially the Jeep, near which at least nine were trapped. The little rascals were obviously checking to see if the bed & breakfast under the Jeep’s hood was still open for business!
I purchased one of Seley’s specialized kill-traps, as well as I have three livetraps working away, and since Seley’s departure, I’ve eliminated 16 more red squirrels, and counting, because I watched, listened and learned from the master Critter-Gitter.
than 40 years and has had his weekly radio show, “Tom Lounsbury
Outdoors” for more than 20 years. Tom grew up on a farm in
Michigan’s Thumb, and it is where his first outdoor adventures began
as a kid accompanying visiting pheasant hunters into the field during
the “pheasant hunting heyday” of the 1950’s and 1960’s. It is a passion
he still has to this day and being the 4 th generation to own the family
farm, he has put most of it into conservation programs with a focus on
wild pheasants, which in turn helps all wildlife.
Being an outdoor communicator, Tom appreciates all the outdoor
adventures he experiences in different places, and especially the
people he meets in which to share them.
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