First tree rat of the year and she was tough!!!

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qball

qball

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Apr 13, 2020
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CA, United States
Been about 6 months since my last tree rat, guess I did a pretty good jobs keeping these roof eaters off of my roof! Speaking of the roof another neighbor has been spending thousands repairing his roof damage from them and water damage from the leak.

Today was the first hot day, shot straight to about 85 by noon. I was messing around with some stuff and saw some movement in my tree, ran to my garage and grabbed my trust dream-tac compact loaded with hades. To my surprise it was still on my tree because last couple of tree rats high tailed out of my yard as soon as they saw me, guess this one didn't see the Facebook post about my yard! So I put the center dot on its vitals through its shoulder and squeezed the trigger. Solid thump, like normal it tried to climb the tree but couldn't, it came back down but it was behind the tree so I couldn't see it. Usually they pass out about 5-8 feet from the trunk. Just as I was about to go over there it appeared at the based of the truck not dead! Guess my shot wasn't good enough so put the dot between the eye and ear and thud again! This time it did the death flop for good 15 seconds, I thought it would ran out of gas long ago.
IMG_4411.jpeg



It was an older female, pretty good size. Tried to find the pellet as usual and I was really shocked by how that thing isn't dead from the first shot, the 177 hades pellet was more deformed I have ever seen, must of hit all the bones.
IMG_4413.jpeg


Then I found the headshot pellet too, it didn't pass either like usual so this is definitely one really tough tree rat, maybe toughest ever for me!!!
IMG_4415.jpeg
 
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Motorhead said:
Yup ... them pesky reds are on the move with young-ins leaving there nests. Have dispatched 2 myself this week out of the front yard.
I have LOTS of Greys around and want them to stay here as natives .. them Reds are NOT welcome :mad:
Click to expand...

Unfortunately that battle is lost by my house, have not seen a grey in 4 years! I use to have 2 really big fat grays in my tree every day then they disappeared when the fox squirrels showed up. Had I known I would have picked up airgunning earlier. Down the street the fox squirrels literally are all over the place but not a single grey in sight for years.
 
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qball said:
Been about 6 months since my last tree rat, guess I did a pretty good jobs keeping these roof eaters off of my roof! Speaking of the roof another neighbor has been spending thousands repairing his roof damage from them and water damage from the leak.

Today was the first hot day, shot straight to about 85 by noon. I was messing around with some stuff and saw some movement in my tree, ran to my garage and grabbed my trust dream-tac compact loaded with hades. To my surprise it was still on my tree because last couple of tree rats high tailed out of my yard as soon as they saw me, guess this one didn't see the Facebook post about my yard! So I put the center dot on its vitals through its shoulder and squeezed the trigger. Solid thump, like normal it tried to climb the tree but couldn't, it came back down but it was behind the tree so I couldn't see it. Usually they pass out about 5-8 feet from the trunk. Just as I was about to go over there it appeared at the based of the truck not dead! Guess my shot wasn't good enough so put the dot between the eye and ear and thud again! This time it did the death flop for good 15 seconds, I thought it would ran out of gas long ago.
View attachment 356241


It was an older female, pretty good size. Tried to find the pellet as usual and I was really shocked by how that thing isn't dead from the first shot, the 177 hades pellet was more deformed I have ever seen, must of hit a all the bones.
View attachment 356242

Then I found the headshot pellet too, it didn't pass either like usual so this is definitely one really tough tree rat, maybe toughest ever for me!!!
View attachment 356244
Click to expand...
If they are too tough...try marinating them in soy sauce and BBQ sauce and garlic for at least 24 hours in the fridge. Then slow simmer in the slow cooker or slow bake with potatoes at 300F for 1 -1.5 hours.
or if you cannot wait.
1684021582676.png


sorry couldn't resist. I got too much time on my hand.
 
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so I live in southern Oregon and around here we have the grey tree squirrel and at lower elevation the ground squirrels.. I have always shot the ground squirrels.. looks similar to the one in the picture.. not familiar with fox squirrel.. are they in my area?? I like the gray squirrel, they don't seem to be causing any trouble but if you want big holes under things that shouldn't be dug under all you need is ground squirrels..
just wondering if ground squirrels are different than fox squirrel or possibly in a different part of the country?
although I said that it doesn't appear that the gray squirrel is causing trouble, I don't know what ate my honey dew melons.. might have been the squirrel or I think likely the little red fox I saw or possibly the racoons? apparently they do it at night..
Mark
 
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markhooper said:
so I live in southern Oregon and around here we have the grey tree squirrel and at lower elevation the ground squirrels.. I have always shot the ground squirrels.. looks similar to the one in the picture.. not familiar with fox squirrel.. are they in my area?? I like the gray squirrel, they don't seem to be causing any trouble but if you want big holes under things that shouldn't be dug under all you need is ground squirrels..
just wondering if ground squirrels are different than fox squirrel or possibly in a different part of the country?
although I said that it doesn't appear that the gray squirrel is causing trouble, I don't know what ate my honey dew melons.. might have been the squirrel or I think likely the little red fox I saw or possibly the racoons? apparently they do it at night..
Mark
Click to expand...


Fox squirrels is the largest tree squirrels in North America, they are from east coast. I have gotten HUGE males in the past weighted 2lbs or more. Fox squirrel can be easily identified by the orange fur on their belly.

Eastern Fox Squirrel - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio

Basic facts about Eastern Fox Squirrel: lifespan, distribution and habitat map, lifestyle and social behavior, mating habits, diet and nutrition, population size and status.
animalia.bio animalia.bio

If you like your native western grey tree squirrels then you have to kill any fox squirrels on sight. Fox squirrels are bigger and far more aggressive, they also breed 2 times a year vs 1 time a year for the western grey. The western greys literally stands no chance without some help once fox squirrels is established in the area.


While fox squirrels do forage in the ground but they will not dig on the ground, easy way to tell is their really long, orange and fluffy tail vs skinny tails on ground squirrels. Ground squirrels also do not have any orange fur. Basically if it is orange then it’s an Easter fox squirrel and you know what you must do! 😂

OR, only native west coast tree squirrels are western grey so ANY squirrels without a pure white belly is lead pill time within your property here on the west coast.
 
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qball said:
Fox squirrels is the largest tree squirrels in North America, they are from east coast. I have gotten HUGE males in the past weighted 2lbs or more. Fox squirrel can be easily identified by the orange fur on their belly.

Eastern Fox Squirrel - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio

Basic facts about Eastern Fox Squirrel: lifespan, distribution and habitat map, lifestyle and social behavior, mating habits, diet and nutrition, population size and status.
animalia.bio animalia.bio

If you like your native western grey tree squirrels then you have to kill any fox squirrels on sight. Fox squirrels are bigger and far more aggressive, they also breed 2 times a year vs 1 time a year for the western grey. The western greys literally stands no chance without some help once fox squirrels is established in the area.


While fox squirrels do forage in the ground but they will not dig on the ground, easy way to tell is their really long, orange and fluffy tail vs skinny tails on ground squirrels. Ground squirrels also do not have any orange fur. Basically if it is orange then it’s an Easter fox squirrel and you know what you must do! 😂

OR, only native west coast tree squirrels are western grey so ANY squirrels without a pure white belly is lead pill time within your property here on the west coast.
Click to expand...
so do you know if the fox squirrel is in southern Oregon.. rogue river? I have not seen one but I will keep a lookout..
thank you for the reply
Mark
 
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markhooper said:
so do you know if the fox squirrel is in southern Oregon.. rogue river? I have not seen one but I will keep a lookout..
thank you for the reply
Mark
Click to expand...

That I have no idea, they were first released/escaped from captivity decades ago in socal and slowly making their way up north. If you don't have them then eventually you will, only native is western grey and they have pure whit belly.

EDIT: we do have Douglas tree squirrels high in the mountains but most people have never seen them, plus they are quite small.
 
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