I've had a pretty rough time this year trying to keep the Coons off the feeders. Finally got their numbers under control only to have SQUIRRELS take over the job the Corn Bandits were doing.

I feed year round and I don't care what eats the corn that is broadcast onto the ground. I understand that everything from Deer to hogs to birds, etc....are going to eat it. I'm fine with that.

But what I won't put up with....are raccoon's and squirrels climbing the feeder and spinning out the corn when there is already corn on the ground! I don't get that!

You would think they are doing it just for fun. I was looking at some game cam videos yesterday and discovered that a bunch of squirrels were climbing the feeder and taking turns spinning out the corn. MUCH more than they could ever hope to eat.

I'm talking over a dozen squirrels at a time. Only a few them remain on the ground.

Well....this afternoon I set out to put a stop to that. I took my .17 HMR and sat in a box stand 90 yds. away to watch and see which squirrels were doing the dastardly deed.

I had already decided that any squirrel that remained on the ground would get a 'pass' and any that climbed the feeder would not!

Guys, NINE out of 14 Squirrels climbed the feeder in a two hour period. I couldn't believe it. In one instance there were 4 squirrels on the feeder at one time.

I would drop one, the others would run off and come right back. I hate to take such a toll on them especially since it is time for them to be raising little ones, but they have just taken over. If this doesn't get things back to normal...I will be forced to just stop feeding at this site until they all leave.

Anyone else have a squirrel problem of this magnitude?

Not really a problem but they do eat their share of my corn off the ground. I grease the feeder legs on my standing feeders to keep the coons off which also keeps the squirrels off. I have a couple large hanging feeders that had plastic lids that I had to replace with large aluminum cake pans for lids because the squirrels where chewing through the plastic ones. That said I do enjoy hunting them. It is very cyclic in young county were my lease is and we are in an up year for them. Fortunately it is a year round season there. Not near the numbers like east Texas though, so even though I have a lease I am planning to get out after them on one of the public hunting areas when the east Texas season opens up on May 1st.

Dash last weekend at the lease. He treed three in an hour of hunting.

That is a nice group of plump squirrels that you raised.
Our lease was overrun with squirrels, they were everywhere, including the attic. A few kids with 22s sure helped

I killed 38 around my house and feeder last summer, just a rat with a hairy tail. They try to eat hole in the house walls and my blind. Don't mind seeing a few, but 38 on maybe 4 acres They say they will range a 10 acre area foraging and I think a feeder drops that down to 4sq ft.

We changed to the Eliminator Spinners at my uncles ranch...no more coon or squirrel problems....also got rid of cages completely...

Eliminator Spinner Link

That's a lot of tree rats to see in a short time.

I started using the PVC (4") five foot long on each feeder leg. It stopped the coons and squirrels from climbing the legs. The squirrels did get smart and started jumping from a tree limb that was close to the feeder, had to cut the limb off. Was good to go from then on.

I bought a timer from THF member TXag (Kevin at http://www.weaverbilt.com/#!aboutus/c16up) free plug timer came with the eliminator spinner, squirrels still like to crawl up the legs though, so it wont stop their trying.

Yeah, that's the other problem I have. This feeder has one leg that has steps on it so I can climb it and fill the barrel, so they always have that leg from which to access the barrel, but there also two trees nearby, they could just jump from the trunk onto the barrel if they wanted.

The Squirrels are not strong enough to damage the broadcaster (though they will chew on anything that isn't metal), but coons will tear up cages and spinners eventually. The best solution I've found is simply to thin their numbers from time to time.

Just finished checking the cards from my game cams. I had put the Squirrel Carcasses out in front of one of the cameras to capture Coyote, Fox, etc....pics.

As expected....all but one of the Squirrels were gone when I retrieved the card. I could see bits of hair scattered about and the one dark (almost black Fox Squirrel) was still there...so I was a bit puzzled.

Normally a fox or coyote will pick up anything it can and go eat it elsewhere.

When viewing the videos....I found the reason. A large Boar Hog came in and ate 8 of the 9 squirrels right there in front of the camera. I've got to learn how to put videos on youtube and embed them here.

The hog ate every bit of them, tails and all. Used his front hooves to hold the carcass down while he tore it into bite sized pieces. Made it look easy, powerful animals.

I love squirrel hunting and eating squirrels. You got kids? There is much fun to be had with those squirrels. I'd take the kids and a couple good air rifles and get after 'em every weekend until it resolved itself Squirrels are legal in Texas with an air rifle pushing at least 600 fps now, and the season is year round in many counties. Worth looking into, imho. I only wish I had squirrel woods this rich to take my kids hunting...

Eliminator plate is the best. I actively use duke dog proof traps at all my feeders. If that does not work try this:

Buy a large jar of crisco cake shortening and 2 large seasoning cans of cayenne pepper. Rub the shortening all over the feeder legs (make sure it is thick). After you have the shortening on the legs, spread the cayenne seasoning evenly on the legs.

The coons will try to climb the legs, after sliding up and down and having shortening mixed with a heavy dose of cayenne pepper on their hands they will start to lick their hands to clean them. I have done this and not had a coon problem since.

Been after this boar for awhile, one thing or another worked to his favor and he managed to elude me.


This evening the crazy thing came in about 9:30 p.m. walked right past the corn and started sniffing the only squirrel left from yesterday (when he ate 8 out 9 of them). Nothing (except fire ants) had touched the dark colored Fox Squirrel, don't know why.

Anyway, he took a 405 grain jacketed soft point at 105 yds. High shoulder shot. Could literally hear the bullet impact. Sounded like someone hitting a small tree with a stick. No exit on this one....so I will try to recover the bullet later.

Big ol pig right there!

Yes sir! and in the correct position too

Nice set of huevos on that fox squirrel! I've always wanted to kill a black squirrel but never had the chance...I woulda got that one mounted! Looks like fun, love the 17 HMR!

In my area of Deep East Texas....dark colored Fox Squirrels are not unusual. I wouldn't say 'common' but they exist in numbers such that anyone who spends much time in the woods has probably seen one.

They aren't actually 'black' (melanistic) but are a dark grizzled color (lighter color hair tips).

I actually raised one that I found on the ground after a particularly nasty storm one night. No other squirrels or the mother anywhere to be found.

"Earl the Squirrel":





I am for the most part an animal lover, but having lived most of my life in the country and being a steward of the land, I recognize there must be balance.

As for the .17 HMR, it is well suited for small game and certain varmints. I prefer it over .22 Long Rifle for most applications because of the added range it provides (with respect to accuracy).

Also, the relatively fragile bullets seem to be safer to shoot. It is rare to ever have an exit on an animal and any missed shots usually disintegrate on whatever they hit (ground, twigs, other).

Cool pictures...that's awesome! I've seen one very dark grey like the one you raised but it was during deer season and didn't have a chance to shoot it.

My Dad has one mounted that he killed that is coal black....I've always wanted to get one for the wall.