# Squirrels - Everywhere!



## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Ya same here but haven't started trapping yet, will set one live trap today. I saw a BDN headline talking about why, didn't read the article but many critters follow a population cycle, unknown if this applies here. 

I'll let you know how my trapping goes.
Got a link to that barrel trap?

Bud


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Even though my property is wooded with a lot of hickory and oak trees - I don't see/hear many squirrels. I believe they were over hunted yrs ago.


I do have a chipmunk story. I used to have chickens and even though it was my sons job to feed them, sometimes they didn't. I fed them in the dark one morning before heading out to work. The feed was kept in 5 gallon buckets and one of my sons failed to put the lid back on. I put my hand in the bucket to get a scoop of feed and a chipmunk ran up my arm - _not sure which one of us was the more startled!!_


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## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

The barrel trap is just an oversize bucket trap. The critters get in, going after bait, but can't climb out. You can add water (deep enough they can't push off the bottom) for a kill trap, or put some bedding down for a live trap. Bait with whatever they like. Sunflower seeds floating on the surface can make it look like solid ground. In theory they'd jump right in. I've found they don't really seem to care; if there's any food down there they'll keep trying until they fall in, water or no.

You can add rollers across the top of the bucket, so in theory they'd try to walk across but roll off. I haven't had good luck with those. The little buggers are pretty good tightrope walkers! I've found the "walk the plank" bucket attachments are very effective, and very entertaining to watch when I put a security camera on them. There's a little magnet on the end so the plank seems sturdy until the mouse reaches the tipping point, then it tips so quickly the mouse just disappears. Only had one quick enough to grab onto the plank and swing itself back up. Haven't tried the rat-sized ones yet.


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## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

I do have a red-squirrel story. Way before the squirrel apocalypse (as they're calling it in the papers here) a neighbor found a couple of baby red squirrels whose mother had been run over in the road. They nursed them to adulthood, and eventually let them go outside.

But they were still acclimated to being fed by humans. I was standing in my front yard, and this squirrel came running toward me, took a flying leap onto my shirt, and climbed up to my shoulder.

I thought it was going for my jugular vein! I didn't realize it just wanted to sit on my shoulder. After the initial panic, it was pretty cool having the little guys come over and climb on us whenever we went outside. I guess they figured humans were just very mobile trees which sometimes produced nuts.


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

Where are you?
Shame about those flying squirrels. Here in North Central Florida (Marion County) we have an abundance of squirrels. It sure if it's a bumper crop year or not as we just (April) move here. So far not a problem but ... fleas. Are they, the fleas, more prevalent because of the squirrels? I think so. Little buggers use our screened enclosure as a jungle gym.
I threatened to turn them into squirrel pie but wifie raised H. _Now_ I think she's coming around to my POV.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

We deal with ticks up here and one suggestion is to treat that dryer lint with Pyretherin and stuff it in a tube and leave it out where mice (or others) will find it and use it for bedding. They even suggest a fuzzy piece of something on the side of a deer feeder where they will unknowingly rub and pick up the Pyretherin. Same or similar to what is used for flee treatment on dogs.

Bud


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## John Smith_inFL (Jun 15, 2018)

I had a pack of flying squirrels in my tool shed and thought
they were so cute with their big bug eyes always peeking at me from a corner.
NOT SO CUTE when they started eating EVERYTHING made of leather,
fiber, or paper in the shed !!! I had my favorite vintage all-leather
tool belt in the shed and they destroyed it. . . . they are gone now, 
(I won't elaborate on the disheartful method).

and now, since a lot of plastics are made with soy oil, rats and squirrels
are eating anything they can sink their teeth into. gas cans, wires on cars,
lawn mower parts, the hood on a John Deere tractor - E V E R Y T H I N G !!
I have a new very quiet pellet rifle with a scope now - and it's working !!

.

.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

I live on a 2 acre fenced wooded lot, that includes roughly 50 walnut trees. I also have two 90 lb hound dogs that patrol the lot from dusk to dawn. The squirrels torment them continuously. It is amusing to watch, and the critters stay away from the house.


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

Bet we've got the same one or very close relative. Have yet to use mine, but keeping it well oiled.


Johnny_inFL said:


> I had a pack of flying squirrels in my tool shed and thought
> they were so cute with their big bug eyes always peeking at me from a corner.
> NOT SO CUTE when they started eating EVERYTHING made of leather,
> fiber, or paper in the shed !!! I had my favorite vintage all-leather
> ...


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## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

Johnny_inFL said:


> I have a new very quiet pellet rifle with a scope now - and it's working !!.


Good to hear. I was seriously considering buying one, but wasn't sure if it would work on these critters - or even what to look for. Any tips?


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## John Smith_inFL (Jun 15, 2018)

Tom - I used to live out in the woods and my wife is new to the hunting
world so I got her the pellet rifle. a few dozen squirrels later, she is a 
regular Annie Oakley with it. it is a Ruger Air Hawk .177 pellet rifle @ 1200fps.
it is lethal up to 100 feet. the scope is "fairly" accurate. I sold the 5 acre farm
and moved to a 1/4 acre lot in the city (talk about DOWNsizing).
squirrels are just out of control. the city will not do anything about them.
my neighbor uses a slingshot and marbles and he scores quite often. I made a
very specific squirrel feeder with a 3/4" plywood backing so I can prop the patio 
door open and pop them off and nobody ever hears the "poof". another neighbor
live traps them and relocates them 5 miles away into the woods..... I told him
to tag the ear so he will know which ones return. with all of our private eradication
methods, we are not even making a dent in the population.
try to picture Mark Wahlberg in "Shooter" on my patio.
several videos on YouTube about this rifle.
happy hunting !!

$104.00 on Amazon plus the regular box stores. https://www.amazon.com/Ruger-Airhawk-Caliber-Pellet-Airgun/dp/B002N45PQU


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

Speed of sound is around 1125 fps. If your gun meets or exceeds that, it will have that characteristic rifle crack that can attract attention. Under that and the sound it makes is more of a thunk. If you live in the city you should go for a quiet one so you don't attract busybodies. The CO2 ones tend to be lower velocity. A scope just makes it more fun.

You can also get air rifles with silencers, which are legal if they are permanently attached, in most states.


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## NitrNate (May 27, 2010)

squirrels are a huge problem here as well. other than getting run over, they don't really have any natural predators in suburbia. they thrive because there is an abundance of food and water and trees/houses to live in.

i've been keeping count and in the last 3-4 years i've trapped over 100 squirrels. it took about 2 full years to really get the population down, but lately i have had no issues with squirrels trying to get into the house.

you just have to keep trapping and trapping because they will never stop coming.


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## PestGuy (Jan 15, 2018)

Instead of wasting time trapping, just be sure your house is rodent and squirrel proofed. Exclusion is best with animals...they do live outside.


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## NitrNate (May 27, 2010)

PestGuy said:


> Instead of wasting time trapping, just be sure your house is rodent and squirrel proofed. Exclusion is best with animals...they do live outside.


hmmm...when they chew shingles, scratch trim, scratch/claw at vents until they break through the metal mesh....sure. you go ahead and do that and keep spending money repairing what they tear apart trying to get in.

around here, especially in the winter when the females are nesting, they will do ANYTHING to try and get into the attic. too many squirrels, not enough trees and natural areas to nest.


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## John Smith_inFL (Jun 15, 2018)

Tom - I think we are in the wrong !!!
AARP has a "Squirrel Appreciation Day"
and on today's news, a woman was escorted off of a plane
because she had an "Emotional Support Squirrel"
https://www.wftv.com/video?videoId=850142339&videoVersion=1.0


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## 195795 (May 24, 2013)

Feral cat(s) = no more squirrels (and other misc. sobs)


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

ChuckF, have you noticed the absence of acorns this year in North Georgia? We have an abundance of oak trees, but no acorns. Odd.


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## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

chandler48 said:


> ChuckF, have you noticed the absence of acorns this year in North Georgia? We have an abundance of oak trees, but no acorns. Odd.


Not just North Georgia. Same thing around here. We have several large horse chestnut trees, and normally the ground is covered with them. Now, the only ones you can see are the ones the squirrels stashed, like in a hole in the ground or (and this happened a lot) on the railing of our deck, up against a post, where I suppose some squirrel thought it was hidden.

The squirrels literally picked the trees - and the ground - clean. Between them and the deer, they got all the apples, too. We have a bunch of old apple trees in the neighborhood, and normally this time of year there are a lot of them still on the ground, rotting. This year, there's not an apple to be found anywhere. Usually, mid-winter, the deer dig through the snow to reach the ones still on the ground. Not sure what they're going to do this year.


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

Squirrels like Climate change?


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

chandler48 said:


> ChuckF, have you noticed the absence of acorns this year in North Georgia? We have an abundance of oak trees, but no acorns. Odd.


Now that you mention it, I have swept the deck many times this fall of fallen leaves, but I don't remember seeing any acorns. I used to see those bunches of three everywhere. Numbers of squirrels seems unchanged.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Squirrels are a PITA around here...they destroyed our BBQ cover
to use for nesting material...We look up in the big oak trees and
see pieces of our BBQ cover in their nests.

If you have them in the attic a good way to scare them out is to
put a speaker in the attic and blast some rock and roll music
for awhile. :surprise: They will immediately leave to hunt for another 
piece of prime real estate ... :yes:


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

I haven't seen any for a few years.:sad:

It may be the ag poisons.


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## 195795 (May 24, 2013)

Anyone ever try this ?


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Two Knots said:


> Squirrels are a PITA around here...they destroyed our BBQ cover
> to use for nesting material...We look up in the big oak trees and
> see pieces of our BBQ cover in their nests.



This past summer I left the door between my shop and tool rm open for several days. When I went back in there the roll of paper towels I had on the wall was destroyed. Don't know exactly how the squirrel got in [probably thru an opening where the siding meets the roof] or where he went with the paper. Pretty sure it wasn't a mouse as there were no droppings.


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## KHouse75 (May 14, 2008)

Can't stand squirrels. Had some nest under a tarp on my roof after a hail storm caused damage. The babies thought my house was their home They found a place where the roofers left the soffit loose and got up in the stone entry of my house. Had more babies in there. They'd run all over my house and roof. Found a piece of plywood leaning up against the wall on my upper patio and had more babies there. Took me a couple years or so to get rid of all of them.

Have oak trees all over my yard so there are still squirrels all over but they generally stay in the trees and yard. My dogs make sure the back yard is clear of then through. I counted 7 new nests in my front trees so it's time to eliminate more squirrels so they don't become a problem again.

I found that squirrels love to chew on irrigation lines so if you have any exposed, it's best to bury them under a few inches of dirt. I spent a few hours this spring fixing where they damaged my lines only to have them do it again late summer.

Also discovered dirt tunnels all over my front yard so we now have a vole infestation. I've never had voles before and neither has my parents or brothers. Starting last year, we all had a vole problem so something is up causing their population to explode recently.

I have a .22 pellet rifle that is very accurate. Also picked up a Crosman P1322 American Classic .22 pellet pump pistol that is also extremely accurate. Both work well for controlling squirrel populations.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

My $45.00 home made sniper 22 keeps the population under control here at the ranch and the 2 cosmo tom cats occasionally enjoy a half squirrel snack. This one was laying on his belly licking mineral from gravel in the road for this 80 yard shot with a 22 short HP about 10 years ago. If SeniorSitizen had the same opportunity now I'm not so sure he could hold that steady. Old age does sometimes take its toll.:biggrin2:


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

In the shop, I don't have rat or squirrel problems.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I know black snakes are good to have around ...... but I don't want to share a space with them!


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Well, I wouldn’t kill them, although at times I’ve thought
about it. :vs_mad:

Gathering up some nice insulated nesting material!


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## 195795 (May 24, 2013)

Two Knots said:


> Well, I wouldn’t kill them, although at times I’ve thought about it. :vs_mad: Gathering up some nice insulated nesting material!


Why not kill them ? They're just rats with furry tails.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Yep, both in the order of Rodentia. Squirrels just taste better


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## 195795 (May 24, 2013)

chandler48 said:


> Yep, both in the order of Rodentia. Squirrels just taste better


Yep, used to shoot them with a .22 when I was a kid, but now just collect up road kill - enn that's good eatin' Jethro !


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## 195795 (May 24, 2013)

This guy lives in my neighborhood - the other day he dipped down near the top of my 8' fence and snatched one of those little bstards right off the top of the fence - talk about low flying aircraft - it was spectacular !


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Tex, A hawk got a squirrel? That’s a problem with little dogs too.
Paris Hilton’s little chihuahua was snatched in her yard right
before her eyes...talk about a shocking traumatic experience. :surprise:

Anyway, one or two squirrels in the yard is ok; as long as they’re 
not doing any damage. We made a kindling box in a squirrel
motif...it’s kinda cute, if I say so myself! :smile:


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## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

Two Knots said:


> Anyway, one or two squirrels in the yard is ok; as long as they’re not doing any damage. We made a kindling box in a squirrel
> motif...it’s kinda cute, if I say so myself!


Exactly. I never had a problem with them out in the yard. But once you've had one get into your house, you change your tune pretty quickly, cuteness or not.

We still have squirrels, but now that the "apocalypse" is over and the survivors seem to have settled into their outdoor homes, I'm not actively trapping them any more. My neighbor will still take the occasional pot shot with a .22, but I don't think his aim is what it used to be.


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

Any chance of getting a sub-lease on that hawk? We could use his services!


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## 195795 (May 24, 2013)

Two Knots said:


> ... one or two squirrels in the yard is ok; as long as they’re not doing any damage.


Right - think about your kids and/or neighborhood kids please

What Diseases Can Squirrels Transmit to Humans?

Squirrels carry and transmit a handful of diseases, which makes their presence undesirable and occasionally dangerous:

•	Salmonellosis - Salmonella bacteria found in their droppings causes diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever.

•	Lyme disease - spread by the ticks squirrels carry and symptoms include nerve pain, stiffness, and inflammation of the brain or spinal cord.

•	Tularemia - an unpleasant condition that brings about swollen lymph nodes and ulcers.

•	Leptospirosis - symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, jaundice, and rash.

•	Rabies - sometimes squirrels pass this virus onto humans via biting or scratching.

Additionally, squirrels may act as hosts for ticks and other pests, which contributes to the spread of Lyme disease. Since many of these diseases are fatal when left untreated, individuals should monitor for symptoms and seek medical attention after coming in contact with squirrel urine and feces as breathing in particles of the animal's excrement is the most common method of disease transmission.


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## 195795 (May 24, 2013)

ChuckTin said:


> Any chance of getting a sub-lease on that hawk? We could use his services!


:vs_laugh:

In addition to this bad as, I'm thinking of putting up some owl houses to keep both the furry-tailed rats away and the f'in ducks that think my seement pond is for their use each spring


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## NitrNate (May 27, 2010)

i've been using a snap trap in a box for a couple years now and it has worked amazing. it's just a conibear 120 trap (definitely want the 2 springs to kill them quickly and humanely) baited with peanut butter. the box forces them to go into the trap at a direct angle and thus is far more effective at nailing them. plus, i put a door on the front of the box with a small slit so only squirrels will go in there.

i've lost count at this point, but i'm over 100 for sure. you may "see" 3 or 4 squirrels in your yard at a time, but they aren't the same squirrels. they are an absolute nuisance, breed like crazy and will tear up your house trying to get in to nest. depleting the population to normal numbers will allow for them to live in the trees where they belong.

i have had no squirrel issues for the past 3-4 years and i don't really even need the trap anymore.


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## Mystriss (Dec 26, 2018)

We have a ton of Bald Eagle's and dumpster chickens (aka Raven's) that keep the squirrels down to a minimum, but for some reason the ones in my front yard spruces never get picked off. 

They've ever eaten up our grill covers, car covers, or snow machine covers though so I don't mind them too much; they mostly just dump pine cones on the snow all winter (in the summer the cones get mulched by the mower so whatever.)

It's the woodpeckers that piss me off...


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Woodpeckers go after insects in the wood although sometimes they'll mistake styrofoam behind wood for insects. The styrofoam can expand/contract making a noise the woodpecker mistakes for insect activity.


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## Mystriss (Dec 26, 2018)

mark sr said:


> Woodpeckers go after insects in the wood although sometimes they'll mistake styrofoam behind wood for insects. The styrofoam can expand/contract making a noise the woodpecker mistakes for insect activity.



No foam on our house, but they come pecking at the middle of our T11 siding at least once a year.


~Adds check attic for bugs to husbands to do list~


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## fireguy (May 3, 2007)

We used to shoot the tree rats with an air rifle. Until the neighbors wanted to know why a squirrel had a bent tail. Then I got a live trap, baited with peanuts. I put the trap w/squirrel in a plastic trash bag. I took a CO2 extinguisher, put the nozzle in the plastic bag and gave the squirrel a shot CO2. The squirrel died and was put in the trash can. 

I wear exam gloves handling the dead rodent. They do have nasty bugs that are not good for humans.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Without Squirrels would we have so many oaks??? ... or without oaks would
we have so many Squirrels???


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

Oaks, Yes! Squirrels, never.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Don't understand the dislike for squirrels - they make a tasty stew.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

mark sr said:


> Don't understand the dislike for squirrels - they make a tasty stew.



My last squirrel was marinated in a salt and vinegar sauce, then grilled. Taste like chicken spiedie meat.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Do you guys really cook em up and eat em? tell me, really? 

My guy shot one once and cook it up in a stew with the help
from our daughter... I left the kitchen and would not go back in
until everything was cleaned up. It really weird me out! 

Now, I’ve cooked up many a rabbit for him that he hunted up,
“Hasentfeffer” Although I don’t eat them, I’ll cook them. 

Years ago, I used to see frozen rabbits in the supermarkets; haven’t 
seen one in years though!


Squirrels, no way mon! :no:


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

Yes, I have. But they were shot in the woods not the urban back yard.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I haven't ate squirrel in a long time but wouldn't hesitate to eat them again. Locally I think the squirrels were hunted almost to extinction, even though I live in the mountains [wooded and rural] some yrs I don't even see or hear a squirrel.


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## PaulFelder (Jan 22, 2021)

Indeed, squirrels are everywhere. They practically took over my house. I find their burrows all around the house, even in the ventilation system. My dog is afraid of squirrels, as they are very aggressive, can easily bite the dog. I tried my own methods to get rid of them, but it was all useless. It looks like it's their house, not mine. I decided to contact a company that deals with the removal of squirrels and it was right. With their methods, they saved me and my house from annoying squirrels. Only in this way did I manage to get rid of them without harming them. I still love animals and I don't want to hurt them.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

PaulFelder said:


> Indeed, squirrels are everywhere. One of them even bit my dog.


Well, wouldn't you if a dog was after you? 🦘


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

Furry vandals. An occasional one is cute, maybe. A flock is pest personified.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk


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