So... There was a squirrel that wouldn't leave my basement

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MikeGoob

New member
I tried everything: Traps were licked clean of peanut butter 2 times without springing. We chased it around the basement with poles to try to 'shoo' it out the doors or windows and no luck. I considered rat traps or glue traps but was not sure how to keep a squirrel from making a mess if wounded.

In the end, after 3 days we had friends bring a terrier type dog to chase it around and corner it good. And I decided to shoot it with an SR22 (my only .22)

The backdrop seemed safe, relatively soft pine 1x4 boards (bed slats) and dispatched him. My wife was concerned about ricochet in our cinderblock/cement basement. I thought there was little to no risk of that with lead HP .22 ---BUT online searching says .22 DOES ricochet more than others.

Could I have done things better? We are leaving out of town for thanksgiving and I did not want this guy having the run of the place alone...


--edit to add, the trap was a proper squirrel trap that I rented from a lawn & garden place. This squirrel just seemed to know how to lick and not trigger it...!
 
A

Art Eatman

Staff in Memoriam
.22? If there is a next time, use the #12 rat shot and don't worry about a clean kill.

Mothballs discourage little critters, from mice to skunks. If there is an exit, the aroma of camphor will make them leave.
 
4

444

New member
That is a great story. Novel approach with the dog. I would have never thought of that.

I would have used an air gun. Without seeing what the shot consisted of, I will have to say that I would have been very hesitant about firing a .22LR in the basement. But, it sounds like it worked and nothing was damaged and no one was hurt; so, great solution.

I remember hearing a bunch of noise in the basement when I was a kid. I went to see what was going on and my dad was shooting at a squirrel in the basement with my Daisy BB gun. It was running around on the plumbing pipes all over the ceiling. It was hillarious. He killed it and then since I was standing there laughing at him, he turned and told me to get rid of the body :)
 
D

Doyle

New member
Sounds like a really good excuse to buy a pellet gun. I killed a ton of squirrels with my Crossman when I was a kid.
 
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MikeGoob

New member
Thanks for the replies---I'm surprised at people recommending shot--I would think round steel bbs bounce around and ricochet far more than expanding lead?
 
H

HiBC

New member
Those 22 rat shot would work . I wouldn't worry to much about ricochet. Wear glasses.I would not use the centerfire ones.
A CCI brand "CB Long " would be near silent and adequate. In my experience,quite accurate.There was a "wax bullet" era,of shooting wax plugs driven by a primer.CCI/Speer MIGHT still make plastic bullets/cartridge cases to be primer driven.Pretty accurate and they would roll a squirrel,I think.

But the real reason for my reply...as a school custodian I have some mousetrap experience. I'm talking the wood Victor traps with metal triggers,not the yellow plastic.

You are right.Its incredible how those boogers can lick all the peanut butter off.
It was a Caddy Shack thing.

Here is what you do.Smoosh a raisin into that little doohickey on the trigger paddle. Then put your peanut butter on. They can't lick that raisin off,and they won't leave it! Whack!!
I've had less luck with the glue traps,but they work. Done right,they are more PC than a whack trap in a 1st grade class or the teacher lounge.Those mice twitch a bit sometimes. Kids go home "Mommy,Mommy,there was a RAT in my class today and it kicked and rolled around and the teacher screamed and blood came out his nose then his tail wiggled and he died."
The Principal really did not like the phone calls.
The trick is they make a box about 2 in tall you put the glue trap in and close the lid.There are little doors in the end to let the mouse in.The drama stays in the box.
I suppose you could use a bigger box and put in 2 or 3 glue traps.
The box prevents mess.
 
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Rob228

New member
I had a co-worker find a mouse in a glue trap one night at work and he set it outside (this was at Camp Pendleton CA). About an hour later we found an owl with its feet glued together trying to eat the mouse. We threw a sweater over the owl and cleaned the glue off with hand sanitizer and it flew off no worse for the wear.

I actually had luck on ground squirrels in the same location with rat traps and peanut butter, but it would not fully kill them.
 
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peterg7

New member
Don’t know if they still make them but the old man used to keep a box of .22Lr shot cartridges for small vermin.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
A

Art Eatman

Staff in Memoriam
A glue strip with a dab of peanut butter in the center works well. Heck, add a raisin. :)

Close-range squirrel? Try a CB cap.
 
O

OzeanJaeger

New member
My wife would FREAK if I shot any firearm in the house that wasn't at a two legged intruder, period, end of story.

If I lived alone I'd probably have a bullet trap in my basement! ;)
 
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rodwhaincamo

New member
I'd like to see those shot shells fired into gel to get a true understanding of what it's capable
of. Penetrating two sides of plastic and barely scratching the jug behind it doesn't sound very powerful. However he was also using a handgun. A rifle would certainly increase the velocity.

#12 shot isn't very impressive but then I suppose holes in their little head would work.

I'd also have looked for CB caps. No powder just the primer to sling the bullet. But still good for little critters like that.
 
G

GeauxTide

New member
Sounds like a really good excuse to buy a pellet gun. I killed a ton of squirrels with my Crossman when I was a kid.
Click to expand...
I bought a .20 Caliber Sheridan Blue Streak in the 80s and have dispatched lots of squirrels and chipmunks at 25-50 feet off the deck. Squirrels love green tomatoes, so I have to pop one or two and they leave them alone. It only takes one chipmunk and they move out. Since Benjamin bought Sheridan, the 22 is the only option.
 
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Lohman446

New member
My dad still has some shot shells for his .44 magnum. Before I was born in one of the old farm houses there was a rat issue in the basement. He said they worked well.
 
M

MikeGoob

New member
My wife would FREAK if I shot any firearm in the house that wasn't at a two legged intruder, period, end of story.

If I lived alone I'd probably have a bullet trap in my basement!
Click to expand...

We spent a few days trying it her way before I got permission to try it my way :D:cool::p
 
J

JWT

New member
Nothing smaller than a 12 ga. With 00buckshot.. those critters are dangerous when wounded...
 
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