Like the original poster, Jarrod, I am also fighting squirrels except mine are ground squirrels. I would love to find a solution that is safe for people and pets. I think that poison would be the most effective but worry about secondary poisoning of neighborhood pets. I've been able to kill the most by trapping, but even in good trapping year that I got 52, all I am doing is thinning the population.
Things I have tried:
Macabee gopher traps in the burrow openings: I've caught a lot this way, but probably about 75% tripped traps with no squirrel. Reminds me about Worth's comment about the squirrels shutting off the electric fence.
Home made 5 gallon water bucket trap: This originally was quite effective. One day I got 6 of them. Then the magpies discovered them and would eat all the peanut butter bait. Tried a wire cage over the trap and also burying the bucket to ground level with a plywood box over it. Apparently the squirrels had a town hall meeting and discussed the perils of these traps as I caught very little afterwards.
Havahart live trap baited with peanut butter: Caught quite a few, but effectiveness wore off.
Conibear #110 trap at burrow opening: This was awkward placing it over burrow and also a 5 gallon bucket over it to protect neighbor hood pets. These are wicked traps. I need a better game plan of how to exclude pets from getting to them.
Rat traps baited with peanut butter: Caught a few.
Lye or boric acid: Using a flexible funnel, I would put it deep as I could into the burrows. didn't seem to slow them down. The squirrels would push it out in a lot of cases.
Oatmeal with plaster of paris: Mixed one part plaster of paris to 3 parts oatmeal and put in a pvc bait station. They are eating it, but doesn't appear to be slowing them down any.
Rifles: Although I am on 5 acres, the neighbors and roads are relatively close so I am limited to my RWS 48 air rifle and a .22 with bird shot. Got a few.
Water hose into burrow: Some of these burrows would take water for hours and not fill up and the ones that did fill up didn't seem to effect the population.
Gopher gassers: The ones you light, put in burrow and seal burrow to give them the poison gas treatment. No workie.
Vehicle exhaust: Used Pvc pipe to go from tail pipe to burrow. Pipe melted within 10 minutes, DOH!
Rodenator: Would love to try this or something similar, but have heard they can damage pvc irrigation pipes.
I would love to hear what you have used effectively. If your solution is one that you are afraid to post here, PLEASE pm me.
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