Our sub-division is about 20-25 years old. My house was built 22 years ago. When we moved in 13 years ago, the trees were all very small...not much squirrel action at all.
We are still pretty close to farms and open fields, just about a block away. The area has coyotes and foxes and plenty of hawks. However, the last few years has shown an explosion of the little critters. I had some of the fattest rabbits around last year...I know for a fact they filled up on my basil plants.
However, within city limits, if I pull out the Crossman 760, I'll have a squad out in front of my house in five minutes. Poisons scare the heck out of me with three dogs myself and all surrounding neighbors having dogs.
While having a couple of beers with my buddy last year, he wanted to trap some of our black squirrels and brings them to his neighborhood. They only had brown squirrels. We got every color here! Take your pick! He never followed up on the offer though. Beer talk!
I keep thinking about our neighbor chasing away the hawks to protect the baby squirrels. I told my wife back then that the squirrels are going to be here long after we are gone, they will do just fine.
I had a great crop last year....tons of tomatoes. However, like I said, some got sampled. My concern is what most of you have been saying, it will only get worse.
I work from home from my kitchen and I sit here on the computer and see squirrels traveling back and forth along all the fences surrounding my yard all day long. They also get brave and come up on our deck. This year it seems they didn't even hibernate and it has been a brutal winter.
Ten years ago, a squirrel here and there.
Now, they are everywhere.
That's why I was wandering about the fake snakes, fake owls, fake hawks. I know they have to be moved around often.
I'll do everything I have done in the past and looking to do more.
I don't think I can get away with shooting them though.