America's most wanted

[Judy G. Russell]

No further comment is necessary...

[chm]

He's so cute...

I have a feeling you wouldn't agree? Is this a naughty creature?

Missing something...

Later: Okay, I've been reading about the flowers - I get it. Never mind...

I remember having squirrels eat up my sunflowers right about the time I was ready to harvest the seeds. Hey! I'd find the big sunflower heads on the ground with obvious bite marks, with much of the sunflower head gone.

Squirrels are cute to look at, though - especially the bushy-tailed ones.

Carolyn

[Lindsey]

No further comment is necessary...
Aha! The notorious Squirrel Nutkin!

--Lindsey

[sidney]

This fits right into a current story line of a web comic I read...

To set the context: A very shy, reclusive woman has finally begun the very first step of escaping from her shell by moving her beloved plants from indoors to the roof of her apartment building. After you read this strip (http://www.wapsisquare.com/d/20060413.html) click on the Next Day button for the punchline.

-- sidney

[Judy G. Russell]

Nah, this isn't about my flowers. It's about my tenant. My unwanted can't-keep-it-out-of-my-attic tenant. #$%#$ treerats.

[Judy G. Russell]

Just look how fat that little sucker is. After spending all winter sleeping in my attic...

[Judy G. Russell]

ROFL!!!!!!! Oh, yeah. I like that idea. Ooooooh I do hate those treerats.

[Jeff]

No further comment is necessary...

None of them cute little beasties hereabouts, but I may have to kill that damned cat.

- Jeff

[Judy G. Russell]

None of them cute little beasties hereabouts, but I may have to kill that damned cat.Have you thought about just getting a cheap cover to throw over the vehicle? It'd protect it from paw prints, diarrhetic birdies and the sun! You can get 'em here (http://www.coverbonanza.com/dept.asp?d_id=16425&l1=7509&l2=16425) fairly reasonably.

[Lindsey]

None of them cute little beasties hereabouts, but I may have to kill that damned cat.
Of course, the cat may be what is keeping the squirrels away from you...

--Lindsey

[Dan in Saint Louis]

treerats

You need some neighborhood cats.

[Judy G. Russell]

At this point, I'd even go for some neighborhood coyotes (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/11/AR2006041101256.html).

[Jeff]

Have you thought about just getting a cheap cover to throw over the vehicle? It'd protect it from paw prints, diarrhetic birdies and the sun! You can get 'em here (http://www.coverbonanza.com/dept.asp?d_id=16425&l1=7509&l2=16425) fairly reasonably.

I had thought about that, but figured off and on all of the time would be a hassle. But for less than $50 I might just try it. Thanks for the link.

- Jeff

[Judy G. Russell]

Yeah, they really are (or can be) cheap. So it's worth a try. Probably cost less than the fine for killing the cat...

[chm]

Oh...a freeloader! A pest. Perhaps doing things to your attic you don't want done.

Yes, reading further in the thread - get that cat or coyote. But, then you have that cat or coyote...

Hmmm...the song "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly..." is coming to mind. ; )

Best of luck getting rid of your "treerat."

Carolyn

[Judy G. Russell]

I like cats. I even like coyotes. I do not like treerats.

[ndebord]

I like cats. I even like coyotes. I do not like treerats.

Judy,

Cats are for snuggling and feeding. Coyotes deserve a .270 Remington and tree rats you have to leave alone 'cause the authorities will arrest you if you pull a little .22 out of the closet and take some potshots!

[Judy G. Russell]

I don't mind coyotes... if they'll eat the treerats.

[Karl Semper]

Not in season they don't. Varmint hunting is still allowed in some states, i.e. Oklahoma, Arkansas.

[ndebord]

Not in season they don't. Varmint hunting is still allowed in some states, i.e. Oklahoma, Arkansas.


Karl,

Can you safely shoot squirrels there? If would be giving up a lot to have to move to either state, but the opportunity...glorious!

<g>

[Karl Semper]

A Ruger 10/22 with a Leupold scope works nice. Some people actually eat them, but I don't. Probably more than you wanted to know... As far as safely well that depends on how well you can handle a rifle...

<g>

[Lindsey]

Some people actually eat them
Yep, my brother Stu used to. Nobody else in the house, though, except maybe my dad, who will eat just about anything. And Brunswick stew was originally made with squirrel meat, though nowadays, it's normally made with chicken.

--Lindsey

[earler]

I used to shoot squirrels when I was a child, this to stop them from eating what we had in our victory garden. This was in connecticut.

(A victory garden was the name given to a vegetable garden planted on ones property during the 2nd world war. We had corn, tomatoes, green beans, etc.)

-er

[Karl Semper]

The people I give them to make a stew out of them, I've tried it, but not exactly to my taste.

[chm]

Speaking about squirrelly varmints, my music teacher cyper-pal from Ohio (whom I "met" on CompuServe, BTW) happened to send me this link yesterday. Made me think of Judy and her attic treerat. Best if you have your speaker on.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/singingman7777/MSR2.htm

Jeez, I also seem to recall some squirelly links on my website, hmmm, I say thinking out loud. Probably on the Humor Page about food and animals.

Carolyn

[Peter Creasey]

I'd even go for some neighborhood coyotes (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/11/AR2006041101256.html).

Judy, No question! The squirrels/tree rats are a terrible nuisance with NO redeeming value.

If you want to get rid of them, put out the sticks of rat poison where the squirrels will easily find them. (I can't remember the name of the product but they are tan/caramel colored sticks joined together so that you break off a stick as you want to use it).

Careful, though, as if any pets are around they will eat them also...which, of course, is not desirable.

[Judy G. Russell]

If you want to get rid of them, put out the sticks of rat poison where the squirrels will easily find them. (I can't remember the name of the product but they are tan/caramel colored sticks joined together so that you break off a stick as you want to use it). Now that sounds good... I'll have to check this out.

[Judy G. Russell]

That is without a doubt one of the funniest songs I've ever heard!

[ndebord]

A Ruger 10/22 with a Leupold scope works nice. Some people actually eat them, but I don't. Probably more than you wanted to know... As far as safely well that depends on how well you can handle a rifle...

<g>

Karl,

Well I've hunted since age 12, but with today's eyes, I don't think I'd be much use in the woods anymore.

As for eating squirrels, well why not? I have relatives in the Ozarks. I think they call it squirrel pie and I've eaten at lot of strange and exotic food over the years.

Last time I went hunting was 15 or so years ago with a nephew who had a tinge of hero worship when I agreed to go out with him. I hadn't picked up a rifle since 1970, so to say his disappointment was total would be an understatement!

[Lindsey]

That is without a doubt one of the funniest songs I've ever heard!
I thought about you tonight when I saw a TrueValue Hardware commercial featuring squirrels...

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

I thought about you tonight when I saw a TrueValue Hardware commercial featuring squirrels...Depending on the commercial I may never buy from TrueValue again...

[Karl Semper]

>>Well I've hunted since age 12, but with today's eyes, I don't think I'd be much use in the woods anymore. <<

That is why they make scopes for the rifles. I never hunt with open sights anymore except on the shotgun.

As far as eating squirrels I just didn't care for the taste, but then I don't care for the taste of feral pigs either.

I still love to hunt and fish. Mostly I like to hunt Turkey.. (season is open), but haven't had much luck.. they always seem to be on the neighbors lease not mine...

Karl

[Peter Creasey]

Now that sounds good... I'll have to check this out.

Judy, This Just One Bite (http://www.petvetsupply.com/rodmfar001.html) ad looks like it might be the same thing I was trying to describe to you.

[Judy G. Russell]

Heh. If it kills Norway rats, it'd sure take out a squirrel...

[Jeff]

I still love to hunt and fish. Mostly I like to hunt Turkey.. (season is open), but haven't had much luck.. they always seem to be on the neighbors lease not mine... Karl

Last year turkey season out here in the mountains a guy was (apparently) crouched down in the scrub and making come hither turkey noises, when a couple of illegals working fence, and for some reason with a rifle, heard him... He died and they're still trying to get the illegal back out of Mexico to be tried.

- Jeff

[Karl Semper]

Jeff,

That is one of the reasons I don't hunt on public land. Too many idiots with high high rifles and sometimes they need the high power alcohol to help them aim also, this tends to be especially the case during deer season.

Karl

[chm]

Always glad to give a chuckle.

Carolyn

[chm]

a TrueValue Hardware commercial featuring squirrels...

I haven't seen that one, unfortunately.

Don't know if seeing squirrels reminds you of me is a good thing or not...? ; )

Carolyn, treerat?

[Dan in Saint Louis]

I thought about you tonight when I saw a TrueValue Hardware commercial featuring squirrels...

--Lindsey

Let us not forget squirrel fishing.

[Lindsey]

Depending on the commercial I may never buy from TrueValue again...
Oh, no, I think you would like this one. A guy is digging in his garden, looks up, and to his horror, sees a squirrel nibbling on a bulb. He covers his face with his hands and ends up with mud streaks all over his face. Cut to the hardware store, and a clerk walks up to a customer to offer his help. She turns around and there are mud streaks on her face. "Squirrels?" says the clerk. She nods, and he points her over to the pest repellant (or maybe the poison?) section of the store.

--Lindsey

[Lindsey]

Mostly I like to hunt Turkey.. (season is open), but haven't had much luck.. they always seem to be on the neighbors lease not mine...
Turkeys are a tough bird to hunt! Unlike their domesticated cousins, wild turkeys are pretty smart birds. I'll bet they've studied just where the property lines run...

--Lindsey

[Lindsey]

I haven't seen that one, unfortunately.

Don't know if seeing squirrels reminds you of me is a good thing or not...? ; )

Actually, it was Judy I thought of when I saw that commercial. (And see my message to her for a brief description of it, at least as well as I remember it.)

--Lindsey

[Lindsey]

Let us not forget squirrel fishing.
Squirrel fishing? Never heard of that one!

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

Ahahahaha! I love it! I'll head over to True Value after this weekend (I have a family wedding to attend this weekend).

[Judy G. Russell]

Squirrel fishing? Never heard of that one!I think Dan posted this one (http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~yaz/en/squirrel_fishing.html) before... it's hilarious!!!

[Lindsey]

I think Dan posted this one (http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~yaz/en/squirrel_fishing.html) before... it's hilarious!!!
LOL! That is funny. Somehow I missed it before. But shoot: "No hook was used and no squirrel was harmed during this 'research.'" What good is that??

--Lindsey

[ndebord]

LOL! That is funny. Somehow I missed it before. But shoot: "No hook was used and no squirrel was harmed during this 'research.'" What good is that??

--Lindsey

Lindsey, the research does unintentionally show that squirrels in Texa are probably harmed and in far greater numbers than Mass!

"This led to our current approach to measure the reaction of squirrels to a peanut tied to a long piece of string. The low end of the performance scale includes not running away from a peanut thrown at the subject, and following it as it is dragged through the grass. The aiming accuracy of the trowing process can be greatly increased by attaching a key to the string about 3 inches from the end.
The next point on the performance scale is the willingness to grab the peanut and hold on to it under moderate tension.
A smarter squirrel will discover after a while that it is better to bite through the string than simply pull on the peanut. This distinguishing tactic leads us to believe that the average squirrel performance in Texas is much higher than in Massachusetts."

It is clear from these budding scientists' research that squirrels in Texas are smarter than those found in Massachusets. Obviously the squirrel gene pool in Texas is better because of support for the 2nd Amendment in that state, as opposed to Massachusetts!

<g,d&r>

[Jeff]

Jeff,

That is one of the reasons I don't hunt on public land. Too many idiots with high high rifles and sometimes they need the high power alcohol to help them aim also, this tends to be especially the case during deer season.

Karl

Yup, Karl, even here in millions of acres of mountains. Meanwhile you might enjoy this take on the local turkey season:

http://www.durangoherald.com/asp-bin/article_generation.asp?article_type=out&article_path=/outdoors/out060421_3.htm

- Jeff

[Karl Semper]

If they keep it up I may have to reach through the fence....

[Karl Semper]

We have mainly the Merriam's here, so yah you got to scout and try to put them to bed at night that way you'll have a chance. This year they have extended our season to two weeks, we used to only have 10 days.

Just about desperation time, I may to reach through the fence, the neighbor won't really mind since he doesn't hunt turkey. He just dosen't want people running around on his place. Ithink I'll talk to him tonight and let him know, that way there won't be any problems.

[Judy G. Russell]

LOL! That is funny. Somehow I missed it before. But shoot: "No hook was used and no squirrel was harmed during this 'research.'" What good is that??That was my reaction. I mean, I could give them at least two squirrels they wouldn't have to worry about returning afterwards!

[Lindsey]

It is clear from these budding scientists' research that squirrels in Texas are smarter than those found in Massachusets. Obviously the squirrel gene pool in Texas is better because of support for the 2nd Amendment in that state, as opposed to Massachusetts!
Makes sense!

--Lindsey

[Dan in Saint Louis]

No further comment is necessary...

http://community.compuserve.com/n/docs/docDownload.aspx?webtag=ws-photography&guid=574c53fb-e368-4f99-89b6-de05e64b3240

[Judy G. Russell]

That person is not... not... not feeding that varmint, is he?????