1 LESS GREY

[foxhunter]

As you may already know the 1st case of squirrel pox hit Scotland in May of this year .

 

The Red Squirrel is in trouble and needs our help , especially any shooters in Cumbria and the Scottish Borders and Northumberland. Yesterday I had a quick walk through a wood on my patch near Kielder forest , a red squirrel stronghold. I had never seen any greys in this wood before but yesterday managed to cull this one.

 

 

 

We must destroy these varmints on sight in order for the native red to have any chance.

 

In Durham where I live I used to see reds regularly in my teens but I cant remember the last one I saw.

 

The 1st Grey sighting I had was in 1992 and since then they have colonised the whole county at the loss of the red.

 

Foxshot I believe you are from Cumbria , do you ever see any reds ? I still see a lot at Lockerbie .

[craigyboy]

likewise in the early 90's I used to see loads of reds in local forest where I mountainbike they were hiving but I havents seen a red anywhere since about 2004, I am sure they are still about but all I see is greys, good work on that grey, they need sorting an fast.

[Guest 308Panther]

Nice shooting....

Too bad you guys are so far away...love to help out w/the .17HMR

 

308Panther

[Alec]

I have recently been introduced to a gentleman who lives not far from Penrith in Cumbria where I am based, he is a member of the Penrith & district red squirrel group and traps/shoots Greys in the area of the national park which he is responsible for.

 

I shot my first grey yesterday morning with a folding .410 we sat out in a spot which there have been repeated sightings of greys and knocked him off as he appeared from behind us. I Have no pics as my camera had flat batteries and he sends all the squirrels that he deals with to a veterinary testing lab to be examined.

 

Originally being from just outside Manchester I had never seen a red squirrel until I moved to Cumbria at 18, yet not 4 miles from where I lived in Manchester there is a park that is infested with greys. They have become an attraction of the park with people hand feeding them monkey nuts. You could have so much fun in there with a .22 or even an air pistol and a pocket full of peanuts.

 

Regards

Alec

[Guest 308Panther]

You guys are makin me hungry...and my trigger finger now itches...

 

308Panther

[foxshot]

As you may already know the 1st case of squirrel pox hit Scotland in May of this year .

 

The Red Squirrel is in trouble and needs our help , especially any shooters in Cumbria and the Scottish Borders and Northumberland. Yesterday I had a quick walk through a wood on my patch near Kielder forest , a red squirrel stronghold. I had never seen any greys in this wood before but yesterday managed to cull this one.

 

We must destroy these varmints on sight in order for the native red to have any chance.

 

In Durham where I live I used to see reds regularly in my teens but I cant remember the last one I saw.

 

The 1st Grey sighting I had was in 1992 and since then they have colonised the whole county at the loss of the red.

 

Foxshot I believe you are from Cumbria , do you ever see any reds ? I still see a lot at Lockerbie .

There is a strong population of reds at a crematorium that prove popular with visitors (the living ones) just down the road fortunately no greys have been spoted yet but i beleive that some forestry near by is having problems with the greys but i think the forestry commision control on those pesky greys otherwise i wouldnt mind having a go my self

[stag1933]

We have quite a few Reds in Cumbria but the Greys are sneaking in.

I sometimes think they are like Foxes and are being brought here from elsewhere.

 

[Toby]

Over here in Norway we have nothing but Reds!And there are plenty of them.It's a real novelty having grown up in rural Oxfordshire and only having seen and shot the "grey tree rat"

[Bambi-basher]

I still see a lot at Lockerbie .

 

Hi Foxhunter

 

Unfortunately the first case of squirrel pox in a red has already been reported near Lockerbie; I live 10 miles north of there and see Reds in my garden regularly.

 

A mate of mine works for Scottish Nature he has a theory that were you have Pine Martians you won’t get many greys, this is because the greys are less agile than the reds so the Martians would be able to catch them more easily.

 

So release more Pine Martians only hope they keep away from your poults.

 

Where I stalk it has been designated a Red Squirrel conservation wood, any greys shoot on site when stalking if safe to do so, if not we are to recorded it’s grid location and then the Forestry will set traps for it. But I have never seen a red or grey in our wood.

 

B-b

[monynut]

Me and a mate do the vermin control on a NT property locally mainly rabbits and squirrels we account for between 80 to 100 squirrels each year, no reds locally the nearest is Thetford were l believe they have a breeding program for them.