Eastern Grey Squirrel, the new terror.

[gman313]

I ran one over the other day. On Richter by Doyle.

They are really crunchy

[monroe]

...anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Castanet PETA group... ... ...

LOL

Took the words out of my mouth. Save me seat pls.


Funny, Greg055 - yer post reminded me of that movie "The Germans are Coming! " .... only its not Germans ...


... ITSTHEINVASIVEEASTERNGREYSQUIRRELRUUUUN ! ! !

[django]

Aren't pellet rifles illegal to fire within city limits, trapping would be best or at least safest for the neighbors.

[JLives]

I ran one over the other day. On Richter by Doyle.

They are really crunchy

The population has exploded since last year. I used to maybe see one a week. Now I see several a day. I'm pretty sure they are Eastern Gray Squirrel but their fur is black from head to tail.

[Greg055]

Sorry, ValB58, but it seems U take things too narrowly and too literally. I reported to the ministry, not Castanet. I asked them for traps. Like, seriously, girl: how is a Castanet forum important to the squirrel count?

[Swoop]

Sorry, ValB58, but it seems U take things too narrowly and too literally. I reported to the ministry, not Castanet. I asked them for traps. Like, seriously, girl: how is a Castanet forum important to the squirrel count?

...hahaha!!...classic...don't you know - Castanet is like Toronto - it's the center of the universe...

[Greg055]

Aren't pellet rifles illegal to fire within city limits,

That is correct, but so are traps set within 200 meters of a dwelling, also rendering that solution illegal in most areas of the city. The point is that there is actually nothing we can legally do if we live in the city. The City does nothing. The Regional District does nothing. The Ministry does nothing except count them. So, no one does anything, and the invasive species take over.

And it is not comparable to an invading Tyranny that murders people they don't like. Squirrels are NOT comparable to the bloodthristy ISIL/ISIS/Islamic State. Put down that digital device and Get Real.

Me, I don't care: I see Climate Change as scrambling up the habitats of all animals, so whichever comes out on top a century from now, wins. Right? Considering this POV, environmentalists are obsolete, as protecting habitats becomes mote when Mother Nature herself is scrambling them up. Rabbits? Gerbils? Deer? Gray Squirrels? Rats? You Betcha!

What I care, is that I like and feed the songbirds, and the Grays are their enemies. I used to have tons of birds, but as the Grays multiplied, the songbirds have thinned considerably. So scare tactics changed to kill orders.

[Greg055]

...anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Castanet PETA group... ... ...

PETA are the problem, not the deer. Speaking of deer, did you know that you are not allowed to scare the deer away from your tulips unless you first acquire a license-to-harass to do so? And then only on your property. The established laws are so stupid, that people who care have little hope but to ignore them. Gray Squirrels are not protected in any legal way, except that there is no legitimate response with city limits. So if you run one over, you have done the songbirds a big favor. Thanks!

[Rwede]

The population has exploded since last year. I used to maybe see one a week. Now I see several a day. I'm pretty sure they are Eastern Gray Squirrel but their fur is black from head to tail.

Yep, the large black squirrels are indeed Eastern Greys, as are the large grey ones. They come in a few different colour phases, just like a "black" bear does.

[Hurtlander]

That is correct, but so are traps set within 200 meters of a dwelling, also rendering that solution illegal in most areas of the city. .

Not true, you can use live traps to capture the squirrel. But if you don't remember to check the trap for a few days the squirrel sometimes dies. Oh darn..

[Greg055]

That is correct, but so are traps set within 200 meters of a dwelling, also rendering that solution illegal in most areas of the city. .

Not true, you can use live traps to capture the squirrel. But if you don't remember to check the trap for a few days the squirrel sometimes dies. Oh darn..

....And then the SPCA is on your back for causing "suffering of an animal." Live traps are cool, as long as you are NOT releasing the squirrel somewhere else. The problem with them is that you now have the extra step of dealing with a live leaping-about-animal that needs to be gassed humanely. I did that once, and prefer not to do it again. A KILL trap is much preferable, as long as you don't also have Browns in the same vicinity.

Also a live trap is relatively expensive (and usually catches cats), and some may not be willing to spend so much $$$ on helping the Ministry deal with Gray squirrels (while the Ministry/City screws them with stupid laws) when they could give to the food bank or take their kid's friends out on an ice cream outing instead. Rat traps are $3.

The Ministry/City/Regional District/SPCA/PETA should supply loaner traps, of the type that THEY prefer to deal with this problem properly. Until then, it's open season until some idiot in a uniform shows up at your door.

[Swoop]

...lol - oh gawd - don't mention cats/traps/gassing in the same thread around here...

[Greg055]

Aren't pellet rifles illegal to fire within city limits,

Indeed, illegal as in City bylaw. But not illegal to fire within your house. The City has no business with you in your basement popping away at a pellet capture target. Now, let's push that a bit farther: if you pop a pellet inside your house and it exits your house out an open window, and there is nothing in the line of sight except a squirrel......

[Swoop]

Aren't pellet rifles illegal to fire within city limits,

Indeed, illegal as in City bylaw. But not illegal to fire within your house. The City has no business with you in your basement popping away at a pellet capture target. Now, let's push that a bit farther: if you pop a pellet inside your house and it exits your house out an open window, and there is nothing in the line of sight except a squirrel......

...lol - nice try...the term "careless use of a firearm" comes to mind...

[Greg055]

...lol - nice try...the term "careless use of a firearm" comes to mind...

Sorry; got your apples and oranges mixed up, son;
-One is City Bylaw, and the other is criminal law.
-BB and Pellet guns are NOT firearms and are NOT restricted weapons as the bullets are under a certain mass, and under 500fps.

That is why airsoft toys which fire a light weight plastic pellet are TOYS and not restricted weapons, contrary to RCMP actions. The point being that the RCMP, contrary to the former Solicitor General's office's opinion, want to restrict ALL GUN OWNERSHIP in Canada, EVEN TOYS!!! Even a plywood cutout of a pistol is considered an illegal "replica weapon" by the RCMP.

The point being that we have become so gun-paranoid that neighbors freak when seeing kids playing with toy guns, and RCMP SWATT teams swarm the kids and seize the TOYS as illegal "replica weapons." Please, sir, for the sake of some sanity, get your understanding of the law in order with the real world. Toy guns are NOT restricted firearms.