I know you asked for air rifle information, but I also had many tree pests that were invading my 6 pecan trees. I set out 2 live catch traps and trapped over 20 the first year.
Could I live trap them and then use the air rifle? I don’t wanna hurt the neighborhood cats, which is why I am exploring options. I don’t wanna use a leg trap because I would feel really bad if I hurt a pet. I would rather use a live trap, but I don’t wanna catch and release my problem on someone else. I wanna dispatch the pest quickly and humanely as well so I don’t wanna use poisons which could hurt the predator chain as well.
What bait works best for tree rats?
As we say, “You can’t miss with a Havahart.” I trap ground squirrels and shoot them (when they’re too cautious to give me a clear shot otherwise). I put a generous glob of peanut butter on a business card and put in the trap. I’ve yet to trap one that didn’t finish the peanut butter even though the door slammed.
Once they are trapped, you can easily shoot them. I was drowning them in a barrel, trap and all, until my daughter found out. After that they got a ride to a park, the other side of a bayou from me, to be released.
For bait I use mostly peanut butter and bread. I would sometimes add sunflower seads, or some chopped apple, or a few blackberries. Mostly though, I caught them on the peanut butter. You don’t want to attract birds with your bait. That is always a problem.
I trapped squirrels, a lotta birds, a couple rats, a possum, and one cat.
I just put the traps on the ground and chained them to a tree so no one could take the traps.
I have one double door havahart( my favorite) and one squirrelinator multicatch(supposedly) trap.
Trap the rats in a live trap and drop the trap and rat into a bucket of water. No stray BB’s or pellots. No standing around waiting for them to come out. And you could just let the nieghbors pets out of the trap unhurt.
I agree with earlier poster. 50+ years of experience shows that inexpensive peanut butter, mixed with “raw” oatmeal in a 2:1 ratio, draws in red & grey squirrels & chipmunks.
The combination is sticky-enough that only very trap-wary rodents can lick or nibble it off the trap pan without dropping the doors.
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May I suggest squirrel stew?
What bait works best for tree rats?
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Dry corn on the cob.
Suspended over a drop plate on a 55 gal barrel half full of water with just a very little dish soap.
Repeating, self setting tree rat trap. You can decide thumbs up or down while they are treading water.
The idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=MV9woxUshuA
Variation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=aSk79YcuIRQ
The suspended corn targets the rats, might attract a few birds, but no flys....