Replies

Squirrel troubles? Right up my squalid alley. I have -- had -- a problem with the large gray ground squirrels we have out here in the desert. They nibble greens, take one bite out of every squash and tomato, wreck the bird feeders and terrorize the birds, and dig, dig, dig. They make divots and practice burrows everywhere. In desperation I splurged and bought a Squirrelinator. It's a large wire cage, two feet square and about 4-5 inches tall. The greedy varmints go in to gobble the bait (I used peanuts and sunflower seeds) and can't get out again. The promotional photos show a dozen or more squirrels crammed inside. This may be possible under the right conditions; they will go right in, one after another, to get at the bait, the greedy things. The first morning I put it out, there were two inside before I'd finished my first cuppa. The next morning, the same thing: two caught within an hour. The third morning, I caught jiust one, bright and early. Once caught, you have the option of . . . dispatcing them or relocating them. I fully intended to use the optional large plastic tub to drown them. At the last moment I decided to drive them a few miles away and release them. Then, after doing this the first two mornings, and after filling my gas tank yesterday (yikes), this morning's victim wentbto a watery grave in the big black tub. It took about 15 seconds. I tossed the carcass, nice and clean, into the wash for the local scavengers. It was all pretty easy.