Is there any sort of repellent you can get that will discourage squirrels from digging holes in your turf? It’s a constant issue at my house, some days I’ll see dozens of holes where squirrels have been burying the hickory nuts from a nearby tree.

.22 air rifle comes to mind.

Or you might consider live traps, but what do you do them after you catch them?

Squirrel population around here is increasing again. Had a couple eagles/large hawks taking them, but have not seen them in a few months.

I'm having same problems but on new turf, it's really pissing me off. I've tried two repellants, neither seemed to work.

A pack of small, fierce dogs is an effective repellent. Jack Russell Terriers are good.

quote:

Or you might consider live traps, but what do you do them after you catch them?

Fill bath tub.

Put cage in.

Side note: Would mothballs work?

Or just stop obsessing over it. They're tiny holes,. They'll disappear quickly.

The very first year we were in our home I walked the back yard one day to find holes all over the !#$%^!! place. WTF?!?! Talked to one of the nearby neighbours. Guy that'd grown up here. Told me it was skunks digging for grubs. I was all set to get out the rifle and hold watch from the back deck. He looked at me like I'd lost my mind and gave me the advice I dispensed, above.

He was right. I was getting all bent out of shape over nothing.

And lest you think I'm being cavalier because we have a crap lawn into which I've put no time or money: Since late last summer I've spent hundreds of dollars on seed, feed and weed; and countless hours in manual labour improving our lawn.

And, yeah: The squirrels are burying in our yard, too.

(Wish we had a solution for the verkakte deer, though.)

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

Or just stop obsessing over it. They're tiny holes,. They'll disappear quickly.

It's just aggravating to me as I had a large section of turf die off and I raked it all up, re-seeded and put straw down and the next day it's all tore to hell.

I heard one person say "Look at it like this, you're getting them to do core aeration for free!"

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Originally posted by Jager:

quote:

Or you might consider live traps, but what do you do them after you catch them?

Fill bath tub.

Put cage in.

Side note: Would mothballs work?

I'm with you up to the drowning part.

We take them into the garage, lay the cage on plastic and put a pellet in their head. Lights out.

Of course we aren't worried about our lawn. They can be hellaciously destructive on trees though when their populations aren't checked.

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Originally posted by PASig:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Or just stop obsessing over it. They're tiny holes,. They'll disappear quickly.

It's just aggravating to me as I had a large section of turf die off and I raked it all up, re-seeded and put straw down and the next day it's all tore to hell.

Oh. That's a different story. I don't blame you. I'd be annoyed as hell, too.

But aren't you a bit late in trying to start new grass? I know you're a bit south of me, but, when I tried to start new seed this late in the season, last year, it didn't do squat until this spring.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I heard one person say "Look at it like this, you're getting them to do core aeration for free!"

Yeah, I had that one run by me, too

Do I have to post the Squirrel launcher vid again?

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

Or just stop obsessing over it. They're tiny holes,. They'll disappear quickly.

It's just aggravating to me as I had a large section of turf die off and I raked it all up, re-seeded and put straw down and the next day it's all tore to hell.

I heard one person say "Look at it like this, you're getting them to do core aeration for free!"

I'm in for $2k on my lawn and these fuckers keep tearing up my baby grass.

I'm not sure why, but it never fails to shock me when I see a POS out there that thinks it's ok to drown an animal. Over some grass no less.

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Originally posted by pessimist:
I'm not sure why, but it never fails to shock me when I see a POS out there that thinks it's ok to drown an animal. Over some grass no less.

Calling a fellow Sigforumite a POS is a little harsh

quote:

Originally posted by Jager:

quote:

Or you might consider live traps, but what do you do them after you catch them?

Fill bath tub.

Put cage in.

Side note: Would mothballs work?

I hope you are kidding about drowning them. Isn't that how serial killers get their start, torturing animals?

We have a pretty sizable squirrel population and we just let them do their thing. They don't do enough damage to warrant drastic action and they
provide good exercise for the cats and dog while chasing them.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Originally posted by pessimist:
I'm not sure why, but it never fails to shock me when I see a POS out there that thinks it's ok to drown an animal. Over some grass no less.

Calling a fellow Sigforumite a POS is a little harsh

It is, and I'm sure that if the boss sees it, he won't like it.

Probably won't like the suggestion people drown squirrels over a little torn up turf grass, either. Personally, I feel that reflects a disturbing lack of empathy for animals.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:


But aren't you a bit late in trying to start new grass? I know you're a bit south of me, but, when I tried to start new seed this late in the season, last year, it didn't do squat until this spring.

I was told by a friend who owns a Lawn Doctor franchise to go ahead and seed now and then again in the spring.

I would have done it a month ago but only found the bad turf when raking up the 1 million metric tons of hickory nuts my neighbor's tree dropped this year in that section of my back yard.

I mentioned to her it seemed like WAY more than the previous two years and she told me that it indicates a bad winter ahead, that every year that she's seen this tree have a bumper crop in the past 20, the winter that follows is severe.