Hunting Some Recent Observations I Thought I'd Share.

[Dr B]

Evening all
Apologies I've not been around much the last 10 days or so. Still shooting a plenty though. Just thought I'd share some observations and see what you are all experiencing around the country at the moment. Since my last few hunting posts from a particular permission I've had a couple of 3s, two 2 pairs, three blanks, and a two (all greys). The food is now going down very little and the camera just catching some fleeting images of the odd straggler. I reckon this region of the wood is now almost clear again. It took 6 weeks to get back on top of this section of the woodland after having moved onto other areas a while ago. I'm chuffed with that.

In this wood, whatever is left is still coming to the feeder. In the woods on the same estate this is also the case. It's fascinating in that I'm shooting another large place around 8 miles away where it appears they are already in the canopy and the feeder is getting less attention (still a little attention, but reduced). This is about a month sooner than I would typically experience and its now well known to be linked to and predicted by climate change (which interacts with tree species present, their maturity, density, landscape factors like riparian routes through the wood, etc) . Spring came early this year, trees are masting more frequently, and producing more food. Winters are also getting milder. All this means, without shooting and control, greys are getting a much easier ride of things unless there is a control project in place. Stay frosty fellas!

Are you seeing the greys back in the tree tops already? Or are they still on the ground or coming to your feeders? I'm finding timing differences depending on the woodlands I'm shooting so not a singular answer but it is interesting when you see it.

 

[brian747]

Thanks very much DrB/Jason, Your observations are
always interesting and good reading.
much appreciated.
atb brian

 

[pogue]

yeah mixed results on my feeders J, i blanked on my brothers land last sunday saw a couple but they went straight past the feeder, never even acknowledged it.
i replaced a peanut butter jar with lidl's cheapo chocolate and hazelnut spread on a quiet feeder last week, as the ''ignore the feeder'' season seems to have already started there. the landowners pretty observant and he said he'd noticed a few squirrels around it during the week. i checked it yesterday and the hot weather had caused a fair bit of the spread to run out of the jar, so i'll fix the jar upright on the feeder lid to keep it in
quite a few squirrels seem to come to the feeder trees, even in peak ''ignore the feeder'' season, mainly for a sniff around rather than any serious feeding, so i'm hoping the spread might catch their attention enough for a shot ?? lidl are pretty good with returns so if it doesnt work i'll take the jar back for a refund

 

[mitch21]

Great observation @Dr B yes you are spot on,my very condensed area shows some interesting things,the Greys seem much bigger and,more Black's around than ever, they are super aggressive, they love raiding birds nests,a very easy winter so all these do very well,
Thank you for the post,
Mitch21

 

[Enfield2band]

Could it be they are aware that feeders are a threat and avoid them?
With all pest control change is needed so they don't get used to where danger is.
Its a bit like a scarecrow. They work at first then the wildlife gets used to them.

 

[Dodgyeye]

My experience in a small wood, no feeder, is after a good clear out, within a couple of weeks the numbers are getting back up.

However, since I got a large female the numbers have stayed down.

 

[chouchin66]

Thanks to my " garden feeder" ( watermelon plantings), after 1 more shot ( likely today at some point) & I'll be plumb out of squirrels. Even the little blighters inside rimfire magnum range, between myself & the badger family, are darn near a clean sweep.

 

[Mattie]

Evening all
Apologies I've not been around much the last 10 days or so. Still shooting a plenty though. Just thought I'd share some observations and see what you are all experiencing around the country at the moment. Since my last few hunting posts from a particular permission I've had a couple of 3s, two 2 pairs, three blanks, and a two (all greys). The food is now going down very little and the camera just catching some fleeting images of the odd straggler. I reckon this region of the wood is now almost clear again. It took 6 weeks to get back on top of this section of the woodland after having moved onto other areas a while ago. I'm chuffed with that.

In this wood, whatever is left is still coming to the feeder. In the woods on the same estate this is also the case. It's fascinating in that I'm shooting another large place around 8 miles away where it appears they are already in the canopy and the feeder is getting less attention (still a little attention, but reduced). This is about a month sooner than I would typically experience and its now well known to be linked to and predicted by climate change (which interacts with tree species present, their maturity, density, landscape factors like riparian routes through the wood, etc) . Spring came early this year, trees are masting more frequently, and producing more food. Winters are also getting milder. All this means, without shooting and control, greys are getting a much easier ride of things unless there is a control project in place. Stay frosty fellas!

Are you seeing the greys back in the tree tops already? Or are they still on the ground or coming to your feeders? I'm finding timing differences depending on the woodlands I'm shooting so not a singular answer but it is interesting when you see it.

Exactly the same findings on my last few outings, for last few weeks I'm now targeting tree canopy and movement routes, feeders have slowed right up.

 

[the madspread]

on the way out to bunny shooting frid eve me and my shooting buddy decided to go a bit early and do a good feeder check.checked 14 of the 18 feeders we have out at the mo dotted over 7to 8 squ miles.because of the number of feeders i have i keep a book with levels when shot (how many shot)and the feeders are large tons of grub in them and never allowed to run dry.of the 14 checked 10 were now inactive and 4 were still being visited(but not like previous weeks/months)down here the hazels are almost ready and the beachmast is out in massive amounts so i think thats about it till xmas for my feeders (conkers and acorns will be ready end of sept)

 

[P8X]

Spring came early this year, trees are masting more frequently, and producing more food. Winters are also getting milder.

Hi Jason
if I had a quid to bet, I reckon this is the reason for the change in behaviour

Wheat / barley crops seem to all have been harvested earlier and also wild crops like blackberries are ripening early too, indicating quite a seasonal shift, this year at least
We're also cropping vegetables far earlier, this year than we normally would, at home, even in the temperate South West

 

[Clothead]

Think your bang on the money with that theory JB, its the same down here very slow on the estates, my back garden feeder had some early action but its slowed off at the moment we need a proper winter to get them looking for the feeders but times are changing , Keep up your great work on the Greys Dr B

 

[Stan79]

I’ve already seen squirrels on the hazelnuts down south. Definitely quite a few in the woods near us compared to the last two years.

 

[Shoto1]

Are you seeing the greys back in the tree tops already? Or are they still on the ground or coming to your feeders? I'm finding timing differences depending on the woodlands

Nice thread Jason - thanks

I was at a small perm yesterday and had one off the feeder.

This morning, in the ancient woodland, they were up in the canopy, (only spotted with the thermal).
They visited the feeder after the short downpour of rain shortly after I left; this was picked up on the sim camera I have linked to my phone.

I would say that feeder vists have reduced in the last couple of weeks.

Keep up the good work

 

[Dr B]

Thanks all for your observations - very interesting, nice to hear many are seeing the same. All the more reason to hit them hard!!!