If you don't feed them all to the lizzard, try this -- it's "peasant" food, but I always found it very good: Squirell & Pea Stew: 2 to 3 squirrels, cut into serving sized pieces about 1/4 cup of flour seasoned with a bit of salt & pepper 1/4 cup of butter or oil (or a blend of each) for browning 1/4 cup finely minced onion 2 bay leaves 4 cups chicken stock 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 cup potato, diced into 1" cubes (optional) 1 cup carrot slices, about 1/4 inch thick (optional) 1 can (15.5 ounces -- standard size) baby peas Dredge the squirrel in the seasoned flour, shake off the excess. Heat the oil/butter in pan until gently bubbling, add the onion and cook until golden but not crisp or browned, add the squirrel and turn often until browned somewhat on all sides. Drain off the excess oil, and then add everything else at this point EXCEPT the peas. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for about one hour, or until squirrel is tender. (NOTE -- if you think the squirrel is going to be tough, and you are using the potatoes and carrots, don't add them right away, and cook the squirrel in the broth for about an extra half an hour, THEN add the potatoes and carrots -- this way, the veggies don't turn to mush.) Finally, after the squirrel is tender, add the can of peas, liquid and all, to the pot, bring back to the boil, and simmer another 20 to 30 minutes. If the stew gets too dry or thick, add some additional chicken broth. If it's too thin for your preference at the end, thicken with some additional flour or corn starch. This recipe was something my Croatian grandmother used to make -- don't know if it was something from the Old Country or just something she picked up after she got here -- she lived in a small town in S. Illinois for 74 years AFTER she came to the US.

Morning all, Just had to post onto this thread. About a week ago the wife calls me while I was on my way home from work. You didnt take my little turtle and rabbit garden statues did you? I says, nope, but she knows that I am not above relocating them and kinda tucking them into someplace outta the way. Well this really irked me badly. We have really worked our butts off this spring to make our place a head turner and to think someone had taken some of our things just made me madder and madder the closer to home I got. WELL, pulled into the driveway and got out a can of paint and made me a couple of signs, and posted them on either side of the flower bed where the little statues were taken from. We went out for dinner and came home about 2 hours or so later and lo and behold, the little statues were tucked into the front door. The next day, a guy came to the house and asked if we had gotten the items he left in the door. Told him yep, said he and his wife had "found" them in the weeds over by the local park. (Made me suspicious, taking a walk in the weeds???) But anyways, told him thanks for bringing our things back. So why not make a little sign up, and put it out in the front yard by the sidewalk. Use the company name, and cite the infractions. When their business starts dropping off, maybe they will get the message that thievery is totally unacceptable. Give it a try, it may just work out for you. Roger South of Chicago

Other than shooting the poor buggers there are 2 solutions to your problem. 1. Buy a good squirrel trap, e.g. made by Havahart. For about one week hold the trap doors open with some string and keep putting a handful of peanuts on the feeding platform every day, better still a couple of times/day and sprinkle some outside. The squirrels will get used to the trap and when you actually set it to trap the animals you will be amazed how quickly you can start to relocate them. Unfortunately, you must relocate the squirrel at least three miles from your location, even further if you are in a heavily wooded area, otherwise they will be back. Make sure the trap you buy is larger than the squirrel/chipmunk traps sold at Big Box retailers, e.g. designed for rabbits, otherwise lots of squirrels will escape. If you already have a small squirrel trap putting a small stone on each of the open doors helps to close them fast/stops squirrels from escaping. I found that trapping squirrels, leaving them in the trap for a couple of hours and releasing them into their neighborhood (watch them run in horror) helps a great deal if you leave the trap in sight. It definitely serves as a deterrent for squirrels that were trapped before. 2. Somewhat more finito, bury a 10 Gal. container into the soil, create a platform/use a second platform to create a base 15" below the rim of the buries container and keep spreading light colored sunflower seeds onto the base. Again, the idea is that squirrels will jump onto the base and feast on the seeds. After one week, remove the base, fill the bucket with water 15" below the rim and cover the water with light colored sunflower seeds which float. Get a net and get ready to fish out many drowned squirrels. As a European we like squirrels and think they are cute so please try version 1.

It is referred to in our home as "peanie bunkle", and I am under orders from my husband to hide it from him and mete it out in reasonable portions as an occasional treat because if he sees the jar, he will eat it...all of it. It is the only reward that will convince Emily M.Scampercat to forget her umbrage at having her nails clipped...peanie bunkle distracts her from any irritation. As for radish sandwiches, I like them open faced,on a slice of good, crusty french bread, thickly sliced and thickly slathered with butter...sprinkled with salt&pepper. If there is a glass of wine and some strawberries or grapes in the picture, so much the better. Oooh, luxury though is the same meal, but with the bread spread with soft, aged brie instead of butter. Mmmmmm.