Effective chipmunk/ground squirrel control - CONTINUED

15 years ago

The original message thread has reached the allowed limit of 150 replies. So, I figured I'd continue the thread here.

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One correction from my previous post: I typed the model number of the Havahart trap incorrectly as # 2025. The correct model number of the Havahart trap is # 1025.

Several interesting points to report in our battle against the demon munks. Firstly the Havahart vs the PoD (pool of death) chipmunk snare counts. Surprisingly, Havahart model # 1025 has out performed the PoD, with Havahart at 11 and PoD at 7 bagged munks respectively. The lackluster performance of my faithful PoD might be due to neglect, I dont change the bait (sunflower seeds) and water as quickly as repulsive smells grow. However, in all fairness, the Havahart receives the same level of neglect. I have just caught more munks with old bait in the Havahart than with the PoD. So far the Havahart is costing me less to operate than the PoD.

As others have noticed, trap placement is very important to success. So, I have rotated the Havahart and the PoD between the best kill spots. And as I mentioned in my previous post, warm sunny days draw chipmunks out of their tunnels to forage for food, breathe fresh air and feel the warm comfort of the sun. In my opinion chipmunks pick the very best days to die.

Secondly, a neighborÂs child that cuts through my yard has become a chipmunk freedom fighter. While I am at work my captured munks are set loose by the child. The evidence of sneaker printsÂ size and brand is incontrovertible. I have set the trap around a flat dirt garden area. I rake the ground after setting the trap. The bait is gone from the trap and it is sprung. Nike size 7 sneaker prints surround the scene. The once gregarious child now runs when I say, "Hay, IÂd like to talk to you." I wonder what my Havahart snare count would be if there were no chipmunk jailbreaks?

Third. One day I ran out of peanut butter. So, I just placed an extra large pile of sunflower seeds on the bait tray of the Havahart trap. Later that day I found a munk in the trap with lots of nest material. The trap was set on a bed of redwood bark chips. The nesting material was grass and weeds spun into an oval shape. I guessed the munk thought the food was so good it was a great place to move into and call home. Funny munky made me laugh so I drove this munk 20 minutes to the state forest and set it free. Later on, upon reflection I realized that the munk caught previously to the nest munk was an Alpha male chipmunk that peed and pooped all over the trap when I looked at it. Perhaps that smell gave the cage a homey feel?

Fourth, my PoD has started to kill mice. Does this mean that mice have moved in to replace the munks and that the population of munks is now very low?

Fifth. We have an unusually high amount of ticks this year that I have attributed to the overwhelmingly large number of chipmunks on our property. They are dog ticks luckily (no Lyme disease). We do not have a dog, cat or any other pets. Is this a common secondary problem of chipmunk infestation? I plan to spray permethrin to kill the ticks. My research indicates this will quickly slay our tick population. It seems to be relatively safe for adult (not young children) humans. I am concerned that I might have collateral kills in our bee population; it is also not good for cats but is ok for dogs. I highly advise one learn the risks of accidently killing other creatures with permethrin before using this very effective tick killing pesticide in your area.

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Comments (8)

ernie48
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks for your reply..In2Gardens...
As I said in my previous postings,I lived in this house for over 20 yrs. at peace with the animals but Homeland security comes first..I set up a board with waste sheetrock and a small hole but the squirrels are tearing the hole larger to get to the seeds..haven't checked the 3 traps yet for munks...got the idea from a previous posting but she/he used a wood board with hole too small for squirrel..will use up remainder of peanut butter and won't buy more because some of the most consistent and high count days[5 munks] had no p.b. in the trap area..will get back to all of you with future results..waiting for air pellet gun for squirrels..
ernie48
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Best kept secret is that the best pool of death for my use is NOT the 5 gallon but the 3 gallon ones that you buy in the .99cents stores to wash your cars with...I lean it against the retaining wall and fill it halfway with water,one cup of seeds and that's it!..No ramp/board/peanut butter...caught two today in about 6 hours of my being away from home...I think that the 5 gallon buckets are too intimidating for most munks..total catch since last week of May..[21] munks...stopped using 5 gallon buckets because this smaller one is so much more effective....
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I caught 6 squirrels in my hav-a-hart before they stopped coming. Fresh carrots worked to entice them. I have a garden in containers (peppers, tomatoes, new zealand spinach) that they were feasting on, I bought plastic mesh (1/2' size) and made 24' high mesh cylinders around each container. What I found was that is the mesh was holding itself up, ie no metal structure(I used tomato cages) inside it), then the squirrels wouldn't try to climb over it because the top rim of the cylinder wouldn't support their weight. But if there was a structure and it was sturdy, it was just a new form of exercise to them and they were over and in, in a flash. If your garden is in the ground, try fashioning plastic mesh around the plants, with as little support as possible. If it won't hold their weight, I don't think they'll try to climb it. Follow the link to a photo: http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a170/jbclem/MVC-013S.jpg jc Here is a link that might be useful:
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Here is my update. The piles of garlic, red pepper, commercial stuff were useless. Within a day the chipmunks dug a hole in the ground beside the new asphalt and started to dig under again. We got some wire and quickset cement and filled it in and an adjoining area of several inches. The next morning, it dug another hole and I put wire in pending getting more cement. At 1:00pm, there was no change. By 2:15, they had dug out two holes in the asphalt, from the top down! Not from the edge! By this time we had been to the hardware store several times to get the wire, the wirecutter, more cement, rocks, etc etc. We filled in those holes with wire and cement, cemented over a couple of feet over top of the asphalt, and once dry covered the area (cement/asphalt/grass) with a length of wire mesh battened down with rocks and whatever was handy. The chief chipmunk kept surveillance for an opportunity to renew the attack, often from under a car parked in the driveway. Last night our neighbour came by asking for a favour. He wanted to know if we had any cement left over - there was a hole in the lawn beside his driveway, poor guy. We always have had chipmunks, but in my area no one seems to have heard of such destructive behaviour. It seems to be a cause for bemusement and even disbelief. While I am sorry that others here have had such problems, it is also nice to have company;). There aren't any outdoor cats on the street, and there are lots of rules about trapping so a live trap seems to be the main option now.
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columbusgardener
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
dunked my first munk today - what a clever idea! I cannot leave peanut butter outside as it draws several other critters. So the BOD is perfect. While cute they have in just this short of time undermined my NEW retaining wall. My neighbor has them running up the gutter downspouts - I think she is senile.

thank you again so the "invention"
dorisl
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
yep, got two of the little buggers myself. great idear and Im even going to try the listerine as mosquito repellant.
phil43
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I Googled this site because I have what looks like thousands of chipmunks around my house. I couldn't believe what I read about the PoD, but I am desperate. I got my supplies and set up the new recreational site for my friends. Less than an hour later my wife said that the birds had eaten all the sunflower seeds. I went out to rebait, but it wasn't birds!!! I notched my first kill. Not to be particularly blood thirsty but what is the largest death toll recorded using the PoD?
ernie48
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
In about 4 weeks,I got 25...25 less to worry about them doing harm to my property
in2gardens
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
RAT ZAPPER CONTINUES TO WORK

Like many on this thread I too felt guilty about eliminating chipmunks ... but have become increasingly frustrated and desperate when the population exploded and over ran our property and garden areas. Destructive, brazen and invasive is ALL an understatement when I see what these cute little critters have become.

Granted the "pool of death" (the bucket) does work, but I found, at least for me, a cleaner, more convenient way to eliminate the munks ... the RatZapper ... no bucket to maintain/seed to replenish.

I bought my first "zapper" back in May and eliminated 21 munks in approximately 10 days. Since then I bought 2 more and now there are almost 50 critters that no longer make their home in the area around my foundation, sidewalks and retaining walls.

I place a little pile of sunflower seed at the back of the chamber and flip the switch. And location seems to be important. Under shrubs and near visible, active holes seems to be most effective.

While I feel I need to eliminate them I want to do it as humanely as possible, and since it is illegal to relocate them in the state of CT, the Hav-A-Heart trap presents the dilemma of having to "off them" yourself and watch them die. An animal control professional I spoke to (off the record) indicated that "electrocution" is the fastest, most humane and cleanest way to do what has to be done.

Interestingly, an Ohio State University critter/pest management site I visited indicated that 10 chipmunks or more per acre is considered an infestation population. I have caught almost five times that number in two areas, so I assume I am dealing with nature being way out of balance, at least as far as the chipmunk population.

If you're getting more and more desperate, try the Zapper, it has worked for me.
ernie48
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks,[in2gardens] for all of your past and hopefully, your future helpful inputs.I am a simple person and If I catch one monk for one small cup off seeds that are already paid for, then I am a happy camper,I almost don't care if the squirrels eat the rest of the seeds that are left but to my surprise,I once saw a full grown DOE eat the seeds from my bucket...Now I'm thinking up Venison recipes!

Effective chipmunk/ground squirrel control - CONTINUED

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ernie48

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