Short of building cages around everything ...

Squirrels are territorial and populate an area for a given year. That is, if you get rid of them at the beginning of the year, more won't populate the area until the next year. So it's not quite like bailing an ocean.

That being said, how do you get rid of them? Many urban locales, like mine, do not permit killing of squirrels. You may choose to obey or not to obey such a rule.

I do trapping and releasing. Have been doing so successfully for a decade. Havahart medium traps work pretty well. Release at least a mile or two away. I do about a dozen a year. Big job, but it saves my crops. For me, that's a March-April job. Depends on your climate. There are often city statutes about where you are allowed to release. Peanut butter is a fabulous bait.

Many suggest smells to offend and noises to scare the squirrels. Let me tell you, urban squirrels are immune to those. They don't work at all. These city-smart squirrels are used to living among humans. They don't get scared or offended easily.

Other fruits and veggies? Leafy greens don't get touched. Anything juicy is a squirrel attractant.

You can't trap and release here legally (if they see you, LOL). Yes, peanut butter is a great bait.

I would love something like this.

http://naturallysavvy.com/nest/how-to-build-a-squirrel-proof-enclosure-for-your-vegetable-garden

There are a lot more ideas.

https://www.google.com/search?q=vegetable+garden+screen+enclosure&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiuyPH0purcAhVlUt8KHZvPAVEQ1QII8wEoAg&biw=1920&bih=943

Yes, I've heard about that. Pay attention to local code. I've looked at our city code pretty carefully, and can't find anything about trapping, except that traps can't injure the animal. (Mice and rats are explicitly excluded from this protection.) You cannot release on private property without permission. Squirrels are considered "cute" by many, and are protected. I consider them to be basically tree rats.

Dan, I know we've had this discussion before - can you provide a link to something that says killing squirrels is against the law in your area?

From my city code. Squirrels are "wild animals". This is city law. If you're outside of the city, you can slaughter them indiscriminately.

HUNTING AND TRAPPING WILD ANIMALS.

(A) Except as provided in Subsection (B), a person may not:

(1) knowingly shoot, kill, or hunt a wild animal; or

(2) use a steel-jawed spring trap or any other type of trap that could injure a trapped animal or person.

(B) Subsection (A) does not prohibit the use of conventional mouse traps to catch mice and rats.

Can't speak for Dan except I believe he is referring to certain types of kill/injury trap killing. As long as one abides by the state and local ordinances for hunting seasons and/or trapping, fine. But most states, AR and CT included, have specific "fur bearing" seasons and regulations as well as prohibited trapping laws. For instance CT prohibits the use of any traps with serrated teeth.

http://www.eregulations.com/connecticut/hunting/trapping-seasons-regulations/#

Even in AR we have squirrel hunting seasons and no-kill/injure trapping restrictions and our regs are more lax than many other states..

Of course if you live out in the boonies in your state where firearm regulations aren't enforced and don't care if someone calls the game warden then I guess one can do as they please.

Dave

Note that Texas state regulations are looser ...

NUISANCE FUR-BEARING ANIMALS
Landowners or their agents may take nuisance fur-bearing animals in any number by any means at any time on that person's land without the need for a hunting or trapping license.

So the sheriff won't come after you, but the city police will.

I thought Dan was referring to hunting within city limits.

In CT the use of firearms within 500 ft of a dwelling is prohibited. So a Farmer told me what he does is dunk his critters havahart and all in a garbage can full of water.

IMO shooting and killing are different things.

Aww good Dan beat me too it.

Dave

Dave, the only reference I saw to squirrels was that they are less likely to get rabies. I never considered squirrels to be fur bearing or that there was a season for them, in CT anyway.

In my yard there may be 15 squirrels one day and none the next week which leads me to believe they do move around. And if I had to transport a dozen each year I would say they are moving.

Quite honestly never heard of any place where killing a squirrel was illegal and still have not seen a link to what Dan posted.

We see squirrels dead in the road every day around here so they are quite abundant and I have to agree that building that enclosure Sherry linked to is going to be the best way to keep squirrels from foraging in any garden.

http://naturallysavvy.com/nest/how-to-build-a-squirrel-proof-enclosure-for-your-vegetable-garden

Gosh, you don't trust me? I've heard of other places with similar regs.

https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT3ANRE_CH3-2REAN_ART1GERE_S3-2-4HUTRWIAN

"LOVE the neighbors’ cats." Me too!!

gumby - just because you don't consider them "fur bearing" doesn't mean the state agrees. Just Google the state regs. You do have squirrel hunting seasons in CT as well as firearms restrictions on them and daily limits.

Jan. 1 – Feb. 28 and Sept. 1 – Dec. 31

Connecticut Small-game-hunting regs

Dave

I like the idea of getting cats to police your beds. Not completely clear how to incentivize them to stay there, however. Maybe having more squirrels!

I never said there wasn't a hunting season. My challenge was simply to this statement <Many urban locales, like mine, do not permit killing of squirrels.>

As if squirrels are some protected species in Austin, Tx.

Which as of this writing no one has linked to anything which clearly states that killing of squirrels is illegal or not permitted for any reason. Although, Many people consider relocating animals a death sentence for them.

Please don't misunderstand or twist my words - I am not advocating random killing any animals for any reason - after all we are gardening in their living space.

I am only pointing out that statements like <Many urban locales, like mine, do not permit killing of squirrels.> are broad, misleading, and easily misunderstood.

If it is true then Austin, TX is a paradise and safe haven for squirrels.

Gumby, you need to read the link. It very clearly states that you cannot kill ANY wild animal.

- HUNTING AND TRAPPING WILD ANIMALS.

SHARE LINK TO SECTIONPRINT SECTIONDOWNLOAD (DOCX) OF SECTIONSEMAIL SECTIONCOMPARE VERSIONS

(A)

Except as provided in Subsection (B), a person may not:

(1)

knowingly shoot, kill, or hunt a wild animal;

ETA: this is from the post and link above.

Alabama lets us trap ONE nuisance animal. If you want to trap more than one, you must get a permit. It cannot be relocated, legally. Since we are in a city limit, we cannot discharge a firearm legally. If you are where you can hunt, you can shoot squirrels DURING HUNTING SEASON.

That is why there are plenty of businesses for removal of nuisance animals. They are killed after trapping.

The words say explicitly that you can't kill a wild animal (except mice and rats). Period. I know that it is also illegal to kill wild animals in San Francisco, and you're not even allowed to trap them there. I believe there are many other locales with this kind of regulation, but I'm not going to research it for you. That's my understanding, and my words should not be "broad, misleading, or easily misunderstood". Obviously, if you're in an urban area, and want to kill squirrels, I humbly suggest that you just look into your local codes before your do.

Yep, I'm saying that there are safe havens for squirrels.

The legalities of what you can or can't do with regards to trapping or killing of squirrels will differ from state to state as well as by municipality. In WA state, the 4 native squirrel species are protected - you can trap and relocate but you cannot kill. And you need a permit for catch and release anywhere other than on the property they were trapped. The 3 non-native species can be hunted (hunting license required and firearms laws followed) or trapped and either killed or relocated (again, permit required).

How closely these rules are followed or adhered to and how well one identifies one of the 7 common local species is up for a good deal of speculation, however.

I have to say that the definition of "wild animal" may be argued about. Urban squirrels are not quite "wild" in that they share your yards and some of your food (which is the problem). But I guess killing non-wild animals is frowned upon as well. Are cockroaches "wild animals"? Are SVBs "wild animals"? Did you know that insects are in the kingdom "Animalia"? Put down that pesticide! We need some legal action here!

My problem is I try to never assume
anything. Say what you mean and mean what you say.

Even if you were to assume that the great state of Texas would
classify a squirrel as a wild animal - somewhere surely they documented what is classified as a "Wild Animal" right? - If so, then how can you say this ....

<daninthedirt(Cent TX; HZ10, Sunset z30, USDA z8a)

Note that Texas state regulations are looser ...

NUISANCE FUR-BEARING ANIMALS
Landowners or their agents may take
nuisance fur-bearing animals in any number by any means at any time on
that person's land without the need for a hunting or trapping license.>

Dave thinks squirrels are fur bearing, right?

Or this .... < I consider them to be basically tree rats.>

then this <(B) Subsection (A) does not prohibit the use of conventional mouse traps to catch mice and rats.>

Certainly a rat trap will kill a squirrel.

Finally,
can you point to any evidence that anyone has ever been prosecuted for a
violation of this ordinance? Do the party people on 6th Street shoot
at a foraging squirrel?

Can you have it both ways?

Oh for goodness sake. Please chill.

As to whether anyone has been prosecuted for violating this ordinance, who cares? It's the law. You can decide to obey the law, or you can spit at it. Your choice. Best of luck to you.

@david_fitzpatrick83 is getting a dog (or cat as suggested) out of the question?

I have a colony (or two) of feral cats here. Not sure they do much for
squirrels here esp, since they only come out at night but seem to help with chipmunks which can also be a pest.

< As to whether anyone has been prosecuted for violating this ordinance, who cares? >

ALL this time I thought you did. < It's the law. >

New Jersey, with its confusing rules on the matter, has the provision that "farmers or fruit growers" can shoot or capture "gray squirrels, rabbits or hares" damaging their crop on their property. As long as you get a license from... someone? And take your trapped animal to the county for any further action.

Question: am I a farmer or fruit grower simply because I grow vegetables on my property?

You all are confusing "trapping"...done by money making people, with killing a nuisance animal. Every single county that I know of has a provision to trap and/or kill an animal that interferes with their livestock or vegetables...that goes for small vegetable plots as well as big farms. Read your regs, people.

fwiw - Maine farmers say legions of squirrels devouring pumpkins, apples

Trick or Treat

fwiw2 -"They're raising some hell this year. It's the worst I've ever seen," said Robert Randall, a Standish orchard owner.

Get a fence with electric shock wires along the bottom where the animals contact the fence.

Or, shop at the local farmers market.

If it's not squirrels, it's mice, voles, moles, rats, insects, rabbits, groundhogs, chipmunks, deer, birds, bacteria, mold, fungi, slugs. Gardening is pest patrol. Arm yourself. Guns, traps, sprays, electric wires, fences, cages, repellents. It can make you stressed out crazy.