Suburban squirrel “hunting”

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  • ted76

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 20, 2013
    3,151
    Frederick
    When I was living in Frederick City 10 years ago, the squirrels were ruining every tomato on my vines while they were still green. I bought a Have a Heart style trap and used peanuts for bait. I would catch a squirrel at least every other day and take them out to the country and let them loose. If you don't have a pickup, you need to have a cardboard box large enough to put the trap in, so that the sides and bottom are covered, because the male squirrels will spray in every direction except up in my experience. I know that it is illegal to trap without a license and to transport trapped animals off the property that they were trapped on, but sometimes you got to do what you have to.

    :innocent0
     

    melikou1

    Member
    Aug 31, 2017
    43
    The 'Dena, MD
    Just build a suitable backstop, place feed in front of the backstop, hunt only the squirrels in front of the backstop. Easy-peasy and within the law.

    Exactly what I do...put a cinder block right in front of a big oak and put a little deer corn on it. Plus, I'm shooting from my deck, so I'm shooting down into the ground if they are right in front of the block.

    When I get them, just take them further in the back where the fox appreciate them. My backyard trail cam is about 50 feet from a fox den, so I have laid the squirrel out in front of the camera. They usually grab the dead squirrel within an hour or two of putting them out. Nothing goes to waste in the woods...
     

    noahhh

    Active Member
    Jan 28, 2009
    254
    Arnold,Md
    Twice we had squirrels chew through flexible gas lines on cars (which makes for an exciting moment at a red light when others see the rapidly spreading puddles). I declared war on the buggers with a long barreled .22 target rifle shooting CB shorts and longs- quieter than my RWS spring piston pellet rifle. The neighbors never suspected a thing until I slipped up at a backyard BBQ whereupon I was enjoined to snipe in a couple more backyards. Funny how animal hugger's tunes change when outright damage is incurred. (Note: ours is an old semi-suburban neighborhood of just a half dozen houses cloaked in mature shade trees, with distances between houses of 100+ yards.)

    Fox food? Not on your life! Into the pot they go. Brunswick Stew is why god put squirrels in our backyards!
     

    HoCoShooter

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 25, 2009
    3,517
    Howard County
    Here's my squirrel solution. They catch 'em and usually half bury them. Hawks or foxes take them away same day, every time.


    2946weo.jpg
     

    JRussell87

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Nov 9, 2018
    72
    Hey look at me I'm a Newbie that actually uses the search function instead of making repeat posts.

    Sucks I'm in AACO anyone know if a guilty charge will have any effect at all on my gun rights? Neighbors are cool but Just in the off chance
     

    Clark W. Griswold

    Active Member
    Oct 5, 2009
    929
    Hey look at me I'm a Newbie that actually uses the search function instead of making repeat posts.

    Sucks I'm in AACO anyone know if a guilty charge will have any effect at all on my gun rights? Neighbors are cool but Just in the off chance

    Hunting within the safety zone of an occupied structure without permission carries no potential jail time, only a fine.

    Not familiar with firearms discharge laws in AA County, but if the safety zone is an issue you’d be in better shape to talk to your neighbors ahead of time rather than risk being charged.

    IANAL
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,680
    Hunting within the safety zone of an occupied structure without permission carries no potential jail time, only a fine.

    Not familiar with firearms discharge laws in AA County, but if the safety zone is an issue you’d be in better shape to talk to your neighbors ahead of time rather than risk being charged.

    IANAL

    Find out AA ordinances. That could be a criminal penalty.

    Statewise, it is a civil fine.

    Also a good chance you will lose your hunting license. Which then can be a criminal penalty if you get caught hunting without a license subsequent IIRC. Also it can be a rather large fine. Don’t quote me, but I think it can range up to $1000, someone with better knowledge would need to chime in on that.

    Safety zone is 150yds for BB/Airguns. They are treated as rifles under the DNR regs. So even if you’ve got a 50yd safety zone for archery in your county, a BB is 150yds if you end up hunting with it.

    Your chances of getting convicted and the maximum penalty assessed is going to likely depend heavily on how much mens rea prosecutor can show (guilty mind).

    You get caught hunting in a safety zone with an occupied house 140yds away behind a steep hill where it is both behind 140yds of hill and you can’t see it and your trail didn’t pass by the house...hell, DNR officer would probably tell you that you need to scoot over a few few.

    Shooting squirrels with an AR off your fence 20yds from a neighbors house, book thrown (and they will probably find a jailable or imprisoning offense to charge you with too).
     

    Jimbob2.0

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 20, 2008
    16,600
    Don't know about your neck of the woods, but here in MoCo, discharging even a pellet gun is considered no different than using a .22 - so, naughty, here.

    Our tactic is to feed them so much that they die on the spot of little squirrel heart attacks, or become so fat and slow that the foxes and hawks get them like eating at a buffet.

    Correct you cant event plink them with an air pistol. Your only option (as far as my own non-legal mind gets) is to use a blowgun. Even then the squirrel zombies will overtake you in less than 4 hours.

    Zombie+squirrel.jpg
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,680
    Howard county I think you could technically use a sling shot. A blow gun I think would be considered the same as a firearm. Oh, also a nerf gun is considered a firearm under the fing stupid ordinance for safety zones (projectile propelled by air).

    Figure that one out. I think the only things that don’t are projectiles propelled by mechanical energy (IE bows, crossbows and sling shots). But would fall under the state 150yd safety zone if hunting, because HoCo isn’t one of the many counties with reduced safety zones for bow hunting.

    If HoCo reduces the safety zones for bow hunting this session I know what I am getting to take care of the squirrels on my property.
     

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    POP57

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 5, 2016
    2,771
    Delaware
    I wonder if this is still on the books in Maryland...

    In October 1728 -- An Act to encourage the destroying of Wolves, Crows, and Squirrels was passed:

    Be it Enacted, by the Right Honourable the Lord Proprietary, by and with the Advice and Consent of his Lordship's Governour, and the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly, and the Authority of the same, That from and after the Commencement of this Act, every Master, Mistress, Owner of a Family, or single Taxable, in the several and respective Counties within this Province, shall be, and are by this Act obliged, Yearly, (at some Time before the Laying their County Levies,) to produce to some one of the Justices of their County, three Squirrel Scalps or Crows Heads, for every Taxable Person they shall pay Levy for, that Year ; and the Justice of the Peace, before whom such Squirrels Scalps or Crows Heads shall be brought, shall be, and is hereby obliged to destroy such Squirrels Scalps and Crows Heads, as shall be so produced to him, to prevent their being produced a second Time ; and give such Person a Certificate under his Hand, certifying the Number of Squirrels Scalps and Crows Heads, such Person brought before him ; which Certificate, the Person obtaining the same, shall lay before the Justices of their County, at the Time of the Laying their County Levy ; and the Justices shall then cause a List of the Taxables of their County, to be laid before them, in order from thence to compare the Number of Taxables each Person pays in the County, with the Certificates produced, that thereby it may be found, what Persons have complyed with this Act, and who have failed therein.

    II. And be it further Enacted by the Authority, Advice, and Consent aforesaid, That every Person that shall fall short of produceing a Certificate of Squirrels Scalps or Crows Heads, in proportion to their Taxables, according to the Directions of this Act, the Justices of the several and respective County Courts within this Province, at the Time of laying the County Levy, are hereby impowered and required, for each Squirrel Scalp or Crows Head, such Person shall fall short, in manner aforesaid, to Levy upon such Person, the Sum of Two Pounds of Tobacco ; to be upon Execution, and Collected by the Sheriff of the County, in the same Manner as the Publick and County Levies, are to be applyed, toward defraying the County Charge.

    III. And be it further Enacted by the Authority, Advice and Consent aforesaid, That every Person that shall bring to any Justice of the Peace within this Province, the Heads or Scalps of any more Squirrels or Crows, than the Three for each Taxable, by this Act required, shall for every such Head or Scalp, be allowed in the County Levy, where such Squirrel or Crow was killed, the Sum of Two Pounds of Tobacco ; and the Justice of the Peace before whom such Heads or Scalps shall be brought, is hereby required to give the Person bringing the same, a Certificate thereof ; and cause the said Heads and Scalps to be burnt, or otherwise destroyed. Provided always, That no Person whatsoever, shall be entitled to any Allowance for any Squirrels or Crows Heads or Scalps, without first making Oath (or Affirmation if a Quaker,) or otherwise make appear, that such Squirrels or Crows were killed after the Commencement of this Act, and in the County where the Allowance is prayed.

    IV. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority, Advice and Consent aforesaid, That the Sum of Two Hundred Pounds of Tobacco, shall be allowed to every Person that shall bring a Wolf's Head to any Justice of the Peace, in that County-Levy where the Wolf was Killed : And the Justice of the Peace before whom any Wolf's Head is brought, shall cause the Tongue thereof to be cut out, and Ears to be cropt, that it may not be presented again : And the several County-Courts within this Province, are hereby required and impowered to levy the several Sums of Tobacco, by this Act to be allowed, in their County Levies, upon their several and respective Counties.

    V. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority, Advice, and Consent aforesaid, That from and after the Commencement of this Act, it shall not be lawful for any Justice or Justices of the Peace, within any of the several Counties within this Province, to whom any Wolves Heads, other than those killed by an Indian, shall be brought, and Application made, by any Person or Persons whatsoever, for a Certificate thereof, to entitle him or them to the Allowance in this Act, mentioned in the County Levy, unless he or they do first declare upon their Corporal Oath, to be administred by such Justice or Justices so applied to, (or Affirmation by the People called Quakers,) That such Wolf or Wolves, whereof those are the Heads, were actually killed in that County, where they pray for such Allowance ; and further, that no Certificate (in order to be allowed in any the several Counties within this Province,) shall be given by any the Justices aforesaid, for any Wolves Head or Heads, that shall be brought before them, by any Indian, or that has been bought of any Indian, by any Person whatsoever, unless such Wolves Head or Heads be brought before such Justice or Justices, whole and entire, and that they appear to such Justice to be green, and fresh killed.

    VI. And be it further Enacted by the Authority, Advice, and Consent aforesaid, That this Act, shall commence from the Fifteenth Day of December next after the End of this Session of Assembly ; and that thenceforth all Laws heretofore made, in Relation to Wolves, Squirrels, and Crows ; be and are hereby repealed, abrogated, and made null and void.
     

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