Andy writes:

Well, I live way out in the sticks by a lake, and just started
gardening this year. Things were going well till last week
when I noticed that some critter had picked a couple cucumbers,
dragged them about 20 feet, and started eating them out....
It had to be a critter that was big enough to do this, climb OVER
a chain link fence, and was bold enough to approach the house...
That ruled out deer, pigs, birds, and field mice.... Since we have
a LOT of squirrels around, they became the primary suspect.

Using my pellet rifle , I shot one and built a little gallows in my
garden, and hung his furry little carcass from it ---- putting it
on display..... It seems to have worked since I am not missing
any tomatoes, cucumbers, or cantalope any more,......

Perhaps the faint hearted could take advantage of this by
using their wife's fox stole or something.... I have plenty of
squirrels to shoot, but others may feel sqeamish about shooting
tree rats... Anyway, I wanted to share this...... it seems to
work....

Andy in Eureka, Texas

Years ago I did the same thing when crows were pulling up my corn shoots.
Best scarecrow I ever had.
Steve
"AndyS" wrote in message
oups.com...
Andy writes:

Well, I live way out in the sticks by a lake, and just started
gardening this year. Things were going well till last week
when I noticed that some critter had picked a couple cucumbers,
dragged them about 20 feet, and started eating them out....
It had to be a critter that was big enough to do this, climb OVER
a chain link fence, and was bold enough to approach the house...
That ruled out deer, pigs, birds, and field mice.... Since we have
a LOT of squirrels around, they became the primary suspect.

Using my pellet rifle , I shot one and built a little gallows in my
garden, and hung his furry little carcass from it ---- putting it
on display..... It seems to have worked since I am not missing
any tomatoes, cucumbers, or cantalope any more,......

Perhaps the faint hearted could take advantage of this by
using their wife's fox stole or something.... I have plenty of
squirrels to shoot, but others may feel sqeamish about shooting
tree rats... Anyway, I wanted to share this...... it seems to
work....

Andy in Eureka, Texas

In article .com,
"AndyS" wrote:

Andy writes:

Well, I live way out in the sticks by a lake, and just started
gardening this year. Things were going well till last week
when I noticed that some critter had picked a couple cucumbers,
dragged them about 20 feet, and started eating them out....
It had to be a critter that was big enough to do this, climb OVER
a chain link fence, and was bold enough to approach the house...
That ruled out deer, pigs, birds, and field mice.... Since we have
a LOT of squirrels around, they became the primary suspect.

Using my pellet rifle , I shot one and built a little gallows in my
garden, and hung his furry little carcass from it ---- putting it
on display..... It seems to have worked since I am not missing
any tomatoes, cucumbers, or cantalope any more,......

Perhaps the faint hearted could take advantage of this by
using their wife's fox stole or something.... I have plenty of
squirrels to shoot, but others may feel sqeamish about shooting
tree rats... Anyway, I wanted to share this...... it seems to
work....

Andy in Eureka, Texas

I've shot tree rats... but I eat them.
Tree squirrel is delicious.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote: I've shot tree rats... but I eat them.
Tree squirrel is delicious.
--
Peace!
Om


Andy comments:

Yeah, but I got tired of skinning them... I had to do it all when the

wife went to town shopping......
I found the meat fairly tough, and not as good as chicken, so I
figure it's not worth the trouble for me....

They are fun to watch as they go about THEIR business. It's when
they go about MY business that I lose patience....If killing one or
two a year is what it takes to keep , literally , dozens, away from the

garden, then it is a small price to pay....

I just want them to be afraid to go in my garden... it seems to
work...

Andy in Eureka, Texas

In article . com,
"AndyS" wrote:

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote: I've shot tree rats... but I eat them.
Tree squirrel is delicious.
--
Peace!
Om


Andy comments:

Yeah, but I got tired of skinning them... I had to do it all when the

wife went to town shopping......
I found the meat fairly tough, and not as good as chicken, so I
figure it's not worth the trouble for me....

Really? I'm surprised...

As I was advised, I wetted them before skinning them to prevent fur
shedding on the meat. I then gutted and quartered them with a pair of
poultry shears. I cooked them hot and fast in a bit of butter and olive
oil with some lemon pepper, and found the meat to be surprisingly tender
and succulent, so much so that I now go after them whenever I can. ;-)
They have learned this so are now harder to hunt......

How did you cook them?


They are fun to watch as they go about THEIR business.

I used to think so too. I used to get mad at folks that shot them, until
they started chewing holes in my siding, and getting generally
destructive and costly!


It's when
they go about MY business that I lose patience....If killing one or
two a year is what it takes to keep , literally , dozens, away from the

garden, then it is a small price to pay....

I just want them to be afraid to go in my garden... it seems to
work...

Andy in Eureka, Texas

so do hotwires if you really don't want to kill them......
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
As I was advised, I wetted them before skinning them to prevent fur
shedding on the meat. I then gutted and quartered them with a pair of
poultry shears. I cooked them hot and fast in a bit of butter and olive
oil with some lemon pepper, and found the meat to be surprisingly tender
and succulent, so much so that I now go after them whenever I can. ;-)
They have learned this so are now harder to hunt......

How did you cook them?


**** The last one I skinned with a pocket knife. That was a bad
choice.
It can be done, but it takes a while and makes a mess.....
I didn't know how to cook it, so I rolled it in corn meal and baked
it..
That was probably my problem.... I have since looked up recipes
on the internet, and may try again someday.....
After a little research, I learned that they carry the same tularemia
(sp?)
disease as rabbits, aka rabbit fever..... I should have worn rubber
gloves.....
Anyway, if I took all the "reccommended" precautions in cleaning them,
it would be more trouble than it is worth.....



They are fun to watch as they go about THEIR business.

I used to think so too. I used to get mad at folks that shot them, until
they started chewing holes in my siding, and getting generally
destructive and costly!


****** Yeah.. One of the little *******s go into the engine compartment
of
my motorhome and chewed up a LOT of the wires and vacuum hoses.
It took me a whole afternoon to fix the mess, and I acquainted the
neighborhood with the color and diversity of the English language in
the process....... I think that most of the homes with small children
had
"For Sale" signs in their yard the next day .. :)))))))




so do hotwires if you really don't want to kill them......
g --


***** Tell me what you mean here ... Are you talking about an electric
fence ? If so, what have you tried and how well did it work......

Andy in Eureka, Texas

In article .com,
"AndyS" wrote:


**** The last one I skinned with a pocket knife. That was a bad
choice.
It can be done, but it takes a while and makes a mess.....

lol I use a small fillet' knife, but that's my choice if skinning
blades, even for deer.

I didn't know how to cook it, so I rolled it in corn meal and baked
it..
That was probably my problem.... I have since looked up recipes
on the internet, and may try again someday.....
After a little research, I learned that they carry the same tularemia
(sp?)
disease as rabbits, aka rabbit fever..... I should have worn rubber
gloves.....

Watch for pustules. If you find them, discard the meat. Also check the
condition of the liver. Dad taught me that at an early age. :-) Healthy
liver usually = healthy critter but still look for other signs.

Anyway, if I took all the "reccommended" precautions in cleaning them,
it would be more trouble than it is worth.....

I never bothered. So far, the ones around here have been very healthy.
Eating wild meat, hell, even eating processed meat, always incurs some
risk. Just cook until done.



They are fun to watch as they go about THEIR business.

I used to think so too. I used to get mad at folks that shot them, until
they started chewing holes in my siding, and getting generally
destructive and costly!


****** Yeah.. One of the little *******s go into the engine compartment
of
my motorhome and chewed up a LOT of the wires and vacuum hoses.
It took me a whole afternoon to fix the mess, and I acquainted the
neighborhood with the color and diversity of the English language in
the process.......

grins The ol' "100 cuss word job" eh?
My dad applies that to plumbing work! lol
I think the cursing helps with stress control.


I think that most of the homes with small children
had
"For Sale" signs in their yard the next day .. :)))))))

Heck, they shoulda paid you for the education! lol






so do hotwires if you really don't want to kill them......
g --


***** Tell me what you mean here ... Are you talking about an electric
fence ? If so, what have you tried and how well did it work......

Andy in Eureka, Texas
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

On Tue, 04 Jul 2006 15:20:24 GMT, "Steve Peek" wrote:

Years ago I did the same thing when crows were pulling up my corn shoots.
Best scarecrow I ever had.
Steve

I made a scarecrow out of AOL disks once. It worked well on everything
but college students. It vanished one night during a keg party next
door.


Penelope
--
"Maybe you'd like to ask the Wizard for a heart."
"ElissaAnn"

In article ,
Penelope Periwinkle wrote:

On Tue, 04 Jul 2006 15:20:24 GMT, "Steve Peek" wrote:

Years ago I did the same thing when crows were pulling up my corn shoots.
Best scarecrow I ever had.
Steve

I made a scarecrow out of AOL disks once. It worked well on everything
but college students. It vanished one night during a keg party next
door.


Penelope

Want more? ;-)
I get at least a dozen a year......
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson