Folks:
We live in a semi-rural area in California's Central Coast wine country. I have a very large, beautifully landscaped, park-like back yard. It's pretty enough that my oldest son got married in that yard, along with 125 people in attendance for a massive outdoor BBQ and sit down dinner. It really is a gorgeous space. Besides doing 100% of the landscaping myself, it takes me a day and a half per week just to keep it looking perfect.
This past summer we were invaded by ground squirrels. They are truly destructive! Out of desperation I resorted to poisoning their underground holes with strychnine (this is a legitimate and legal method). Although I achieved partial success, my biggest fear was accidentally killing the many hawks and falcons that live in the immediate area.
I am now considering trapping them. The question is, what do I do with them after I've trapped them? I considered moving them to an out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere location, but have been told this is both illegal and it poses a health risk for me (fleas). I called a pest control guy and he said to have a water filled garbage can handy and drop the trap in there and drown them. I hate that thought. The place I bought the traps from, I asked the nice woman who sold them to me - she said she caught 15 of them one time in her large trap. She left the trap out in the sun and let them die of heat stroke. I hate that thought even more. I'm not convinced of life after death and the possible consequences, but that is seriously bad karma.
I've considered sitting out in the yard with my 22 rifle, but having tried that a few times and come up empty handed, it's a big waste of time. I've thought about shooting them in the cage, but that doesn't sound like a viable solution either.
My biggest problem is, I love animals.
Ideas?
Scott
We live in a semi-rural area in California's Central Coast wine country. I have a very large, beautifully landscaped, park-like back yard. It's pretty enough that my oldest son got married in that yard, along with 125 people in attendance for a massive outdoor BBQ and sit down dinner. It really is a gorgeous space. Besides doing 100% of the landscaping myself, it takes me a day and a half per week just to keep it looking perfect.
This past summer we were invaded by ground squirrels. They are truly destructive! Out of desperation I resorted to poisoning their underground holes with strychnine (this is a legitimate and legal method). Although I achieved partial success, my biggest fear was accidentally killing the many hawks and falcons that live in the immediate area.
I am now considering trapping them. The question is, what do I do with them after I've trapped them? I considered moving them to an out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere location, but have been told this is both illegal and it poses a health risk for me (fleas). I called a pest control guy and he said to have a water filled garbage can handy and drop the trap in there and drown them. I hate that thought. The place I bought the traps from, I asked the nice woman who sold them to me - she said she caught 15 of them one time in her large trap. She left the trap out in the sun and let them die of heat stroke. I hate that thought even more. I'm not convinced of life after death and the possible consequences, but that is seriously bad karma.
I've considered sitting out in the yard with my 22 rifle, but having tried that a few times and come up empty handed, it's a big waste of time. I've thought about shooting them in the cage, but that doesn't sound like a viable solution either.
My biggest problem is, I love animals.
Ideas?
Scott