Although I like the .22 idea, it won't work in my neighborhood. These pests are ruining my pumpkin carvings. If anyone has a suggestion please let me know... Thanks,

Deb from PA

-- Deb Pelka (dpelka@yahoo.com), October 02, 2001

Answers

The .22 idea might work if you use CB caps or BB caps, which are very low powered .22s. If even that won't work, e-mail direct and I'll give you info on a .22 caliber bullet that has no gunpowder, just the primer, and is almost noiseless. However, a good .177/BB air rifle isn't out of the question either. Don't get me wrong - I like squirrels (even uncooked), but when they attacked my very first English Walnut crop, they crossed the line. My little Daisy with a .177 pellet (albeit at only about 20 feet) put some tasty squirrel in the freezer. GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), October 02, 2001.

I had some chipmuncks chowing down on some yellow flowers that I had planted in the flower bed. I took a spray bottle with 50/50 vinegar/water and sprayed it on the flowers, that stopped them from munching...until the next rain, anyway. By this time of year that solution shouldn't hurt the pumpkins. You didn't say how big a patch you have, so I'm hoping it's not a whole field, that would take a power washer and a lot of vinegar! ;-)

-Chelsea

-- Chelsea (rmbehr@istar.ca), October 02, 2001.

Use a live trap and sunflower seeds for bait. I have a friend that didn't have any squirrles and I have a bunch so I caught a few and took them up there. It works.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), October 02, 2001.

A rat trap mounted upside down on a board or rail baited with peanut butter, I've heard it works, haven't tried it.

-- Susan (smtroxel@socket.net), October 02, 2001.

Go to www.n.a.d.r.p.com they have a product you can spray on anything to keep them from being eaten. It's non toxic, uses EPA approved products, it just tastes horrible and the animals will leave it alone.

-- paul (Treewizard@buffalo.com), October 02, 2001.

They are also unhappy with hot pepper sprays.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), October 03, 2001.

Put a handfull of mothballs inside each pumpkin, works great and is cheap!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), October 03, 2001.

Put the pumpkins on the inside of your windows instead of the outside. It teases the squirrels terribly but all they can do is peer longingly through the glass.

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), October 03, 2001.