Each year I post a varmint report showing all of the animals
that I disposed of during the year. I’ve been doing this, since this forum started, so you can
search for the numbers for other years.
2020, has been a most unusual year in all aspects, including the activity of varmints in my orchard. It seems that varmints were not exempt from the lock downs that have plagued us all. I use 5 safeguard traps along with a scoped air rifle, which some SOB stole from my garage, during the night. Here goes.
Squirrels 20
Rabbits 3
Possums 5
As you can tell, varmint activity was WAY down over previous years.
I’m curious to hear, if others had the same level of inactivity.
That’s interesting! I had a mixed bag.
Seemed like way fewer rabbits, fewer groundhog sightings (though I usually have just one resident groundhog- if I trap and remove one, another will make himself at home in a few weeks)
On the other hand, I had raccoons for the first time. I trapped 2. One day i saw 3 at once on a raid of my maypops.
So, that was interesting but agree I think activity was down.
Bears, coyotes, hawks, eagles, bobcats, lynx, cougars…their multiplication with the help of you know who has reduced some wildlife. I did see 4 snakes in my orchard, one green and one black, fortunately no copperheads or I’d have looked for something to send him on to his reward.
i havent seen a single squirrel in 3 months. nary a fox either so cant blame it on them. i guess my culling of thier numbers over the years has finally taken its toll, as well as the crazy cat lady that has 10 ferals a few houses up. i guess theyre good for something. no voles in 4 yrs either.
1 squrrel
1 raccoon
1possum Released where caught for its good values are greater than it bad values
My best year yielded 21 Racoons, 21 Possums, 2 Squirrels, 1 ground hog, and a kitty cat that i released
possums to me are adorable little guys
kinda have to get past the tail and the smell but their faces and their waddle are adorable. Baby possums?
They have not really done any damage to my stuff, though I suspect them of digging around my trees for grubs.
I put up chicken wire and it keeps them at bay.
However, once my pawpaw trees start producing, they would probably be an issue. I already have electric fencing ready to go.
Rabbits were prolific here this year. All the other usual critters had healthy populations. The only decrease was turkeys. I don’t bother trapping or shooting (although I do make an occasional exception) because I don’t think I could ever make a dent in the population.
i guess theyre good for something. no voles in 4 yrs either.