Chipmunks

[JGalt]

I hate the little bastards. Three years ago they gnawed off the tops of every turnip we had in the garden. There's about 20 of them right outside the living room window, where my wife has bird feeders. I don't mind the squirrels out there, I can always eat those if I get hungry. But chipmunks are about as worthless as mice, and they even carry the same diseases.

So I loaded up some .38 caliber shotshells for the Colt Cobra I usually carry when I out in the yard. 4.1 grains of Unique powder followed by a wad made out of card stock. I have some steel punch wad cutters and a mallet, and they make nice round cardboard wads. 88 grains of #7-1/2 shot, which is how much that can be measured out with an empty 9mm case. Two more wads over the shot, then sealed with fingernail polish.

The finished product:

I tested them on a piece of 8-3/4" by 7-1/2" paper, at a range of 20 feet:

 

[deannalw]

But they're so cuuuuute!

You... you cute killer!

 

[toobfreak]

I hate the little bastards. Three years ago they gnawed off the tops of every turnip we had in the garden. There's about 20 of them right outside the living room window, where my wife has bird feeders.

Poor little chipmunks! BLAM! Sounds like you need to install some rodent fence around your garden or spray your vulnerable veggies with some cayenne spray, because as long as you provide them a source of food, new ones will still just keep coming.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

Sweet!

I think my garden is vulnerable to rabbits and I want to do some bunny plinking. I've got a neighbor who uses his pellet gun on them.

 

[toobfreak]

But they're so cuuuuute! You... you cute killer!

 

[JGalt]

Sweet!

I think my garden is vulnerable to rabbits and I want to do some bunny plinking. I've got a neighbor who uses his pellet gun on them.

I've popped three rabbits around the garden so far this year, with the .22 rifle. Haven't seen any since then.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

Poor little chipmunks! BLAM! Sounds like you need to install some rodent fence around your garden or spray your vulnerable veggies with some cayenne spray, because as long as you provide them a source of food, new ones will still just keep coming.

Have tried black pepper as well as cayenne. No help.

But that was in Washington. Maybe it will be different here in SD.

 

[toobfreak]

I think my garden is vulnerable to rabbits

Chicken wire will stop them.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

I've popped three rabbits around the garden so far this year, with the .22 rifle. Haven't seen any since then.

Did they end up in the freezer?

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

Chicken wire will stop them.

I think I will try that. I have cedar fence that goes down to the dirt on three sides and the neighbor's fence is chain link. I don't think they can object if I put up chicken wire on my side.

 

[JGalt]

Poor little chipmunks! BLAM! Sounds like you need to install some rodent fence around your garden or spray your vulnerable veggies with some cayenne spray, because as long as you provide them a source of food, new ones will still just keep coming.

I did run some chicken wire around the kohlrabi, celery, some of the tomato plants, and peppers. It's done a pretty good job of keeping the deer away from them.

And of course, there's this stuff I bought: It's like a poisonous smoke bomb for moles and chipmunks. Probably stuff a couple down the holes this afternoon...

 

[JGalt]

Did they end up in the freezer?

Nope, the dogs ate them. I'll only eat rabbit in any month that has an "R" in it. Otherwise they're ate up with ticks, fleas, and parasites.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

Nope, the dogs ate them. I'll only eat rabbit in any month that has an "R" in it. Otherwise they're ate up with ticks, fleas, and parasites.

Good for the pooches!

 

[Concerned American]

88 grains of #7-1/2 shot,

What does that do to the lands and grooves in your barrel? Never mind--I just saw the gun you are using. LOL

 

[toobfreak]

I think I will try that. I have cedar fence that goes down to the dirt on three sides and the neighbor's fence is chain link. I don't think they can object if I put up chicken wire on my side.

2 ft. chicken wire will stop any rabbit. To stop rodents like mice and chipmunks, you need rodent fence, usually 1/2" X 1/2", at least the same height best if you bury it 4-6" underground so that if they try to tunnel under it, it'll stop them.

The problem with cayenne is it needs to be a real high concentration in a soapy mixture to make it stick and needs reapplied after every rain.

Squirrels, good luck. Those bastards are not stopped by anything short of moats, brick walls and armed guards.

Another sneaky trick when all else fails is to plant a disposable diverter crop of something attractive to them you reallyare not interested in outside and away from your garden for them to eat so that they have less interest getting through to your fenced in garden.

 

[toobfreak]

I did run some chicken wire around the kohlrabi, celery, some of the tomato plants, and peppers. It's done a pretty good job of keeping the deer away from them.

But chicken wire won't stop rodents. They can go right through it.

And of course, there's this stuff I bought: It's like a poisonous smoke bomb for moles and chipmunks.

Wonder what that stuff puts out?

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

2 ft. chicken wire will stop any rabbit. To stop rodents like mice and chipmunks, you need rodent fence, usually 1/2" X 1/2", at least the same height best if you bury it 4-6" underground so that if they try to tunnel under it, it'll stop them.

The problem with cayenne is it needs to be a real high concentration in a soapy mixture to make it stick and needs reapplied after every rain.

Squirrels, good luck. Those bastards are not stopped by anything short of moats, brick walls and armed guards.

Another sneaky trick when all else fails is to plant a disposable diverter crop of something attractive to them you reallyare not interested in outside and away from your garden for them to eat so that they have less interest getting through to your fenced in garden.

I tried distracting critters by leaving my kitchen produce scraps strewn on the ground around my raised beds. They laughed while they jumped into my beds and chewed the tops off of my carrots.

 

[Concerned American]

There's about 20 of them right outside the living room window,

I can relate. We stopped at a state park south of Bend, OR about 30 years ago to picnic on some KFC. We didn't even get the chicken out of the bucket before nine or ten of the little bastards were on the table. We started throwing rocks and pine cones at them, but it was like that 70's movie Ben. We ended up surrendering and eating in the car.

 

[Concerned American]

Nope, the dogs ate them. I'll only eat rabbit in any month that has an "R" in it. Otherwise they're ate up with ticks, fleas, and parasites.

In NM, we always waited until after the first freeze of the fall to eat them. Plague (ticks).

 

[JGalt]

What does that do to the lands and grooves in your barrel? Never mind--I just saw the gun you are using. LOL

No appreciable leading in the rifling, because it's hard shot. I've cast bullets for that pistol that leaded up pretty bad, because I drove them too fast.