1) The brownish squirrels that are most common in this area are introduced European fox squirrels. They have mostly driven out the native American gray tree squirrels.
2) Haveahart makes a much smaller humane trap that works well for squirrels. Check your local pet shop. Or, it might be available on-line.
3) A pellet gun also works, but one must be very careful to avoid collateral damage. It can take some skill to hit a target as small as a squirrel.
4) It is, as I understand it, legal to trap or shoot depredating wildlife on one's property, as long as the remains are kept on site. It is not legal to relocate the problem animal to another location.
5) I used to have a cat that was quite skilled at catching and dispatching squirrels. Alas, he died about 10 years ago. My current collection of semi-feral cats don't seem to have his moxie, although the local squirrel population does seem to be less than a decade ago.
6) Whatever you do, be careful not to alarm the neighbors.
7) To help repel birds, there are scare devises such as plastic owls with swiveling heads, an beach ball size decoys with shiny eye-like spots. I don't know that they work on squirrels.
2) Haveahart makes a much smaller humane trap that works well for squirrels. Check your local pet shop. Or, it might be available on-line.
3) A pellet gun also works, but one must be very careful to avoid collateral damage. It can take some skill to hit a target as small as a squirrel.
4) It is, as I understand it, legal to trap or shoot depredating wildlife on one's property, as long as the remains are kept on site. It is not legal to relocate the problem animal to another location.
5) I used to have a cat that was quite skilled at catching and dispatching squirrels. Alas, he died about 10 years ago. My current collection of semi-feral cats don't seem to have his moxie, although the local squirrel population does seem to be less than a decade ago.
6) Whatever you do, be careful not to alarm the neighbors.
7) To help repel birds, there are scare devises such as plastic owls with swiveling heads, an beach ball size decoys with shiny eye-like spots. I don't know that they work on squirrels.