So I've been trying to trap live squirrel to train my dog with but haven't been very successful. I can trap them with conibears but it isn't legal here and I'd prefer to trap them live for dog training. So far I've tried multiple properties with multiple bait, yet I have only had luck with one piece of land and I was using the pecans from their pecan tree. However, that property is a too long of a drive. It seems like the rest of the places I set traps they just refuse to go in. I've tried using peanut butter, bird feed, pecan halves, corn, even grapes and oranges when it's hotter but they just don't go in no matter what. I end up catching wrens or rats instead. Do any of you old timers have some surefire ways for catching squirrels? Thanks, Luke.

What size trap are you using?

Ive had great luck with LTs Black Walnut bait. In a white hanging basket back of a 4x4. Or 6x6 small cages

I do a pile of ADC work for squirrels. I make a tinfoil cup and fill it with PB and birdseed then set in the back of a 4x4 or 6x6 havahart. Catches them hand over fist

If you have land make a feeder in the wide open where the squirrels have to hit the ground when the dog shows up to take a tree. That helped alot with my little cur dog. Big PVC pipe with a y fitting on the end wired to a fence post. fill with sunflower seeds and peanut butter extract. This I if you can't catch a squirrel.

Put up a bird feeder in your backyard. Squirrels will find it quickly. Switch over feed to whole unshelled peanuts. Set proper sized live traps. You will catch every squirrel in the area in no time.

I've caught 1000's of them with live traps doing ADC work.

Find a tree they’re using regularly. Fix a smaller cage trap to it with the opening facing up. Place bait in the bottom. They’ll go into it for the bait and it’ll close behind them. That’s how I removed a pile of them from my in-laws place. Used them for training squirrel dogs too.

Best advice I can honestly give is to forget trapping them. I’ve actually found it to be detrimental to the dog in the end. Get him to a park with lots of squirrels. They’re generally fairly tame and will just sit close to the ground giving the dog a good view. If that’s not an option, just get him into the woods. If he’s bred right, he’ll do it on his own. I’ve trained many good dogs and have gotten rid of many that weren’t cut out for it. Stopped using caged squirrels several years ago. It just didn’t show me what the dogs made of and led to more issues in the end. YMMV.

If you can find someone that is hunting with a dog and tag along. The new dog will pick up the game real quick. JMO

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This^^^

I used to have a JRT ( jack russell terrier )
She needed no training to chase squirrels , it was natural instinct. One day I let her out on her run , there was a squirrel in the yard. She went after it like a shot. Squirrel went right up a tree. The dog followed. She went 6+ feet right up the trunk (no branches that low) , literally ran up the side of the tree. Then realised dogs can't run up trees. Hit the ground , got right back up trying to jump up after it.
Talk about determination.......wow......