Ground squirrel problem

What's the best way to catch ground squirrels? The house is next to a school so shooting them is a no no. I currently have colony traps set at several entrances.
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I like to intercept them to and from. Squirrel are easily susceptible to cages, squirt of bait on the pan will take'em like clockwork. Just have to maintain the moving parts to the cages, as you would any cage.




Not much bait needed at all for squirrel, the cage is the curiosity factor and once they key in on the bait they will commit.

Tx, what do you use for bait?

It must be a local term, but you have pictured gray squirrels not ground squirrels.


This is a ground squirrel, locally called a gopher.





Whether Thirteen Striped Ground Squirrels, of any of the real squirrels, the bait is peanut butter for ease and cost, or whatever your pests are eating locally. Sometimes it is corn, sometimes sunflowers, sometimes maple seeds to pine nuts.
It is all about location, including bird feeders and trees where you see them. They are more comfortable off the ground than on. I rig a board with a brace under it, to set live traps on, and use the principle of a lineman's belt to hold it in place if a horizontal limb is not available using a rubber strap.

Hope some of that helps.

I use a #0 long spring upside down over the hole. Acts like a conibear. If you want to conciel your catch then just cover with a box. I place one on every hole I can find and usually get them all within in a few days. Don't forget to plug the holes afterwards or a new batch will move right in.

Based off of the responses I received from the folks who reside in cal who use cages and bait, I'm confident in my statement.

Possibly the OP is referring to the California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/california_ground_squirrel_712.html

And https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Spermophilus_beecheyi/

the ground squirrels in the topic are much like our chipmunks in size just a different color pattern basically. Set along their travel and feeding areas they are pretty easy to catch with cages or snap traps for rats. Their behavior is unlike our tree dwelling red or grey squirrels. They escape to ground burrows when threatened not to the trees all the time.

Have you ever seen a 13 line ground sqr. in a tree?

I wouldn't complicate trapping squirrel or read into a higher power when going after them. I would set traps for them in the area they frequent or intercept them on their way to and from their burrows.

we have both chipmunks (locally called squinnies) and the 13 lined ground squirrel and both of them act differently

Chipmunks, red, gray and flying squirrel are all "different" but caught with the exact same method when it comes to traps and bait.When others believe they need to do x y z and use x bait for each.

Diggers, local term, or California Ground Squirrel are not hard to get in small cages, what you are stuck with. If you have some kind of nut or grain, nuts are better,use them. if you can get the traps off the ground where skunks cannot get to them peanut butter works well but not at ground level unless you want the skunk also.
The colony traps work but use a bait that will not draw skunk. Caught one a few days ago in a multi catch trap. Only good thing about them and skunk are the skunk cannot raise their tails or direct their spray forwards. Easy to release by just flipping the trap over.
Find the dens, put the colony trap close, lock the doors open, add bait a couple of times then drop the doors and add bait.

http://www.groundsquirrelbmp.com/trap-cgs.html

I am having great success with lees traps. But colonies,cages also work. I believe there will be a seminar on western ground squirrels at the wildlife expo this year. Might want to check it out

You guys are killin' me !

A chipmunk is often called a 'ground squirrel...but a TRUE ground squirrel is the one the guy pictured.
The simple , most effective way to trap them, is with a cage trap that fits directly OVER the hole.
You 'sight' the squirrel first, then run it in the hole.
You then set the trap directly over the hole and back off.
In most cases, you'll have it in 15 minutes.

*** JIM BETHELL currently makes the best trap for this . He's a member here on this forum !

If there are a few other holes close by...you instantly 'plug' them shut.
How do you do that ?, you ask.
You do own a 28 oz Estwing, right ???

LT G

“A true ground squirrel” lol there are tons of species of ground squirrels

But NOT an eastern chipmunk

IMHO,imo,jm2c and any I forgot, I find that the majority of easily trapped animals become complicated and complex when the individual creates them complex and complicated problems. The forums have a lot to do with that, simplicity takes a lot of fur for certain critters. See no need in complicating the basics. Familiarizing yourself with the critters you target seems to be a lost practice.

Is this what you're talking about?