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Joined: Aug 2002
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Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 19,108 |
I have two live traps near my one deer feeder, trying to keep the coons and possums down to a reasonable level. Yesterday when I checked them, one had a young grey squirrel in it. The trap had been moved 4-5 feet and was on its side, from a coyote or dog. When I released the Squirrel, there was a Squirrel head in the trap, hideless and no neck, just the head that still had the eyeballs. There was no pieces of hide nor hair anywhere around there, just that head and a live squirrel. Only thing that I can think of is that the squirrel stole it from something else and carried it into the trap. What do Y'all think? miles
Look out for number 1, don't step in number 2.
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 26,524
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 26,524 |
Could something have chewed the dead squirrel through the trap and tore away everything except the head?
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 19,108
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 19,108 |
Could something have chewed the dead squirrel through the trap and tore away everything except the head? Don't see how. Small mesh wire, and absolutely no hair nor hide in the area. miles
Look out for number 1, don't step in number 2.
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,651 Likes: 14
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,651 Likes: 14 |
Miles, I trapped a squirrel and a cardinal in a live trap once. Before I could open it, the squirrel killed the cardinal. Attacked it, pounced on it, bit it and was still biting when I released it.
I think yours was an outside predator though. Somehow.
Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 19,108
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 19,108 |
I think yours was an outside predator though I think the squirrel must have carried it in there with him, but absolutely no hide and the eyeballs still intact are strange. If he has stolen it from a hunter, most of them that I know either keep the head or cut it off at the neck with the hide still on the head. Stealing from a wild animal should have left some hide present, or at least that is how I am looking at it. miles
Look out for number 1, don't step in number 2.
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Joined: May 2010
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 14,953 Likes: 1 |
Maybe owl or hawk leftovers, carried into the trap?
--- CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE --- A Magic Time To Be An Illegal In America---
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 185
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 185 |
My guess would be that the squirrel in the trap set off the trigger just as the second one was entering the trap. The trap door came down on the second one's neck, leaving the head inside the trap and the body outside. Then a dog or coyote came along and took off the body. But I wonder if the hide would pull off of the head when the body was pulled from the neck.
Last edited by Semisane; 06/13/16.
My wife says I'm totally nuts, but I think I'm Semisane.
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Joined: Dec 2007
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2007
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I'm guessing the live squirrel ate the dead squirrel.
Some spelling errors can be corrected by a vowel movement. ~ MOLON LABE ~
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 973 |
I think LouisB is right. I've caught red squirrels in marten sets and had other squirrels eat the caught one. I've read that squirrels are one of the most common predators of leverets (baby hares) and birds.
Eat moose, burn spruce
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Joined: Jun 2001
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493 |
Sounds like owl work carried around by another squirrel....strange indeed.
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