Yikes...Old Timey Pruning

I like the taste of the grey squirrel a lot better than the larger fox squirrel. Quinton, I miss squirrel gravy and homemade biscuits.
I'm guessing 75% of the edibles on these are the hind legs. Maybe I'll have to take up this game. What's interesting about Grey Squirrels around here is they're rather uncommon in forested areas outside of the city. Demise of fur trapping and resurgence of Fishers over the past 20 years have contributed to this. Unfortunately Fishers have the same problem in urban and suburban areas as squirrels do (preyed upon by automobiles) but they don't reproduce 'like proverbial rabbits' and have huge home ranges which see them cross busy roadways constantly. What is equally beneficial about Fishers is they also wreak havoc on fat cats that are allowed to roam free at night.
 
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I hear that squirrel brains may not be safe to eat. Not sure if it's just certain regions or what.
They probably aren't safe to eat, but back in the day of waste not, want not, squirrel brains were considered a delicacy around here.
 
They probably aren't safe to eat, but back in the day of waste not, want not, squirrel brains were considered a delicacy around here.

"Ah just touched the head n it fell off!"

I just realized I'm enjoying this thread for several reasons.

Thank you. :thumbsup:

*Edit

I came close to making a "Mad Squirrel Disease" joke right before that post... Thank you Square_peg.
 
I went to war with the evasive fox squirrel here some years ago. After trying several methods I decided to live trap and relocate. I relocated close to one hundred and fifty squirrels over a three month time period. All from my back yard. I dropped them off in a park like setting close to where I worked. That winter we had a squirrel problem at work with them chewing automobiles wiring.

Many neighbors still view me as cruel SOB, but I am no longer trapping them and they are no longer feeding them...
 
I went to war with the evasive fox squirrel here some years ago. After trying several methods I decided to live trap and relocate...

A neighbor would live trap the invasive squirrels, and release them in the middle of a large expanse of treeless fields. He was a birdwatcher and figured he was helping out the local hawks.
 
I went to war with the evasive fox squirrel here some years ago. After trying several methods I decided to live trap and relocate. I relocated close to one hundred and fifty squirrels over a three month time period. All from my back yard. I dropped them off in a park like setting close to where I worked. That winter we had a squirrel problem at work with them chewing automobiles wiring.

Many neighbors still view me as cruel SOB, but I am no longer trapping them and they are no longer feeding them...
And what you're doing has become illegal in Ontario. Live-trapped nuisance critters are only allowed to be released max 1/2 km away. Great win for animal rights groups and especially pest control companies because their cheques cash at about the same time the critters return home. Homing instinct of squirrels/skunks/raccoons is remarkable. 20 years ago I spray-painted marks on a bunch of squirrels my mom caught and humanely transported 3 miles away (and across the Rideau River) to release, and low and behold most of them showed back up at their old haunts within a week. If you truly want a squirrel 'gone' only a bullet, car exhaust fumes or total immersion in water is effective. Knowing now that they're quite edible provides more justification that some activities have a useful purpose.
 
A neighbor would live trap the invasive squirrels, and release them in the middle of a large expanse of treeless fields. He was a birdwatcher and figured he was helping out the local hawks.
This is a biological life recycle solution that I very much like! I'm thinking there has to be a convenient dead elm or something else nearby or the darn critters will climb under the car.
 
There's been considerable controversy up this way about photography-impatient birders baiting seasonal migrant Great Grey and Snowy Owls with store-bought mice. The whole idea of offering to release a sack of nuisance-caught native squirrels on queue in a snowy open field in the dead of winter is suddenly appealing on two fronts. Squirrels are overly abundant and the elusive and beautiful northern owls need more help from us than a mere piece of legalese that says they're fully protected by law.
 
The Canadian Chestnut Council reports that some American Chestnut trees have survived near Ottawa (after being planted in 1976):


Newsletter #6 May 1993 - Canadian Chestnut Council
A SURPRISE FIND
Colin McKeen recently learned from the Eastern Ontario Nut Grower's Association that there was a small planting of American Chestnut on the National Capital Commission property just east of Ottawa. Along with several other hardwood species sixteen Chestnut trees were planted on the site in 1976. The planting was made by the Canadian Forestry Service before it was transferred to Petawawa sixteen years ago. Eight trees have survived and show reasonable thrift. Several show multiple stems with the largest having a diameter of about 5 inches (12.5 cm). After the snow melted in mid-April burrs were found on the ground at the base of the largest trees. This indicates that the American Chestnut can withstand more severe climates than was originally thought.


Newsletter #42 August 2006 - Canadian Chestnut Council
From Ottawa, Ontario
Colin asked me to report on the progress of the chestnuts growing in the Ottawa area. The main group is on public land near the Mer Bleu area just east of Centertown. The dozen or so trees are in fine form, now about 30 years old. They have been seeding for many years, the seed being distributed locally to experimental growers. We are vigilant about material that might bring the blight into the area, which would be fatal to our small cadre of chestnuts. This year, whatever we can get will be planted out as before; so the local population should continue to increase. I will keep the CCC posted on our work here.
Hank Jones, ECSONG Chair


http://www.canadianchestnutcouncil.ca/
These keen folks are overly secretive about their Chestnut plots. Took me some doing to search out but their 'near the Mer Bleu (which is an Ice Age remnant peat bog) area' clue for one of them just happens to be where I spent 6 months conducting my biology thesis field work 40+ years ago. I'll be checking this out first chance I get. The other 'supposed' grove is not far from where I live but has yielded nothing but stubs whenever I've unofficially wandered through there during the past 20 years.
 
The stubs may be new shoots from old roots of trees that get the blight. It's common for the root systems to live and re-sprout. But the new shoots eventually catch the blight and die.
 
These keen folks are overly secretive about their Chestnut plots. Took me some doing to search out but their 'near the Mer Bleu (which is an Ice Age remnant peat bog) area' clue for one of them just happens to be where I spent 6 months conducting my biology thesis field work 40+ years ago. I'll be checking this out first chance I get. The other 'supposed' grove is not far from where I live but has yielded nothing but stubs whenever I've unofficially wandered through there during the past 20 years.

Some more clues about American Chestnuts and Shagbark Hickories growing in the Ottawa area:

The Dolman Ridge Nut Grove, in which ECSONG became involved in 1979, is named for its location on the Dolman Ridge, 45°24'N 75°34'W, in the Greenbelt near the Mer Bleue in the city of Ottawa. Originally planted as part of Forestry Canada's 385 ha Central Research Forest in the 1960s and 1970s, they were returned to the National Capital Commission in 1979, at which time ECSONG became a collaborator in the nut tree plantations. Moe Anderson planted many of these experimental plots of nut trees as a member of the CRF... The plantations include two dozen plantations of nut bearing trees and shrubs, with thousands of specimens of about a dozen species. Nut pines, oaks, black walnuts, butternuts, bitternut hickory, shagbark hickory, American chestnut and horse chestnut are represented: beaked hazel and American beech occur naturally. Most are similar in nature to a woodlot. Our programs offer participants the opportunity to observe, learn and experience agro-forestry activities specific to nut trees. The land is owned by the NCC, whose staff and equipment help maintain the plantations along with volunteers. It is a collaborative project between ECSONG, the NCC, the International Oak Society, the Canadian Chestnut Council, and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, with help from the Eastern Ontario Model Forest.
Contact: John Sankey johnsankey(-at-)ncf.ca

from http://www.songonline.ca/ecsong/groves.html

lavantdr.gif

from http://johnsankey.ca/crf/lavant2.html

deschenesmap.gif

The Deschenes Shagbarks
from http://johnsankey.ca/crf/deschenes.html
 
You're first class when it comes to digging up stuff Steve! Took me about an hour to come up with that. I'm going to go and have a look at the Dolman Ridge plot this morning. I don't know why the big deal about Shagbarks because there are mature stands of them in the forests around Perth a mere 80 km away.
 
There are no signs or markers anywhere along the National Capital Commission trails at Dolman Ridge regarding plantings of Chestnuts and I didn't find them. I walked at a brisk pace along 5 km (3 miles) of trails (including one that was labelled 'nut trail') all through there and found only White Pine, White and Red Oak plantings from the early 1960s. At least the weather was nice! Upon driving away I also found a marked plantation of Black Walnuts at Ridge Road. The Shagbarks are located on the other side of an electronic sentry activated gate of a gov't facility so I didn't go in there.
 
There are no signs or markers anywhere along the National Capital Commission trails at Dolman Ridge regarding plantings of Chestnuts and I didn't find them. I walked at a brisk pace along 5 km (3 miles) of trails (including one that was labelled 'nut trail') all through there and found only White Pine, White and Red Oak plantings from the early 1960s. At least the weather was nice! Upon driving away I also found a marked plantation of Black Walnuts at Ridge Road. The Shagbarks are located on the other side of an electronic sentry activated gate of a gov't facility so I didn't go in there.

Found some more details, it looks like the American Chestnuts (marked with a C in the top map) are actually near the parking lot shown in the lower map:

dolmanmap.gif

The Oak, Chestnut, Walnut and nut Pine groves




dolmanchestnut.gif

The American Chestnut Grove



from ECSONG
http://www.songonline.ca/ecsong/dolman.html
 
I've been there numerous times before over the past 40 years and am perfectly aware of how discrete the folks are that organize 'Chestnut grow ops' are seeking to be. When "wacky tabacky" becomes legal in Canada as of next year they will have had a head start in being able to coach other 'green thumbs' on how to avoid prying eyes (with their attendant garbage bags, shovels and pruning snips).
Don't worry, I will find that plot. And with camera in hand. If honest to god these 'trees' are now 20-30-40 years old, and healthy, I will get on my hands and knees and pray for them.
 
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