Small Game - kill site

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kill site

Printed From: The BaitShop
Category: Hunting
Forum Name: Small Game
Forum Description: Get the scoop on predator, varmint, furbearer, and all small game hunting, trapping and calling methods here!
URL: http://www.baitshopboyz.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=26342
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 20:45
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Topic: kill site

Posted By: BEAR
Subject: kill site
Date Posted: 15 March 2019 at 09:47

Since I moved here, there has been a gray squirrel living in my tree, just 40 foot from my window where my 'putor sits.

Early on I thought of squirrel stew.....but as time went on He became my buddy.

Yesterday cleaning brush, I found his kill site. something got him, really not a surprise, be was always exposed.

But I'm curious as to the predator that invited him to dinner.

The kill site had a 20" circle of squirrel fur. lots of fur, easily all his fur. But there were no bones nor tail.

The culprits include: a red shoulder hawk that hangs out on my roof, just 50 foot from the squirrel tree.

the ever present night 'ote.

Any thoughts?????

Replies:

Posted By: MtElkHunter
Date Posted: 15 March 2019 at 11:44

Is there any kind of predator cat like a bobcat? the only issue with it being a cat is I think cats eat most of the fur also so your guess as a hawk sounds the most logical.

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SW Montana

Posted By: 788Fan
Date Posted: 15 March 2019 at 11:59

Agreed on the hawk. I had one snag a squirrel in front of where I worked years ago, and then proceeded to sit in the big tree outside the door and rain gray fur down on the folks walking into work!

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"We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the universe. That makes us something very special." Stephen Hawking 1942-2018

Posted By: d4570
Date Posted: 15 March 2019 at 12:13

Probably a bird of some kind.

I would think if a hawk could it would carry it off to eat it.

What IF.

It just died? That's where it was at the time. Possibly a Magpie or crow would eat it right there and not the fur.

?????????? to bad a person doesn't have game cams all around his house to SEE all the Varmints.

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Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box

Posted By: RobertMT
Date Posted: 15 March 2019 at 16:58

I agree on scavenger. A hawk would've carried it to tree, unless it was already dead and frozen to ground. Around here eagles and hawks, are out cleaning up winter kill, often carrying off pieces. The smaller critters come in to clean rest up, in spring hair is used in bird's nests.

Owl, skunk, and cat, most often leave the head, raccoons don't leave much, except hair. Squirrels like other rats, will often scavenge, if times are tough, even deer have been seen picking up a meat snack.

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Want to stop Drunk Drivers, from Killing Sober Drivers? Ban Sober Drivers from Driving. That's how Gun Control Works.

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Posted By: BEAR
Date Posted: 16 March 2019 at 08:20

No bones is what is interesting. the predator, killed it there and removed fur...then removed body parts?

Posted By: Goatlocker
Date Posted: 22 March 2019 at 18:32

The bird of prey and fox kills I’ve seen over the years always involved the victim being carried away. Have had chickens killed and eaten by coons and opossum that left remains at kill site, but even ate the heads. I suspect a combination of several things. Maybe a bird of prey got him but couldn’t quite get airborne with him, and finished him on the ground. Had a meal there, left, and something else scavenged the left overs.
I was squirrel hunting one afternoon about 10 years ago. Had a squirrel up a big beech get tired of waiting for me to leave, and came out onto a limb, and started fussing. An owl flew over and perched in an oak nearby. The squirrel really pitched a fit then. Guess he figured it was time to fight cause he went further out on the limb towards the owl and forgot about me. I finally decided it was time to end the show and popped the squirrel with the 22. He fell dead to the ground about 5 paces away from me. Before I could stand up and retrieve my squirrel, that owl swooped down and grabbed my squirrel, then took off with him. It was obvious that the owl was having a very hard time carrying away that squirrel, but he managed to make it back into the trees and out of sight. Quite the show overall.

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Goatlocker
Give me a fast boat for I intend to go in harm's way.