We have a big problem with ground squirrels. They eat our fruit and anything we plant in our garden. They destroy irrigation and dig expansive burrows.
Unfortunately that means we have to trap and kill them. 😢
It’s gruesome, but it’s the most human and least harmful to other animals (poison, for instance, ends up in the ecosystem and kills other critters).
Usually, they enter the live trap, I take them to a secluded area, and I shoot them in the back of the head with an air rifle which results in a quick death. It sucks and it pains me every time, but it’s the best option.
If I leave them in the cage too long they will literally wear their teeth to bloody nubs trying to escape and often die from stress.
For that reason, I’m grateful when I find them early.
Aaron L. M. Goodwin