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Step 1
Squirrels like to play. And they like to eat. Your bird feeder provides them with endless enjoyment. Don't make it easy for them! Trim branches back to keep them from jumping onto the feeder from a tree.
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Step 2
Dig your shepherd's hook into the ground far enough away from the eaves and gutters of your house to prevent squirrels from jumping on from there. Hang up your feeder.
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Step 3
Indoors, mix your birdseed with 2 teaspoons of capsicum pepper. This stuff is hot, but it won't hurt the digestive system of birds.
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Step 4
If the squirrel somehow learns to fly - (and I think some of them can) - and reaches the birdseed anyway, they'll get a big surprise when they get a mouthful (Again, it doesn't hurt them, just hopefully discourages them.).
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Step 5
If that doesn't work, and if your squirrels develop a taste for hot and spicy, there's one last thing you can try, and I use it as a last resort. Try greasing the entire shepherd's hook with Vaseline. It creates a slippery surface that no squirrel can climb, and stays slippery even in very cold temperatures.
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Step 6
When the squirrel goes to lick his paws clean, he's not likely to try it again! If all these steps fail, get a Super Soaker squirt gun and enjoy the summer months. You can sit on your sofa and shoot them through the screen. Sweet!
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Step 7
If worst comes to worst, you can discourage squirrels from climbing by leaving feed on the ground for them. Dried corn on the cob seems to please them (and the local deer population, as well). Good luck!
