chip and dale

Those danged varmints!

     No, I don't  mean the ones in Washington or Springfield.  I mean the little guys running unhindered in my back yard.
     Ground squirrels.  13 lined ground squirrels.  Some tines the are called chipmunks, but I think the main difference is chipmunks live in trees.  We don't have any large trees.
     Earlier this year Corki got a couple.  She seems to catch them and then play with them, but she does not eat them.
     I have two traps.  If I catch one, I take it far away and release it.  I may be breaking the law.  Not sure on that one.
     I caught one when mowing the other day. I picked up the trap and did not realize the  door did not lock.  As I was looking at the little critter, it took a running start, hit the door and flew through the air like Supersquirrel.
     I reset the trap.
      I let Corki out in the yard  this morning and she is surrounding the trap, yipping and barking and swatting at it.  I put my shoes on, get the dog in, and pick up the trap.  The damn door is open and it is empty!  Corki must have swatted the door.
     Tonight the other trap was closed, and I finally caught a critter!  He was cute and chirping away.  I put the whole thing in a large plastic bucket and headed out into the country.
     All I could think was this little sucker was going to get out of the cage and be free in the car, causing me to have a minor heart attack and a major accident.
     Luckily, he did not push the door open.
     I reached my destination, put the cage on the ground and opened the door.
     Little Ralph took off running. 
     I was glad to see that.
     And I was especially glad to get him out of my yard.
     Wonder how many more there are....plenty of holes for a herd.
Peace and Love