Sunday, June 26, 2016

Chipmunk Contest Update #2

It's been three weeks since I started trapping chipmunks for my 2016 Relocation Program. The 9 Day Chipmunk Streak was broken as soon as I mentioned it in my last update. I jinxed myself. Go figure.

I've taken five days off from trapping, because we visited family one day and I attended a four day Advanced Placement Summer Institute last week in the south suburbs of Chicago. (For the record, I teach AP Calculus for my day job and the training was a little dry, but it had to be done. Basically it was like attending math camp. Yeesh.)

Here are the youtube links to the visual proof of the most recent trappings:

Chipmunk #23
Chipmunk #24
Raccoon #1
Chipmunks #25 & #26
Chipmunk #27
Chipmunk #28 & Squirrel #2
Chipmunk #29
Chipmunk #30

My wife asked me to go after the raccoons, so I borrowed my dad's trap and have been setting that up before I turn in each evening. Only one so far in five nights, but I did remove fifteen raccoons from the neighborhood back in 2014. Maybe the one I've trapped was the the one making the mess in our backyard?

Here are your updated standings:

List of ALL 33 Entries:    (chipmunks, others, Cubs Wins, blogger)
5             3             69           irondequoit36
8             13           74           Tony L.
10           5             77           Stealing Home
12           7             79           JediJeff
13           3             81           Adam Kaningher
13           8             82           The Angels in Order
18           6             75           Mark Hoyle
22           2             79           Matthew Scott
26           6             76           Play at the Plate
27           4             75           Al Kawamoto
28           5             76           Nick
30           3             48          CURRENT NUMBERS (76 win pace)
31           1             69           The Lost Collector
34           7             81           Daniel Wilson
35           4             85           John Hazen
36           8             77           Jupiterhill
36           9             74           Swing And a Pop-up
37           3             77           Jane
37           8             107         B Man
38           3             71           jaybarkerfan
39           6             70           gcrl
42           5             78           Nachos Grande
42           6             83           CaptKirk42
44           4             74           KO Rob
47           3             76           Captain Canuck
49           4             80           Sport Card Collectors
49           9             78           Once A Cub
50           4             70           Fuji
52           4             79           RAZ
52           5             75           Adam Sanders
53           4             75           Wilson
55           3             81           Corky
61           12           79           defgav
74           3             74           Jeff
 
If the contest ended right now The Lost Collector would come away victorious, but I'm fairly certain there's more varmint to trap. Just yesterday I trapped chipmunks #28, #29, #30 and squirrel #2.  When we first moved into this house in 2008 I trapped SIXTY chipmunks and I'm currently halfway to that standard. It will be interesting to see where this winds up!
 
For what it's worth, I purchased a new trap while in Chicagoland and that seems to be working out much better. The smaller chipmunks weren't setting off the old trap because they didn't weigh enough to trigger it, and if they did set it off they were able to squiggle through the bars and escape to freedom. It was quite frustrating and I lost a LOT of unsalted peanuts as a result. I was hoping to use some of those peanuts as an ice cream topping!
 
Thanks for stopping by!

4 comments:

  1. Your camera work is continuing to get better with each catch and release, nice job. I'm a fan of the back of the cage perspective. On another note I am amazed at the amount of poo some of the bucketed chipmunks produce. Also, I'm looking forward to a jumpy chipmunk hopping into your car.

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    Replies
    1. Couple of things:
      1. It's not poo. If I know I'm not going to release them immediately, then I feed them some peanuts and black oil sunflower seed. That's the sunflower seeds!
      2. I've learned to close the doors to the car when I release them. Too many close calls!

      Delete
  2. Okay, that makes more sense about the sunflower seed. Thanks for the clarification.

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  3. I want to go to math camp! You lucky duck...

    ReplyDelete