Squirrels Are Not Stupid!

I'm convinced that there is one squirrel in our backyard who is "special". His resiliency is incredible and his ability to outsmart me is mind-boggling! When we 1st moved into our home about 6 years ago I built a bird feeder from a 4 x 4 post with hangers to hold the feeders. I refused to buy a squirrel baffle for $30+ so I fashioned one out of scrap metal which I made into a cone and attached to the post.

The squirrels left it alone for several years. Then a new marauder came to town with guns a-blazin', anxious to beat me and get to the bird feeders. He somehow by-passed my contraption and emptied the bird feeder several times. I saw that sucker up on the top of the post and I swear he was laughing at me.

So I got some additional scrap metal and fashioned a disk 8" wider than the previous one. He figured it out about 3 days later. Then I took some more metal and built another cone under the disc. Three days later there he was, on top of the bird feeder shaking the thing so most of the seeds fell to the ground. His partners in crime were applauding him as he took his bows.

I cut slats in the disc thinking he was perhaps jumping up to the disc level....No good! I actually heard the disc metal vibrating and that's how I knew this must be a squirrel preparing for the Olympic high jump record.

This morning I pulled off the disc and raised the cone up about 8". If he beats me now I need to see a Psychiatrist because I'm an emotional wreck.

But I refuse to buy a squirrel baffle online or elsewhere!!