Squirrels Digging Up Yard

Q: I am at my wit’s end. My yard has been invaded by a legion of squirrels, digging hundreds of holes in my sod. All my efforts thus far have failed to run
them off. Is there anything you can suggest that might help? 

A: You have a tough row to hoe. There is no consistently effective repellent for squirrels. I have a nice video of squirrels eating peanuts soaked in Hot Pepper Oil. There no discernable reaction to the capsaicin. You could use a live trap to catch a few and carry them off and release somewhere but replacements will arrive pretty quickly at your house. A chase dog would do the trick and local animal shelters have lots of great dogs available but you might not want a dog. Squirrels have been the bane of my efforts to feed birds and not rodents. Although I haven’t completely corrected their marauding ways, I’ve had a lot of fun with commercial and homemade Squirrel bafflers. I even bought a game camera to catch them being ‘punished’ when I’m away. I particularly enjoy the action at my Yankee Flipper, which slings squirrels off when they try to stand on the perch.