In many places, especially the southern states of the USA, squirrels are considers game animals (can be hunted for food), and poisoning them is ILLEGAL. These small animals feed on tree fruit and nuts, tree roots and root bark, leaf buds, tender newly developed leaves, small tender twigs, and the inner bark of tree trunks and branches. I have read mixed reviews with this idea and when it does work it takes a long time like over a year to kill a tree but basically you can hammer copper nails into a tree and the copper will slowly poison the tree to death. Squirrels may also eat native lily bulbs such as camas (Camassia spp.) Just check your laws first. They are frequently infested with fleas, mites, and other ectoparasites. How a Squirrel’s Chewing Can Affect Trees. Your local laws may also require a hunting or trapping license to kill squirrels. There are no jurisdictions in North America or the United Kingdom that permit poisoning of tree squirrels. These acorns are collected by wildlife such as squirrels or raccoons for food. Again, “game animal” status. The seeds sprout easily wherever they … Does the Law Allow You to Kill Squirrels? I STRONGLY advise checking your local laws. Squirrels, voles, rabbits, and porcupines can be tree pests and can cause serious wounds that damage and kill trees. Another way to slowly poison a tree without anyone knowing is to use copper nails. Each oak tree has both male and female reproductive structures on the same tree. Grey squirrels also disperse the seeds of other plants. Tree squirrels carry certain diseases such as tularemia and ringworm that are transmissible to people. Tree squirrels are classified as game mammals by the California Fish and Game Code and can be controlled only as provided by the hunting regulations. Squirrels often eat that layer when other food is scarce, particularly in the winter. LEGAL STATUS. There are no poisons that are registered for killing squirrels, that is, there are no poisons that can be lawfully used for this purpose. Squirrels eat birds' eggs and nestlings and compete with birds for tree cavities. When homeowners use rat poison to kill squirrels in their attics or other parts of the home, these squirrels usually crawl into very tight spaces before dying. Chewing on bark can also maintain the health of a squirrel’s teeth. Damage: Grey squirrels can damage and kill trees, especially young oaks, by stripping the bark. in Garry oak ecosystems. No jurisdiction in North America allows for the poisoning of tree squirrels. This allows an individual oak tree to produce large quantities of acorns by itself. A tree can survive if a squirrel chews off a relatively small patch of bark, but if too much is removed the tree can … There are actually no poisons registered for the killing of squirrels.