[.45 COLT]

I've read about your bamboo / squirrel problems, and have a question. What is bamboo used for nowadays? I know a couple of outfits are using it to make duck & goose calls, but that sure wouldn't use much.

DC

 

[Rich Z]

Bamboo isn't used much within the USA, simply because it is not produced in enough quantities to be used commercially very much. In areas where bamboo is endemic it is considered to be essential to the inhabitants for many of their day to day needs.

Bamboo flooring is becoming popular. Bamboo, properly grown and prepared, is one of the hardest of all woods. In Asia, bamboo has been used as a basic building material for centuries for just about anything you can think of. I have books that were written just about the practical uses of bamboo, and the way peoples have used it in the past and present.

Some of the bamboo I grow has the potential to get 6 to 7 inches in diameter and 70 foot tall. It comes in all kinds of colors as well as sizes, and even some specialized forms have twisted shoots and special ornamental shapes.

Personally, I just like the stuff, and that is good enough reason for me to want it, but I also think the groves I have may produce something of value in years to come. Bamboo takes a long time to mature and reach a stage where it is harvestable, but having squirrels destroy a new year's crop of new culms is a setback that delays the potential growth for each subsequent year's production. The plants put a lot of resources into producing those new shoots (culms) so when a squirrel eats off the top of a shoot and kills it back to the ground, a lot of plant energy and resources has been wasted.

So yeah, squirrels are not welcomed around here. And I will absolutely kill every one of them around here that I am able to do so. Which is a shame, because I actually do like the squirrels. But I just happen to like my bamboo more, and squirrels will not listen to reason about staying away from it.

 

[Guest]

Thanks. I meant in the US, since split cane poles aren't used much any more. I read somewhere - probably one of those "for fun and profit" ads - that there was demand for bamboo, but it never specified what that demand was.

 

[bucfan]

Rich, I know that it is none of my business but is it really worth poaching squirrels to have a bamboo crop? I don't know the laws in FL but here in AR it is against the law to kill game out of season. I'm not sure but I think here in AR you can buy a permit to controll game that is damaging property. If you are caught poaching in AR the game and fish can confiscate your guns, truck atv, and even revoke your hunting license. Lets just say in your case you had one of your 50's with you and you were caught. That would be a very costly price for a few bamboo. Now I'm no saint and yes I have killed a few animals out of season, but not on a scale like you. And even if I was I sure would be smarter than to announce it to the whole world. Just my 2c.

Nick

 

[Rich Z]

68A-12.009 Taking Destructive Birds
and Mammals.
(1) The prohibitions contained in Chapters
68A-12 and 68A-24 shall not prevent
persons from killing destructive mammals
except deer or bear on their own property
by means other than gun and light, steel
traps or poison, provided that they may
be killed only within the immediate locality
where damage is occurring.

(2) Bear or deer damaging personal
property may not be taken unless
authorized by a permit issued by the
Executive Director.

(3) As provided in s. 372.99, F.S., deer
damaging agricultural crops may be
taken as authorized by permit issued by
the Executive Director. A written application
(GFC Form DDPA 1000, effective
July 1, 1998, adopted and incorporated
herein by reference and available from
the Commission's regional offices) shall
be required before more than five (5)
depredating deer tags are issued to a
person for a specific property within a
calendar year.

(4) The use of a gun and light at night,
poison, steel traps, or other traps may be
authorized by permit issued by the Executive
Director for the purpose of killing
destructive birds or mammals.

(5)(a) Blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles or
crows may be taken when committing or
about to commit depredations upon ornamental
trees, agricultural crops, livestock
or wildlife.
(b) Other migratory nongame birds, except
birds listed in Rule 68A-27, F.A.C.,
committing or about to commit depredation
upon ornamental trees, agricultural
crops, livestock or wildlife, or when concentrated
in a manner so as to constitute
a health hazard or public nuisance may
be killed under authority of a special
permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service if such permit is required.
(c) Double-crested cormorants may be
taken as provided by 16 U.S.C. Section
712 only at freshwater commercial
aquaculture facilities certified by the
Florida Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services and at stateoperated
freshwater hatcheries. Doublecrested
cormorants shall be disposed of
within the boundary of the aquaculture
facility by burial or incineration only. By
July 31 of each year, each certified
aquaculture facility shall report to the
Commission the number of cormorants
killed and the associated dates for the
previous 12-month period from July 1
through June 30 on form AQUAFRM.380,
which is incorporated herein by reference
and is effective 9-21-98.

(6) Destructive or nuisance wildlife may
be taken on another's property by any
person or entity only at the property
owner's request and if authorized by a
permit issued by the Executive Director,
except that family members of or persons
with an employee-employer relationship
with the property owner, may do so without
such permit as provided in 68A-
12.009(1).

(7)(a) Birds or mammals listed in Chapter
68A-27, F.A.C., that pose an imminent
jeopardy to aircraft safety and human
lives, may be harassed by airport operators
or their agents on airport property
on, or within 300 ft. of the edge of, runways,
taxiways, and the tarmac, in order
to prevent collisions between aircraft and
wildlife.
(b) For purposes of Rule 68A-12.009(7),
F.A.C., harass shall mean the persistent,
noninjurious disturbance to disperse
wildlife without physical capture or direct
handling.

(c) Airport personnel may take deer on
airport property if their presence poses a
potential threat to aircraft safety and
human lives. Deer may be killed with the
use of a gun and light at night. Other
methods of taking deer may be authorized
by permit under Rule 68A-12.009(3),
F.A.C. Carcasses of deer killed under
this rule shall be buried, incinerated onsite
or donated to a charitable, nonprofit
institution or agency. No deer carcasses
killed under this rule shall be retained for
use by airport personnel.

Specific Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const.
Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const.
History–New 8-1-79, Amended 6-4-81, 6-21-
82, 7-1-85, Formerly 39-12.09, Amended 4-14-
92, 4-12-98, 6-23-98, 9-21-98, Formerly 39-
12.009.

It appears I am within my rights to shoot the damned tree rats....

 

[bucfan]

That is why I asked if you had a permit before doing so.

Nick

 

[Rich Z]

I will call FWCC next week and ask to be certain about the handling of injurious pests. I used to work over there in the permitting section for a few years doing programming work for them, so I know most of the people over there.

 

[bucfan]

Just thought I would bring it up. Would hate to see it turn into any problems. I have on that has ben chewin' on the wood deck. Need to try the ar out on him I guess!!

Nick