Gardening .... Squirrel relocation: how far will a grey squirrel be able to find its way back?

I built a ';live'; trap and I caught the squirrel that was raiding my bird-feeders and let it go about 10 miles away. Was that enough? Or can I expect it back in a few days? Thanks.Gardening .... Squirrel relocation: how far will a grey squirrel be able to find its way back?
Congratulations on building your own successful squirrel trap, those guys are not always easy to catch. I put out a trap regularly when my hazel nuts are ripening, all I caught this year was a hedgehog, the same one every night. The squirrel just took the nuts. 10 miles should be plenty though, especially if the land around you is relatively open, rather than connected woodland, as arboreal animals squirrels are not really comfortable travelling far on the ground. Make sure you are well protected from bites when dealing with a squirrel in your trap.Gardening .... Squirrel relocation: how far will a grey squirrel be able to find its way back?
You do realise that, in the UK, squirrels are legally classified as ';vermin'; and as such, whilst it is legal to catch them, it is actually illegal to release them alive?





However, I used to release the ones I caught the other side of a nearby river, just in case.





We still got another squirrel back after a while. It took it a while to discover the bird table, so I presumed that it was a different one taking over the last one's vacant territory.
You could get bird feeders that have special preventative quarrel guards, they are common now.





However I found this...





Advice on Relocating Squirrels





At least five miles from the capture site, preferably ten. Otherwise, there's a good chance that it will track its way back and cause the same problems as before. Second, don't leave the animal in the cage for too long - this is a stressful time and the animal becomes dehydrated. You can give it water through a hose if it's been trapped for a while. Don't bother with food, it's not interested in eating. Maybe wet food, like orange slices, will do. Third, be careful when handling the cage, and don't stick your fingers inside the bars. Be careful when releasing the animal - it won't attack you, because its primary concern is to get away as quickly as possible. But don't compromise your safety by cornering the animal when it has access to bite you, which it would never do unprovoked, but would do out of self-defence.





What type of area to relocate to? First of all, laws may prohibit the release on public lands. As for what area is best for the animal, that's a matter of debate. A lot of people think the squirrel should be taken out to ';the woods';. Many people suggest an undeveloped area with water sources nearby. Still other people argue that animals caught in urban or suburban areas are used to such environments and will fare better in such areas - but they will probably cause the same problems they caused in your area. I think that relocation is hard on animals, no matter where they go. They are used to their home territory.
If he returns how will you recognise him? They all look the same to me. You could have tied a brick to him, that would have at least delayed his return.
It's against UK law to release a squirrel. You should have killed the damned thing.