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November 2, 2007

Dead (Murdered?) Squirrel Raises Questions

So here's a strange one. We got a call from our tenant yesterday morning that there was a dead squirrel in our front yard. Not just a dead squirrel, she said, but a squirrel that looked like it had been shot. Say what? When we got home in the late afternoon we were rather taken aback to find that she had not been exaggerating. A squirrel with a gaping hole the size of a golf ball in its neck had been deposited in front of the door under the stoop. It's a pretty gruesome photo, so we've put the unedited version on the jump to enable selective viewing, but we're wondering if anyone else has encountered anything like this? Do you think it was some kind of horrible Halloween prank? A message from a developer who's been on the receiving end of an unfavorable review on the site? Strange days indeed. Most peculiar Mama.
WARNING: Photo on the jump shows a mutilated dead squirrel.

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hawk seems more likely

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:11 AM

Thats not a gunshot wound..

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:14 AM

i concur...doesn't look like a projectile injury

Posted by: HerWayOrTheHighway at November 2, 2007 10:17 AM

looks like a cat caught it for fun, if they know what they're doing they go for the neck like that. but the fact that it wasn't eaten at all implies somebody's housecat was just having a good night.

but if you prefer the assassination theory, we can proceed to puzzle over it in terms of the RE market: IT'S A SIGN FROM GOD, MOVE BACK TO OHIO.

Posted by: Jimmy Legs at November 2, 2007 10:17 AM

its a squirrel.....a squirrel...c'mon

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:18 AM

final stages of MRSA infection- the throat literaly blows out

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:22 AM

Looks like a drug deal gone bad.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:22 AM

That squirrel is lucky. It won't be around to face the terrible consequences once AY is built.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:22 AM

That's not a gunshot wound, or bb gun or otherwise.

Don't know if you or your tenant has a cat that spends time outdoors, but domestic cats that kill mice, squirrels etc. will often leave them at a doorway to the house they live in. Often they seek praise for what they've killed. Most likely a cat got this squirrel.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:28 AM

a hawk? you're a moron. hawks don't thrill kill; they hunt to eat. the squirrel appears intact sans the gaping neck wound. However, domesticated cats and dogs are totally capable of this kind of carnage.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:31 AM

That squirrel will be worthless when AY is built.

Posted by: kuroko at November 2, 2007 10:39 AM

The answer to this episode of "CSI: Mammal" is: cat. Or, as we say around here, Santeria Kitty Offers Sacrifice. Now if someone would please send this talented feline over to my place, he or she will be richly rewarded for his or her talents. All cash, unmarked bills, in a suitcase--with catnip.

Posted by: Brenda from Flatbush at November 2, 2007 10:39 AM

Wow! That is gross.
Love to AY reference.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:41 AM

Y'all gonna eat that?

Posted by: quig at November 2, 2007 10:41 AM

slow news day?

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:54 AM

I have squirrel problems and once they get in they aren't cute anymore. They are filthy, viscous, a health hazzard and expensive (sometimes) to get rid of. I doubt it was shot but if it were, that's no big deal. It's not like it was tortured (I don't think any animal shoud be). One clean shot, that's all it takes. If you want to trap them alive and release them, use Cherrios and move them at least 5 miles away (try Manhattan).

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:58 AM

Looks like a hawk. Sometimes they drop their prey in flight. I saw a hawk drop a pigeon in flight. The pigeon head was chewed off.

The What

Someday this war is gonna end..........

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:59 AM

Nothing worse than a viscous squirrel. They ooze all over.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:11 AM

That is the least offensive comment I've ever seen from "the What". Are you sure you don't want to blame rich Manhattanites or greedy landlords for this one?

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:12 AM

the What is is liar. I am an ornithologist and hawks NEVER drop its prey unless severely threatened. this did not happen in Brkln. the What——you are a douche.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:16 AM

Wow! We have an ornithologist on site. Cool.

Posted by: Carol Gardens at November 2, 2007 11:17 AM

Call PETA or accumulate as many as possible for a fur jacket if your on the other side of the fence.
Gunshot would leave an exit wound as well on a animal that small. Come to think of it, a hole that big, all you would have left would be fom the neck down.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:23 AM

looks like voodoo

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:23 AM

Instead of photographing it, how about you CLEAN IT UP! It's dead. Get over it.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:25 AM

perhaps a tiny freezing jedi cut open the squirrel to climb in and stay warm.

Posted by: z at November 2, 2007 11:25 AM

I'd like to hire that cat to take care of my squirrel problems. They invade my garden and pick my best fruits and vegetables. I wouldn't mine if they new how to share, take some and leave some for me. They are really filthy selfish animals.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:26 AM

Vast right wing conspiracy I think.
Call the NY Times.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:26 AM

"the What is is liar. I am an ornithologist and hawks NEVER drop its prey unless severely threatened. this did not happen in Brkln"

Why should he change now? He's about as accurate about this as he's been on anything else he's cared to discuss.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:27 AM

Rats with furry tails. Good eats in some parts.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:28 AM

"the What is is liar. I am an ornithologist and hawks NEVER drop its prey unless severely threatened. this did not happen in Brkln. the What——you are a douche."

This a 'Black Swan' premise. Just because you never saw the event, you can't say it didn't happen. Just like Real Estate. Damn people need to open their minds. Please read the book the Black Swan, I have the audiobook.

When the hawk took to flight, the prey hit the top of a fence. I was surprised, I never saw anything like that. The pigeon head was chewed off. Yeah I know no one believe me, Whatever

The What

Someday this war is gonna end

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:35 AM

"When the hawk took to flight, the prey hit the top of a fence. I was surprised, I never saw anything like that. The pigeon head was chewed off. Yeah I know no one believe me, Whatever"

HUH?? That has to be the most lame, most pointless, least meaningful excuse I've ever heard! It doesn't even make sense!

Dumbass!

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:40 AM

Mr. Bird Scientist,
Question: Why couldn't this happen in Brooklyn? Is it because we have no Hawks nesting here or because they have no threaths that would cause them to drop their prey? It's not that I actually believe a Hawk did this, just curious why you think it couldn't happen in Brooklyn?
Thanks

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:40 AM

Dear The What,

At this point, I think you really owe it to yourself to lay off the vodka/antifreeze cocktails and formeldahyde-dipped marijuana.

Just a suggestion...

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:43 AM

About ten years ago I walked around a gigantic snowy owl, dead, on the crosswalk of Gates Ave. at Cambridge Place.

Posted by: rf at November 2, 2007 11:49 AM

Nice one 11:25, heh heh.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:49 AM

Hey Stick to the subject! People accuse me of 'Thread Hijacking' when it's you going off subject. You attacking me wont change the fact that your way of life is being fucked. Get mad at the people who has jerked up. Here read this! Hate The What all you want to but that ass whipping is days away.

Deals With Hedge Funds
May Be Helping Merrill
Delay Mortgage Losses

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119396956371280131.html

Billions and Billions of dollars wasted!!!!!!!!!!!

The What

Someday the war is gonna end.........

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:55 AM

I didn't mean to say 'jerked up' I mean jerk you. LOL I type so fast, I need to check before I send it.

The What

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:58 AM

This looks like a ritual killing. I collect dead squirrels, so I'm an expert. Does anyone know if this squirrel was raped before it was killed? Would make some sense...

BTW, The What's real name is Allen M. Can we all please start addressing him as Allen?

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:58 AM

And the squirrel was SO close to getting that acorn!!!

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 11:59 AM

Ok...bird scientist here.
1. we do indeed have nesting red-tail hawks in Brooklyn. More than one pair, it's likely. you can see the happy couple cruising in the skies above their nesting grounds in Prospect Park.
2. actually, it could've happened—the hawk that he saw could've been spooked by any number of man-made cacophony. I just loathe "the what"
3. eff the what.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 12:02 PM

"that ass whipping is days away."

How many days?

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 12:03 PM

This looks like a ritual killing. I collect dead squirrels, so I'm an expert. Does anyone know if this squirrel was raped before it was killed? Would make some sense...

Actually, what DOES make sense is that you're a close personal friend of "What.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 12:04 PM

Two cats were arrested earlier today and confessed to the brutal killing of a squirrel. Both suspects were waterboarded until they confessed and are facing death by drowning if convicted.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 12:07 PM

Nope 12:04 - not a close personal friend. Don't even know the guy. I did, however, see a post by an "AllenM" some time ago on another board that was all apocalyptic and signed off with "Someday this war is gonna end". Google it yourself. I'm no detective, but...

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 12:11 PM

Did they pull out the squirrel's gold teeth?
See http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/30/43/30_43toothless.html

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 12:11 PM

Yep, they booked the cats on counts of rape and 1st degree murder. I think the cats will walk.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 12:13 PM

Back, and to the left.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 12:26 PM

i'll put it to you this way. shoot a squirrel in the head and there wouldn't be anything left to take a picture of.

Posted by: BrooklynLove at November 2, 2007 12:35 PM

Mr. Bird Scientist,
I have not seen the Hawks flying over, but perhaps that is because I didn't simply haven't looked. The Manhattan Condo nesting pair are infamous, so I was bit surpised when you said it couldn't happen, but understand. I do notice groups of green parrots as many other varieties throughout the year. I suspect Greenwoood supports many of these also.
Thanks

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 12:38 PM

Poor squirrel... :(

Does look like he was grabbed by a Hawk and dropped.

Hawks love pigeons, mice, and squirrels.

Posted by: bren at November 2, 2007 12:43 PM

New York Law: A trapped squirrel cannot be released on private property. A trapped squirrel cannot be released on public property. Which leaves us with . . . (let your imagination run wild, or not so wild).

Posted by: PPSer at November 2, 2007 2:06 PM

Definitely a feral cat. I caught one a few weeks ago in my backyard in Bed-Stuy with a squirrel in its mouth-- sadly, by the time I got to it, it was only half a squirrel.

(And I say 'sadly' because I would've preferred to clean up a whole dead squirrel instead the mangled half that remained by the time I found it. Gross.)

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 2:07 PM

"That squirrel will be worthless when AY is built."
"perhaps a tiny freezing jedi cut open the squirrel to climb in and stay warm".
*SNORT* LOL

On a more serious note, a few weeks ago I saw just the bottom half of a squirrel on the sidewalk, that was really gross, not sure what did it and the construction workers from one of the two building under reno must have dumped it in the dumpster, 'cuz it was gone when I got back. No idea where the top part of the poor critter got to.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 2:33 PM

Stupid squirrel-biting hipsters!

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 2:42 PM

Fuck The What.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 3:25 PM

Hey in all seriousness this has happened to me before. Last halloween a squirrel was found with his head decapitated in front of my neighbors yard. I live in Fort Greene, does any one think its possible that we have a serial squirrel killer on the loose. I was watching Americas most wanted and there is a squirrel killer on the loose. I believe the culprit hails from a trailer park community in Alabama. His childhood psychologists when interviewed stated that his mental stability deteriorated when he was a mere 10 years of age. He said it coincided with FOX stopped airing the saturday morning cartoon Rocky and Bullwinkle.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 4:13 PM

AMBER ALERT

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 4:25 PM

"I believe the culprit hails from a trailer park community in Alabama."

Nah, in that case there would be no body lying around.

Squirrel. It's what's for dinner.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 4:42 PM

Excellent thread. The squirrels need a hate-crime law. Stop the cat-on-squirrel madness!

I would be more worried if this WAS a gunshot, which it doesn't look lilke to me, just because that means there's some dickhead in Brooklyn shootin' shit. However, I wouldn't be surprised. My friend in Hoboken once went all Bill-Murray-in-Caddyshack on his squirrels--destructive, aggressive little boogers--and poisoned a bunch of 'em. He then had to deal with their unpleasant tendency to die in inconvenient places, like the neighbor's yard, or under his deck.

I'm not at all surprised about squirrels' unpopularity--they screw up gardens and eat your veggies. They are, however, cute--closest thing to monkeys I happen to have in my backyard, and plucky little fuckers. So I've decided not to bother fighting them, and try to plant things they don't want to ruin. It's a battle you're never gonna win.

Meanwhile, if some developer wanted to threaten/menace you, Mr. B., I'd like to think they could come up with something scarier than a mutilated rodent--you see those all the time in NYC. If you can't come up with a horse head--the time-honored classic--a good old rotten fish mailed in a box would be much more dramatic than a squirrel, and easier to come by. Not to give people any ideas....

Posted by: Rehab at November 2, 2007 5:09 PM

I did it.

Some day The What is going to get a job ......

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 6:29 PM

Did anyone read the gold teeth link above?? The whole blotter is extremely disturbing.

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 8:54 PM

Wasn't this the afternoon of November 1st? I bet it wasn't just any cat the night before, but a black one.

I mean, it's Halloween, and those cats, you know, they get all evil then. ;)

Posted by: guest at November 2, 2007 10:49 PM

Contact the SQUIRREL DEFAMATION LEAGUE. Their most imformative website is :http://www.deadsquirrel.com/

Posted by: guest at November 3, 2007 7:57 PM

bstoner, you saw:

"A squirrel with a gaping hole the size of a golf ball in its neck..."

Cancer. Definitely neck cancer. And the squirrel was one of the four billion uninsured squirrels in America. Hence, no chemo or radiation for that tumor.

Posted by: guest at November 3, 2007 8:37 PM

Can we please get back to how unbelievable Mr. B's comment is that he thinks there's a possibility that this is a threat from a developer? The hubris is unbelievable...

I would like to believe what I'm sure will be protestations of "irony" (of course presented after the fact given all the more logical explanations above, excluding of course The What/Allen's comments) but given the unbelievably sanctimonious tone of this guy re: architecture and developers I'm just not so sure...

Posted by: guest at November 5, 2007 8:26 AM

It looks like it had some type of illness or disease, died (no duh), and then some bugs infested and ate it

Posted by: guest at November 11, 2007 2:19 PM

i just wanted to say that as a dog walker i havent seen many around in the usual places my dog likes to go squirrles were plenty last year .has anybody else noticed

Posted by: guest at March 9, 2008 11:03 AM

I am waiting to call Animal Control in my town because we had a dead squirrel in my front yard Sunday and we disposed of it in the alley in quadrupled plastic bags and straw, but the next day this dead squirrel was back in the front yard, bags and all only this time and I won't take a picture, it was stripped and gutted. We do have a possum in the neighborhood so your squirrel is not as bad as the one I am not disposing of this time. Talk about gross. Now to find a way to get rid of this possum or whatever animal did this thing to this rat with a furry tail. No I will not dispose of it this time...it's a rat with rabies and all other manner of disease.

Posted by: ODIE at October 27, 2009 11:45 AM

« Man on the Street: How're You Feeling About IKEA? Commercial Sales in Brooklyn »

November 2, 2007

Dead (Murdered?) Squirrel Raises Questions

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