My husband wants to dart and tag the squirrels here on the Berkshire so that we can see how many of them there truly are.  The use of a paint ball gun was also suggested.

I have never, in the eleven years we have lived in this house, seen it this bad.  The acorns have always been a battle every fall.  That we have come to expect.  We listen to the crash down on the cars, we hear them crush under the tires as we're coming and going from our home.  Last night one hit the car as I backed us in and it scared me to death it was so loud. 

This year is different though.  The squirrels have a new tactic.  They have a whole new approach to their hunting and gathering...and I think they are killing my Oak by doing it.  What they do, is find a branch with a cluster of acorns on it, then gnaw off the branch letting it fall to the ground and covering my lawn.  Here's the weird part though...the acorns have already been pillaged before they gnaw the branch off.  It's like they are eliminating the ones they have already gotten too.  It's like lean manufacturing in my tree!  I read on line last night how amazingly intelligent squirrels actually are and the great lengths they will go to to protect their acorn gold.  I think these buck tooth bastards on the Berkshire have evolved even past what those researchers have found.  I think they are organized.  I live in fear... (lol)

I do however worry that they are killing my Great Oak. 

...And that makes me wonder...if the Great Oak goes...what about the smurfs?