My home was invaded this morning. (LONG)

[Lagmonster]

I've had a handful of occasions where mice, squirrels, and even a raccoon got where they shouldn't be and thought it was a better idea to fight in a corner than be shooed out of the house with a broom.

The answer is a quick stunning blow with foot or tool, followed by stepping on their neck. Quick, easy, often bloodless. But you can't be a wuss about it - if you intend to kill it, don't make it harder than it has to be for either of you. The best answer is a booted foot - don't touch it with your skin - but any human is more than strong enough to quickly twist the neck of anything up to cat-sized with their two hands, and it's often easier to put on some gloves and catch them than to try to hit them with hard stomps if they're on the move.

The hardest kill I ever had to make was a baby mouse - very tiny. It's mother had lost it or abandoned it in the middle of a furniture store, the staff wanted it shooed outside, and the poor thing could hardly move on its own, it was so young. It was the middle of winter. Putting it outside or ignoring it was a slow, gruesome death from freezing or starvation. It took nothing more than a twist of my fingers, but it was hard to do; poor thing was pitiably cute.

[Keevan_Colton]

Why? We've got squirrels around our house and yard for decades, they've never caused any damage whatsoever to any of our property.

Same here.

[Batman]

You should either
a)grow a sense of humour, or
b)grow more specific when you're telling me I'm overdoing something.

I meant you should stop presuming that anyone gives a shit about who you are and what your list is.

Newsflash, Durandal:I know people don't give a shit. Nevertheless, thanks for claryf..clarify...clearing this up.

People don't use the "evil" smiley thing when they're joking, so you can stop backpedaling any time now.

Yes they do. However, if they're smart -unlike me- they also use one of the 'fun' smileys afterwards, to show that they were joking. On that point I stand corrected.

[Nathan F]

The angler was the only thing long enough and thin enough to get it on the shelf.

This is the first time this has ever happened.

BTW- I live in a residential area. You really think I should start blasting away when I have neighbors at all sides?

You can buy .22 caliber pellet guns that are quite powerful, and shooting them in your garage won't do any seirous damage if you shoot into wood or the like. You could invest in a small .22, and us .22 Short ammo, or the light sub sonic stuff.