In the never-ending quest to try to save at least a few sunflower seeds for the birds, I came up with this idea to try to outfox the little geniuses. Consists of a section of 4" Galvanized stove pipe and a plug for same. Total cost 10 bucks. I cut a hole in the plug to let it fit over the pipe, and used aluminum wire to hang it from the bottom of the feeder. The little devils can climb up the inside of the pipe, but it won't do them any good 'cause they can't get out the top. I don't think they will be able to climb up the outside of the stovepipe. It's pretty darned smooth and slippery. However, if you feed birds, you know that squirrels are not easily dissuaded. Over the years I've tried sooo many methods to outwit them, and they usually figure out a way to get to the feeder anyway. It's not like they don't get fed anyway, because there's always finches around that like to throw as many seeds out as they eat. I'll let you know if this works!

Looks good, tell us later if it passes the test

, Wish ya luck Nate
I placed a squirrel proof feeder ontop a pole, now they climb the fence and jump to the top of the feeder, they figured out they cant get to the seed as they weigh to much, so now they shake the feeder to get seed to drop... .
They will do anything to get into my loft, Today I found a hole chewed in the overhang (eave) and when cleaning the loft, found they chewed through the ceiling insulations and walla found there way in...
Now how to get back out???
They can't...
Today I opened the door and had a heck of a time convincing a little one to go out the door and keep my birds inside....fun fun fun...

To tell you the truth, I fully expect them to find a way around it. They are so smart! Check this out: Squirrels Complete Insane Obstacle Course - Video

Wow that video is amazing. I never knew they so determined.

I saw on tv that is helped to provide a lower seperat feeder for the squires. This way they will go for the easier food and leave the bird feeder alone. Either that or they will get twice as fat!

They definitely get twice as fat! Also greedy. We trained the squirrels in our yard to go for the expensive black oil sunflower & peanut hearts we put out for the good birds. (We also trained the house sparrows the same way.)

My Dad puts up a special squirrel feeder in the hopes of getting the squirrels to leave the bird feeders alone. He has pretty good luck with this. His squirrel feeder is shaped like a wheel with no rim but several spokes. And he puts dried corn on the cob on each spoke. When the squirrel jumps on an ear of corn, the wheel spins and the squirrels seem to like the ride! I think these type of feeders are sold commercially.

Good luck with the baffle, Nate. As you know, squirrels are determined pretty buggers. Not sure how they'll be able to get to your feeder with that baffle, especially if it is standing away from any nearby structures (so they won't be able to leap to it). But if there is a way, I'm sure a squirrel will figure it out. They have to be one of the most enterprising animals on earth!

Been there, done that. The number of squirrels increases exponentially the more feeders you put up. One feeder, 13,000 squirrels. Two feeders, 50,000 (numbers have been slightly dramatized). Add a special squirrel feeder, add more squirrels. Now you have to buy the dried corn for the squirrel feeder too. Add dog who loves to chase the squirrels away, end up with frustrated dog with complex from watching squirrels thumb noses at him while sitting juuust out of reach.

One approach that actually works fairly well is to hang the feeders from a long horizontal wire, high enough off the ground to allow for drifting snow. Around here, that means a pulley system to let the feeders down low enough so that you can reach the feeders to fill them. String lots of wooden thread spools (don't know if you can even still find them) between the feeders and between the feeders and where the wire joins either a tree or a building. Takes a lot of spools, you have to keep the feeders out away at least 10 feet or so. When the squirrels attempt to walk the wire, the spools rotate, dumping them off. Even then, eventually one will get across to a feeder from time to time.

That sounds pretty neat with the wooden spools but yes, they are very hard to find these days. You sure got a booming squirrel population, Nate! LOL They are cute to watch but are such stinkers too! My house has a lot of black walnut trees along the perimeter of the property line and they have always generated enough nuts to keep the squirrels pretty well fed -- I can tell from all the broken, empty nut shells around the tree trunks that I have raked up in the spring. I must say that the jaws of a squirrel must be very strong for them to break through black walnut shells -- I can't break them even with a nutcracker. Hammer is about the only way I can get them open!