A squirrel in Boise taught me to double check my gear bag

I was setting up for a crown reduction on a big maple in a client's backyard. Had my climbing rope, saws, and gear all laid out on a tarp. Turned my back for maybe two minutes to talk with the homeowner. When I looked back, a bold little squirrel had dragged my brand new, $45 rigging pulley right up the tree. It wedged it into a crotch about 30 feet up, chattering at me the whole time. Took me an extra hour of careful limb walking to retrieve it, and now I zip my main bag shut even during setup. Anyone else had wildlife run off with a crucial piece of kit?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylor.mary1mo agoMost Upvoted

Wait, do squirrels even know what to do with a pulley? That's wild it went for something so specific. What did the homeowner say while it was happening?

linda_clark1mo ago

Right? It's like how animals keep finding new ways to get into stuff we build. They're always watching and figuring things out.

maxm505d ago

Nah, I'm not buying it. Squirrels aren't THAT smart, they probably just stumbled into it by accident and got lucky.