Protecting your fruit from squirrel's and other critters

[hambone]

I have deported 55 this year over the river. And still they come. Cat food in a can looks like best trap bait so far, thanks to someone here for that tip.

[northwoodswis4]

I have deported 55 this year over the river. And still they come.

There is probably someone across the river deporting them to your side!

[ltilton]

There’s a ferry, doing a brisk bank-and-forth business

[JustAnne4]

They enjoy the ride and come back for more. They memorize the route you take and back track.

[BobVance]

Maybe different ones come back but not the deported ones unless they can build a raft or swim a wide river.

One of my friends used to do this and couldn’t believe how many he was getting. He spray painted the tail of one orange, then found it in his trap again a week or so later after relocating it quite a ways. Not across a river, but 5-10 miles. Remember, if you can get across in your car, I bet they can use the same bridge

I[quote=“Mickster, post:179, topic:11045”]
Looks like the next wave of squirrels is infiltrating our yard.
[/quote]

I’ve been getting a few, but I get more raccoons. I set a new record today with 3 in a single trap. No video this time, but I got it last year when 2 got trapped together.

My father read recently that ammonia can serve as a deterrent. Has anyone tried leaving a few cups/buckets of ammonia out around their trees?

[JustAnne4]

I set a new record today with 3 in a single trap.

A bazillion likes!!!

ammonia can serve as a deterrent

My sister told me her friend, who is a potato farmer in PA, successfully used ammonia ampules in ground rodent holes. Ammonia evaporates pretty quickly so concentrating it or controlling its evaporation rate might be challenging.

[Auburn]

Do you think ammonia would work on chipmunks?

[JustAnne4]

What I have done is to roll up pieces of paper towel very tightly like a bolus and secure them with a wire or string. Ends up being ~2" long and maybe 1/2-3/4" in diameter. I soak the boluses in a jar of ammonia overnight at least as I want it to infuse into the center and I found that the easiest for me. When I see a hole, I’ll open the jar and drop one in it and cover with something so the smell goes into the hole mostly. With this you never know if you have permanently taken care of the rodent or just chased them away. The former is preferred, the latter is just a deterrent. As with most deterrents, they’ll be back.

[Auburn]

Thank you. I’m about to goggle bolus now. I’m curious as to what it is. Sometimes us in the south never hear many common words.

[JustAnne4]

Whoops. I may not have used it correctly but it is a tight roll about the size of 2 segments on your finger. In my world it is used to apply a remediation into an orifice of the body.

[Auburn]

Thanks. I had just ask my wife a retired english teacher what a bolus was. Neither of us new. All in fun. I like to joke a little.

[JohnS]

Here is a picture of my squirrel catching device.
John S
PDX OR

[BobC]

These guys have totaled my nectarines and are now into the peaches.

[UrbanAggie]

I too am at war with the local raccoons. Hate these cheeky buggers that will even wander into my house if I leave the front or backdoor open. Grrrrrr

[ltilton]

I too am at war with the local raccoons. Hate these cheeky buggers that will even wander into my house if I leave the front or backdoor open. Grrrrrr

I’ve known the smaller ones to come thru the cat door

[Levers101]

Welp, I just broke down and ordered a tube trap. I can’t take the squirrels eating all of my Liberty apples two months before they are ripe. They seem to prefer liberty right now even though my Zestar are closer to ripe.

[scottfsmith]

Its strange the preferences they have. My Nectar peaches get eaten a full month before they are ripe.

I am currently only getting an occasional squirrel, I have peach trees ripening and for a change nothing is snitching. I was having a lot of deer predation on lower fruits and for a change I am also spraying fruits directly with the deterrent. I’m going to keep doing that as I already lost many apples due to deer this season but the spray seems to deter them. Maybe this spray will also deter squirrels a bit.

[Mickster]

which spray are you using scott?

[dutch-s]

yes Scott…I am desperate to know what pray you are using. Incredible to find something that works!

[BobC]

Two more raccoons this morning and about five or six ran off around the cage looked like a little family. I got two of them. I hate to put these guys away but man They are tearing on my peach trees.