Protecting your fruit from squirrel's and other critters

Along with the Squirrelinator there is a smaller one called the chipmunkinator. It is the same thing only smaller. I caught 13 chipmunks and 11 squirrels in 20 days with one. The squirrels are big enough to get out of this trap unless you put a log on top of it. It worked very well. I intend to get me another one this year. The squirrels and chipmunks ate all of my Asian pears and only left me 7 apricots. For any of you who fish or know someone who does, the squirrel tails can be sent to the Mepps company and they will send you lures in exchange. Go to Mepps.com and there is information on their squirrel tail program.

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I use marshmallows and have smeared on a little peanut butter for a ‘fetching aroma’, LOL. After observing them on the game camera, I’ve noted that it is worth the effort to make sure they have to go into the cage to get the bait. They will reach in the cage or over the trip plate, and even turn the trap over to avoid going in.

The photo above shows a can lid that I wired to the bottom of the outside of the cage. I put the marshmallows under the cage on the can lid. Then I take 2 pieces of rebar and put them through the cage in a criss cross to anchor it and prevent the cage from being lifted to get the bait. Kinda like this…
IMG_1825
Don’t think they will mess with the rebar. :thinking:

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Alright…so I’m getting ready for another season of battling squirrels and groundhogs. I wonder if anybody can recommend a groundhog repellent?
Below product has good reviews on amazon but it doesn’t mention groundhogs. Anybody used it? I’m thinking about spraying the metal cages around the trees. Not the trees.
Bobbex deer products have good reviews. But not the all critter version. So I’m hesitant to buy it.

https://www.amazon.com/Exterminators-Choice-Protection-Repellent-Chewing-All/dp/B01DTBOV06/ref=sr_1_25?crid=62QSYDASAYWW&keywords=groundhog+repellent&qid=1550327490&s=gateway&sprefix=Groundhog+re%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-25

Electric woven fence has worked on groundhogs for me so far. It’s not real practical per tree, but has worked around a large vegetable garden.

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Where do you obtain it?

Looking at buying a zapper trap for mice, squirrel, and chipmunk. 7000v, reviews look alright. Anyone have any luck with this?

I’m at a loss with getting rid of rabbits. Had one girdle a nice branch off my cherry tree yesterday, makes me so mad!

Both Kencove and Premiere 1 sell them. I needed to buy extra posts for the Kencove fence, as their built- in posts seemed too far apart. I also bought a Premiere fence last summer, but haven’t tried that one out yet. Theirs were a little cheaper. Electrify it as soon as you put it up or the rabbits chew the plastic. I watched one do it! I also use some plastic tent stakes to keep the bottom down as needed. The baby bunnies and mice can slip through, so I put low 1/2 inch hole chicken wire a foot or so inside the electric fence for good measure. Ground squirrels can still dig tunnels into the garden, though. No groundhogs or deer in the vegetable garden in the three years I have used the fence, though, and they are plentiful in the area. One disadvantage is that you have to take it down in the winter.

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Any recommendations for a game camera? Think I will be needing one of those really soon.

Also for those of you who sink critters… how do you empty/clean out the bins? Dumping water makes splashes…

A little pricey but VERY GOOD…You need one with a very fast flash and will get pictures in less than a second. Squirrels are fast as hell and you may not see them with delays. I have a couple of cheap moultries and a fairly expensive one…($159.00) For expensive. The difference is STARK! You definitely get what you pay for. These were voted best in market 2018…ON Clearance…

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Stay away from the cheap Tasco , poor luck with Wildgame and good luck with Bushnell . Just my experiences .

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I’ve had bad luck with Cuddeback too…

Cuddeback is up there with flash speed and quality, have had them for nearly 20 years with not one problem. I got a low end one for 150.00. but id does everything and more. I would stay away from Wildgame. Browning also makes a nice trailcam.

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I did like the camera. Must have got a bad one. It quit working in a year and a half and they wouldn’t replace it. I really didn’t expect them too just thought i would try…LOL… The one Moultrie i have right now has done quite well…Most are at least decent. Seems it’s a crap shoot on quality…JMO…

Took my Tube trap out today for the first time this season. Set it with a piece of bagel this morning. Came home to find the piece of bagel missing and trap didn’t fire. It’s hard to find the right spot where it’s sensitive enough to go off if a squirrel goes in but still not sensitive enough to go off as soon as I take the safety off…
decided not to set it today because of the rain tomorrow. Hate dealing with dead wet squirrels.

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For a week now I’ve been trying to catch a squirrel! No luck. Either bait gets stolen and trap doesn’t fire off or it gets fired off by itself and then the bait gets stolen. They’ve been eating bagels on me entire week now! I have to spray some WD40 around the trigger area and see where that gets me.

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@Susu, are u using the tube traps? there is a adjustment on the trigger, get a small crescent wrench and a Phillips head screwdriver and tighten the bolt or loosen the bolt and it will put more attention on your Trigger or lessen the tension

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I have caught 5 squirrels last week with my tube trap using peanut butter. Bagels are easy to pick without activating the trigger.

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Thanks podpiper I’ll see if I can tweak it a bit.

Thanks Ahmad. Will switch up baits and see if that makes a difference.

Smear PB on the trigger, never fails.

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