Squirrel and deer damage

[kudu]

Just signed up to this sight tonight, hoping to get some way to deter varmint damage. Squirrel and deer damage bad this year. Never in the past have I had so much damage, usually have to repair about 5%-10% of my lines, this year, 95%. :mad: I have run close to 3000 feet of new 5/16 tubing, along with many new tees and taps. Every time I think a short section is OK, as soon as I have sap flowing, I have more dripping on the ground, so I still end up replacing everything.... I have between 300 and 350 taps this year, but the upkeep is the worst that it has ever been in the 15 years that I have been using tubing.

I still have a bit of repair to do, but I am at least getting sap now. Anyone have any way to deter animal damage, other than taking the whole system down every year.

[TapME]

do you like dear steaks? Tree rats are target practice for the large critters:)
Sorry to here that they are getting at the lines. Questions do you clean your lines? If so are you using something that they like (bleach). It leaves a salty smell that they like. Just my 2 cents

[Randy Brutkoski]

I have alot of coyote damage lately. They love to bite and tug at my laterals. The squirell damage is all of the time.

[Farmboy]

Squirrels make great target practice. I no in some states you can get damage tags on deer. There is an over population of coyotes in most states. Most state put an open season on them. Pellet guns work good on squirrels up to 50 yards. If you don't hunt there are probably people in your area that would love to hunt in your woods.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Are you using bleach to clean or sanitize your lines with??

[kudu]

I haven't used bleach for several years, I usually run a solution of water and vinegar and blow the lines with air and clean water. I walked into the woods a couple days ago and shot 3 red squirrels in five minutes. This past year my brother, who lives beside this woods had over $1000 worth of damages to his two cars on 3 occasions with wiring harnesses chewed in half, he was seeing fox squirrels run out from under his cars.

[TapME]

Brandon, do you still use the rat traps nailed to the trees with peanut butter for bait? I have used that at camp to get rid of the squirrels there and it works great. Just nail it to a tree they use and slam you have them.

[peacemaker]

heres what we do ... after stringing all my lines ..... we connect all the mainline wires and then connect them to the horse fencer .... when them tree rats and deer bite it the get wire and zap....

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Brandon, do you still use the rat traps nailed to the trees with peanut butter for bait? I have used that at camp to get rid of the squirrels there and it works great. Just nail it to a tree they use and slam you have them.

I haven't for a while and need to try them again. I caught a flying squirrel a few years ago and that took care of a lot of the damage problems.

[adk1]

yeah, I had a flying squirrel problem in my house two years ago. they ahd a hole into my roof soffit. it was difficult to get rid of them

[BradWilson]

I used to get paid $.25/tail for hunting squirrels in the sugarbush. Find some kid from the neighborhood and pay them to get the tree rats. And like someone else suggested get a nuisance permit for the deer.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

heres what we do ... after stringing all my lines ..... we connect all the mainline wires and then connect them to the horse fencer .... when them tree rats and deer bite it the get wire and zap....

have u ever seen one get shocked? they would have to be grounded in order for that to work correctly. I could see the deer getting nailed but unsure if the tree rats would.

Use to hook 120v to my friends fathers 67 chevy 1/2 ton in phx in the carport to keep undesirables away from it, I tested it once it hurt!:lol:
unfortunately it finally was stolen and now driving around South of the Border.:(

[maple flats]

I used to get lots of squirrel damage until I started using Hydrogen peroxide to clean them, that is up until this year. I think we are seeing a pattern. In the past we pumped the water/peroxide mixture from the bottom, along with air to clean the system, and would walk the lines, pulling one tap at a time (times 2-3 workers), let it blow and then plug it. This year it looks like the higher elevations with slower flow while cleaning, do have damage. Hopefully, by cleaning while using the vacuum this year will remedy that. We will walk the lines with the vac running and pull each tap, suck some solution in and then hold open a few seconds to dry, cap it and move on. Will work top the bottom on each lateral.
My thoughts on most animal damage is that where you find the most damage you see tubing that was not cleaned as well. These critters smell the fermented sap thru the plastic. I don't think I have ever found damage on a section that looked really clean just before the next season.
I like the food grade peroxide because it breaks down into hydrogen and water, leaves nothing but water after the sun and heat have broken it down. As far as time, it takes very little time if the sun can get to it.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

so where would I have this food grade peroxide?

[Ike]

Last year was our worsed damage from squirel,deer and coyotes. I tryed many things and this is what is working for me. We mix vaseoline and cayenne pepper together. We use rubber gloves and apply a thin coat on the 5/16" lines. The last thing we do is to raise the lines high as possible when the sap run is done. This year we only falling tree damage.