Mystery animal chewing tubing

[bhart]

We've been running tubing for years and have had our share rodent chews. We found something different today that we haven't seen before. Getting ready to tap in one section of our sugarbush, at a higher elevation, we found many drops chewed through, in multiple locations on the drops, by an animal with canines. There are hundreds of moderate sized pin holes on most drops and laterals in this section. Looks very similar to my Lab's chewing when she was a puppy ( no it wasn't her)- about the same size holes. Has anyone seen this before? Without speculation, which I can do myself, anyone with firsthand knowledge with a similar experience. I'm in a remote area of southeast NY. No snow on the ground-no tracks. Thanks

[Thad Blaisdell]

I believe you will find it to be a fishercat

[Grade "A"]

coydogs have been known to chew on tubing.

[NH Maplemaker]

My best guess would be an eastern coyote! I have never had adults coyote chew my lines ,but have coy pups chew lines a few times! JimL.

[lakeview maple]

My neighbor lost a dozen laterals last season ,followed the coyote tracks in the snow.Every time it came to a saddle it would chew back on the lateral for 5 or 6 ft ,he even took pics of the tracks in the snow. Al

[njburg]

I had bears cubs chewing my tubing. We have one sow with 4 cubs and another with 2. The tubing wasn't even up a week.

[lew]

I live in Central NY and have a similar situation every year in 2 particular areas of one woods. I believe it to be raccoons. It took a few seasons to figure it out, but this is my theory. All the chewed droplines are in a relatively small area, lees than an acre. Damage always happens in the same area each year. Damage always occurs after season. In the 2 areas that I find damage, there are coon den trees. The marks in the tubing look like the came from small canine teeht and very sharp, like needles. LIke your dog would have had when it was a pup, or a young coon would have. The young coon wouldn't be out and about by themselves until after our season is over, hence no damage noticed until the following year. No guarentees, but this is my theory.

Thad, he could very well have Fisher cats making the damage in his area, but we do not have any in our neck of the woods. I'm not sure about his.

[Brian]

it is probably a fisher cat, they make little holes in your line, we have had problems with them for years, most coyote puppies can't reach it if its up in the air, but fishers will climb the tree and bite the drops.

[wiam]

Does fisher chew look like this?

[Thad Blaisdell]

wiam, I have never seen a chew like that. looks like a deer chew only way more severe than I get. Fisher chews are more like someone stepping up to the line and jabbing it with an almost needle sharp object over and over and over. In a foot of drop they might put 50 little holes in it. or more.

[bowtie]

lew
if you do not have fishers around you now you probably soon will. they are making a comeback in new york. a couple weeks ago one was hit a mile down the road from where i work/also where i tap, a friend knew the guy who hit it and brought it to show me. they are quite an impressive predator. my neighbors and friends have been getting trail cam pics of them for a few years now. they will wreak havoc with small game and mammal populations. i have not got a pic yet but have noticed that along with hawks,coyotes,fox,racoons,possum etc etc that there are not many rabbits, squirrels,turkeys, and other small game around.

[bhart]

Some great theories. Although I've never heard of fisher cats in this area, the description of their chews is consistent with what I'm seeing. The tubing is not chewed all the way through, with the exception of many needle like penetrations, but there are hundreds of needle marks in each drop to the point where the drop is deformed and almost crushed. There are 30-40 drops like this but the damage is confined to an area maybe an acre in size and very little to no damage in the rest of the sugarbush. There is also some minor damage in the lateral line within a foot or so on each side of the cup tee. Also some minor damage where a lateral has sagged or a fallen branch has pulled the lateral close to the ground. Interestingly another mystery animal, or maybe the same, has been breaking into a neighbor's chicken coop and killing birds, quite close to where I'm finding the damage. My initial thought on both counts was some animal in the weasel family. I'll be out in the woods tomorrow and get some pictures and post them. Thanks for all the great responses! Bri Hart

[collinsmapleman2012]

if its killing the chickens too then it has to be a fisher. they can be vicious little creatures