squrral damage

[maplekid]

do any of you guys ever come across varmint eatin at your tubig taps ect. we were walking through my uncle sugarbush and saw a squarrel eatins away at the spout and then it came to me that squarrel saeson can come a little early so today at around 6 i went out with my 410 and gave him stomach full of turkey shot. do any of you face these problems

[maple flats]

I did before I started cleaning the tubing with peroxide. They are after the salts in chlorine type cleaners. I use food grade peroxide, last year I had no damage and ther are still squirrels at the woods.

[220 maple]

Mapleflats,
I had squirrels chew in brand new tubing and spiles, Squirrels are basically tree rats. They chew on things for no apparent reason sometimes, I bring about all my tubing in each season. Leave the mainline which is black plastic.
I never tried this but I have a friend who has a 11000 tap camp who swears that ginger put in little cloth bags and left in a area were they are occurring squirrel damage stops them. We in the south have more problems with this because we have hardwood trees that squirrels likes, White Oaks and Walnuts. They have more maples up north. The answer is a 410 or larger shotgun.
Mark 220 Maple

[chipa]

mice can do a number on tubing also. In one of the orchards I work in we had heavy chew damage with no evidence of squirrels being around. The mice can run on the tubing also, so they damage it between trees. The damage lessened as the season progressed (more access to normal food/water?) The orchard was thinned out 6 years ago (there was a lot of bull- pine) , which has promoted the growth of raspberries etc. . All those thorns would seem to deter predators (fox)

[maplehound]

I am sure some of my damage is done from squirles but I think th emost of it is done by raccoon. I have also seen ground hogs around some of the worst damage done near the ground. The deer can do allot of damage as well when they rub the racks. With all these posibblities I ussually use a whole roll of tubing just in repaires each year.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Ron,

How is your recovery looking and are you at 100%? I know a lot have prayed for you the past few months and hope you will be ready to go come spring!

[maplehound]

Brandon,
Thanks for asking and for the prayers. I have recovered from back surgery and have returned to work. However I still antisipate haveing knee replacments in the near future. I am going to try to schedual them in so I won't miss another syrup season.
Ron

[Russell Lampron]

Ron,

My mother had both of her knees replaced 2 years ago and recovered fine. She helps me with tapping, gathering and boiling and she is 76 years old!

Russ

[maplehound]

Russ,
I hope that I can get mine done with as good resultes.
Ron

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Ron,

Glad to hear you are doing well. Trying scheduling them around the end of April so you will have time to recoup and not mess up all of your summer too. At your age, you should recover pretty fast!

[maplekid]

maplehound do you live up torwards new franklin? and are you close to buck road? got rid of my syrup pan for a 100 dollars and i am going to biuld me an evaporator so i hope it goes a smooth as i planned it to go

[802maple]

I have a friend that had both of his replaced last December and didn't even miss a stroke this sugaring season.