Squirrels

[bowhunter]

Had my first experience with squirrels. I use tubing drops into buckets. I had a good run a week ago but the weather has been too cold for several days. I went out yesterday about noon to see if the sap had been running. About 25% of my buckets were turned over and I had 25 taps chewed, some completely chewed off at the tree. Fortunately I had some spare drops already made up and I managed to patch several others. I'm going to make sure I have several spare drops from now on. I a had small section of about 15 taps and they had damaged or destroyed everyone of them.

[Paddymountain]

This year seemed to be really bad for squirrel damage.
I think some squirrels at my house may have overdosed on tubing!

[maple flats]

I use a spray made up of Vicious Viper hot sauce, vegetable oil and water. It works very well, however if you just have drops into buckets the spray would likely get into the sap in the bucket and that would ruin the sap.
The recipe we use: 5-6 drops Vicious Viper, about 1/2 cup vegetable oil and then fill a 24 oz spray bottle the rest of the way with water. Shake each time you go to spray, it does not stay in suspension. Use nitrile gloves and eye protection.
Once a squirrel gets 1 taste they will never bite the tubing again. I only spray near the tree, not in stretches between the trees. We have never detected any in the syrup.
The spray lasts about 10-14 days, less if it rains. One 5 oz bottle of vicious Viper will be good for the season for about 2-3000 taps.

[to100]

I have yet to have a problem with them. Are the grey or red or both?

[johnallin]

I have yet to have a problem with them. Are the grey or red or both?

Don't say that too loud....they might be listening

Kind of like talking about a flat tire - taboo

[BAP]

I have yet to have a problem with them. Are the grey or red or both?
I have a few thousand that I will send across the river to you if you really want to know.

[Sugar Bear]

Last weekend my girlfriend put some of my syrup on Brussels Sprouts and roasted them. Man were they good.

I bet roasted maple glazed squirrel (red or gray) would be mighty fine too.

[pdiamond]

Hey sugar bear
As a matter of fact we had a squirrel stew tonight with maple syrup added. man was it yummy.

[Michael Greer]

Squirrel populations come in waves. A heavy mast year in the forest trees allows the squirrel to have two, or even three litters in a single season. A couple years back to back like that can lead to a ten-fold increase in populations. Now this sets quite a banquet for all those predators that eat squirrel, and a good food supply always leads to a population spike. Expect to see more foxes and hawks a few years later and they will work to whittle that squirrel population back down. Nothing ever happens in a vacuum, and wave generates wave somewhere forever.

[Sugar Bear]

I have also noticed that some of the gray squirrels these days as compared to the one's say back in the 1970's look like they are taking steroids. Like they hit the gym every day too. Like they could chew through steel pipe. Like you might need to go to a .22 Hornet instead of just a .22

[bowhunter]

They're fox squirrels.

[Trapper2]

Here you go guys and gals, https://www.mepps.com/squirrel-tail/

[claystroup]

Last year I bet I lost 30% of my sap in one area of my woods due to squirrels knibbling holes in the bottom corners of my bags. I probably replaced 40-50 bags over the course of 3 weeks. Then I started putting Gorilla tape along the bottom seams of the bags and they would chew through that. This year I bought 50 used aluminum 2 gallon buckets/lids and have not had any problems at all. And to be honest, I like the buckets better than the bags and am going to convert over to all aluminum buckets over the next couple years.

[bowhunter]

The squirrels kept coming back in the same areas. I probably had 30% of my drops damaged.. most still worked fine with no leaks. I've never had a tooth mark on my drops before this year. Funny how things like this happen. Mother Nature is a mysterious thing.

[bmbmkr]

I talked to my Maple Dealer about getting 1' rolls of tubing next year instead of 800'. I just need enough to go between all the splices we put in this year. Definitely goin to try Dave's hot sauce recipe next fall.

[hodorskib]

I actually have had very good luck on drops and sap bags with Gorilla Tape. Not sure if it is smell or that they don't like chewing on it but it seems to work very well.

[Zucker Lager]

I actually have had very good luck on drops and sap bags with Gorilla Tape. Not sure if it is smell or that they don't like chewing on it but it seems to work very well.
Just wondering if the guys still having trouble with chewers after using the tape might just give the tapes sticky side a light dusting of hot pepper then apply it..............then if they do chew it maybe it will be the last time they do? Jay