No squirrels

[berkshires]

I'm always hearing about squirrel chews on lines. I realized the other day that in fifty years of roaming our woods in the Eastern foothills of the Berkshires, I cannot recall seeing a single squirrel on our property. Billions of chipmunks, way too many mice, not to mention deer, bear, etc. But not one squirrel. Weird, huh? Where are they?

Gabe

[TapTapTap]

I'm always hearing about squirrel chews on lines. I realized the other day that in fifty years of roaming our woods in the Eastern foothills of the Berkshires, I cannot recall seeing a single squirrel on our property. Billions of chipmunks, way too many mice, not to mention deer, bear, etc. But not one squirrel. Weird, huh? Where are they?

Gabe

Do you have a bird feeder? Mine usually hang out there. Too much work chewing acorn shells you know.

[minehart gap]

Until last year, I could have said that same thing. Last year, I he'd minor damage only I didn't realize how minor at that time. This year, I have somewhere north of 10% of my tees damaged, a lot of drop lines ruined and even 50 or so spiles that have been chewed through. Hope you don't have to complain about squirrels for as long as you are making maple syrup. I now have increased my bounty to $10 per tail for kids who shoot them on my property.

[buckeye gold]

I'm always hearing about squirrel chews on lines. I realized the other day that in fifty years of roaming our woods in the Eastern foothills of the Berkshires, I cannot recall seeing a single squirrel on our property. Billions of chipmunks, way too many mice, not to mention deer, bear, etc. But not one squirrel. Weird, huh? Where are they?

Gabe

Want some? I ship in lots of 50.

[berkshires]

I have never put up a bird feeder there. And no need to ship us a box of squirrels, I suspect that the minute I put up any lines the squirrels will magically appear!

GO

[BAP]

Boy , you are one lucky person. I replaced close to 30% of the tubing and fittings in the back half of my woods a week ago when checking lines.

[TapTapTap]

I assume you've got nut trees - oak, hickory, etc.

If you do then you've got squirrels. Look for their tree nests which are easy to spot this time of year.

[buckeye gold]

I hear you BAP, I had one lateral that I just run all new and it was new last year. I think I used over 500 ft of tubing just to repair squirrel damage. I have a mixed woods of oak and hickory in the back and my maple bush towards the front. Then the neighbor cut his timber and cut hard, taking almost all the mature nut trees. So the bastards moved down on me.....

[berkshires]

Yep, plenty of nut trees. Oak, hickory (all bitternut, hardly any shag bark) a lot of beech, birch, red and sugar maple, ash, pine, hemlock, etc. No one tree dominates anywhere. It's no benefit to me, as I have no lines. Just an odd mystery.

GO

[Swingpure]

Yep, plenty of nut trees. Oak, hickory (all bitternut, hardly any shag bark) a lot of beech, birch, red and sugar maple, ash, pine, hemlock, etc. No one tree dominates anywhere. It's no benefit to me, as I have no lines. Just an odd mystery.

GO

For us the odd mystery is rabbits. Everywhere I have lived we have had lots of rabbits. I now live in a rural area, with a wide assortment of trees. Lots of squirrels and chipmunks and mice and even the odd groundhog, but I have never seen a rabbit on my property and only rarely in the winter, do I see a rabbit track. We have a lot of predators, hawks, eagles, owls, fox, fishers, coyotes, wolves, mink and even cougars, so they must be being kept well in check.

We have more red squirrels, than black or grey. I have been discouraging the red squirrels. So far I have not witnessed any line damage yet, but maybe that starts to happen once the sap runs.