Squirrels

[MrBig892]

Was wondering if any of you that use black plastic pipelines have as big a problem with squirrels, or do they seem to prefer the softer blue mainlines.
Thanks.

[maplecrest]

black pipe is subject to woodpeckers. downy woodpeckers love to poke holes in black pipe. 4 years ago i found 360 holes in my black pipe network. seeing that you are a short flight from me they may be in your neck of the woods also. every time is see one i go looking for holes.

[danno]

No problems with squirels with the black pipe mainline. Now the blue laterals, that's another matter. It can get real bad wherever the tube goes by a tree, especially an end tree.

I bet I replaced tubing around a couple large trees 4 or 5 times during last season alone - they were making it real hard to keep vacuum levels up. Towards the end, I was leaving up the old, unused blue line trying to fool the squirels - it worked OK.

This year I'm gonna try to use the tree end Y connector so the tube going around the tree is not carrying sap or vacuum.

[brookledge]

I very seldom have a problem with the mainline. If I have any damage it is usually on the 5/16 where it goes around the tree.
Keith

[KenWP]

What happens if you try and feed the woodpeckers so they leave the mainline alone. A few suet feeders might help.

[3rdgen.maple]

I think the suit idea might be like the old beetle traps. When you had a few beetles you put it out then in no time you had thousands. It attracted all the beetles. As far as squirells I posted an idea an old timer told me about a while back. A mixure of water or maybe it was vegie oil with tabasco sauce sprayed on the lines. They bite once and decide that it taste so bad they don't do it again. Or my favorite thin them out with a little hunting. Ever have squirell stew pretty good stuff.

[dano2840]

12 ga or .22 i wa bow hunting 2 days ago and there were 7 chippmunks and squirrels running around my stand, i looked made sure there wasnt any deer looking and managed to shoot 2 arrows and i got on big fat gray squirrel, 10 later a doe came in but she was followed by a spotted fawn so i looked the other way pretended i didnt see them and let them be on their way

[Haynes Forest Products]

Just nail a rat trap on the tree and put a small piece of drop line with peanut butter on it....SNAP:o

[3rdgen.maple]

I can just picture 2 squirells playing rock paper scissors on who gets to go first. Wait 2 out of 3, wait 3 out of 5 :D

[mtnmeadowmplfarm]

I keep my sugarwoods free of any softwood species and have virtually no squirrel problems

[dschultz]

I had trouble with woodcock birds this spring putting holes in my taps where it meets the tree.