How do you keep Moose out of your sugarbush

[PARKER MAPLE]

Hi all,
So we have been busy building our new sugarbush expansion down here in south central VT. It’s been going great. Very little snow and good traveling. We should have 800-1000 new additional taps and another 2000+ next year to add. All on high vac.
So here’s the question. Last week I unloaded the atv and started up the woods road to come across a big moose track. I thought oh s#!+. I kept driving up the hill to find it standing there just looking at me. After our stare down. It decided to move on in a total different direction, I thought ok. I have been working up here for over a month now and haven’t seen any real wild life it was probably just passing through. Nope 3 hrs later. Here it comes back. Walked right past the atv and down the woods road towards the bottom. So again this morning I head up in to find its tracks and where it had bedded for the night last night, Then got up and took off as I was coming up the road.
My fear is all the damage he can do to our new lines. And this close to the season I’m wondering if there some trick other people are using to keep them out?

[Pdiamond]

HMmmmmm let me think roast thinly sliced quickly browned saueted with onions. works for me

[Pdiamond]

On the serious side I believe if you are in there enough that he will get the idea that hey this is not the place to be and leave. Try to leave as much human scent as possible in and around the areas where he has specifically been and he should move out. I don't know of any other ideas other than being loud and and bother some. Although the meat is very good.

[Chickenman]

Go to local barber/hair salon and ask for the cut hair. Hang it around your property in nylon stockings, onion bags, or bags made from old cloth ( t-shirts, sheets, socks). This will spread human scent everywhere.

Works for whitetail deer in the garden and fruit tree's.

[tcross]

The problem with moose are they're not as scared of humans as deer are. deer are skidish and skeptical... moose are slow, dumb and very curious! Moose can not hear or see or even smell anywhere close to a deer so they aren't as acceptable to smell to deter them away. it would certainly help to leave human scent around. probably would work better if you had a few dogs running around with you (as long as they aren't the ones to chase moose). Moose tend to like to head up hill in the winter... and also tend to run up if you scare them! Good luck! not a problem any sugar maker wants to have!

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

I feel your pain and wish you the best. We had 2 large bulls destroy some lines 1 year while they wintered in the middle of a grove we work in for another sugarmaker. Something like 20 rolls of 5/16" tubing to do repairs because of them. That's a lot of money. We were very lucky in that the next summer they did large clear cuts above us and to the side of us. The moose moved out and presumably into those areas and haven't been back for extended periods of time since.
Have you talked with any local game officials? They should be able to offer up some ideas and may be willing to help.

[johnallin]

Parker, probably not funny...but I have this sign on my wood box outside shop.

dont feed the moose.jpg

Seriously though, I do hope he/she just moves on or you find a solution that works.

[PARKER MAPLE]

Thank you all for the ideas. Although not sure the signs will work 😅. If it was that easy. This is 88 acres we had logged and thinned 2 years ago. That might be what is bringing them in. Not sure. If they start making a mess I will talk to local game wardens and see what they can offer for assistance. Lots of money tied up in this new install. Haven’t seen a drop of sap yet, and a shame to be thinking every time I go up there what am I going to find.