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Post by coppice on May 11, 2011 8:18:43 GMT -5
The list of four legged visitors to an orchard goes on & on to the horizon. I'm not going to try to answer every possible critter that wants what you got all in one go. Lets start with an overlooked group: Mice-voles beaverAll of this group can girdle a tree in a single day. A simple collar of hardware cloth that runs from soil line to taller than snow pack will greatly reduce damage of these chewing beasties. Of this group only beaver can be put off by human scent. IE "P" on your tree; *if* there are other sacrifice trees for beaver to nosh on. If there is nothing else for beaver to eat, even hardware cloth is inadaquate. Takeing out beaver dams needs to be a last resort and done on the sly. Your state fish and game will protect the beaver over your trees. They can and will fine you if they catch you removing beaver dams...
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Post by coppice on May 12, 2011 4:29:19 GMT -5
Deer Wapiti sheep goats
Its not clear to me what a moose cannot jump over. They can just about walk over a six foot tall fence. Keeping bonsai in moose country smacks of Calvin & Hobbs daily cartoons.
All of the header critters can be kept on a reduced forage in your orchard with lightweight plastic fencing. I would not supplement it with electric until you have a proven break-in artist critter.
Deer / moose will see your fence better if you add some string or plastic tape that flutters.
Boy moose, in the fall get really stupid. One can actually blunder into your plastic six foot tall fence, and wander off with it in tow. So fluttery moving things are particularly desirable in the fall.
Goats want to eat what ever looks good to them. I won't tell you a goat can pick a locked gate, but I have watched a goat untie a rope tied gate... One standing head high in an apple tree (yes they can climb trees) eating branches as fast as they can swallow, makes me wonder how he'd taste cooked.
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Post by coppice on May 23, 2011 1:18:02 GMT -5
Bestial compost visitors
That would be, in order of increasing size: opossum, skunk, raccoon, coy, dog, bear
In thirty plus years of composting I've had all of the above call on my compost bin as visiting dinners.
Hot batch composting will foil all but bear. I have not had hogs raid my compost bin, but I would expect them and bear to be equivalent.
For bear make noises as you walk up to your compost bin. It (the bin) should be built stoutly, to reduce tossed about compost. When I lived in bear country I used a barrel with a locking rim to keep lid on. More than once the barrel got rolled around by frustrated bear...
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Post by coppice on May 23, 2011 9:28:22 GMT -5
In your orchard: opossum, skunk, raccoon, coy, dog, bear
Mostly these have not been all that destructive. The burrowers (skunk, raccoon) may have ideas of where to den that do not meet yours.
If you have access to running water, determine which is the highest entrance and flood them out.
Bear and hogs *might* be kept out by an electric fence. Buy the highest amperage your wallet can stand. Hogs can and will dig under fence. IMO its time if fish & and game (or animal control) don't act, to get out the rifle.
Bear if you have big enough space and the temperment to tolerate mutualism are not all that destructive to orchards.
Sow bear with cubs need a very wide space. bear will 'huff' or 'chuff' in anxiety (vs. growl). Back away, leave the area.
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