It was just a matter of time
- Thread starter greyphase
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Merle Hawggard
5 year old buck +
And I thought voles were a nuisance.
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4wanderingeyes
5 year old buck +
That sucks. They are rather destructive.
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Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Considering your Adirondack wasnt a large tree to begin with and you said it was a slow grower that just sucks! I have said it before and I will say it again I could never live where black bears are common.
Lot2Learn
5 year old buck +
I visited my orchards over Father's day weekend and found that the bear(s) had snapped 10 of my 50, fourth leaf fruit trees at about the 5.5' level, busting at least one tree in each of the four orchards. Trail camera pictures suggest the damage was done in early June in Zone 7a.
They didn't hit any of my pears. I'm not sure if that's just a coincidence or an indication of what I should be planting more of.
Question for Greyphase: Is it your experience that the bears do all their damage in the Spring (i.e., perhaps they are done for the year)?
They didn't hit any of my pears. I'm not sure if that's just a coincidence or an indication of what I should be planting more of.
Question for Greyphase: Is it your experience that the bears do all their damage in the Spring (i.e., perhaps they are done for the year)?
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Damn that sucks!!
MRBB
5 year old buck +
that sucks, I live in a heavy bear area, but have never had them damage a tree like that?
I personally find and, know this might sound like it will attract MORE bears, but having other food plots that they can eat from, seems to save me any damage, or for sure this time of yr
once apples are on the tree's
well, its hard to keep a hungry bear from eating what natures tells it to eat!
if you have a LOT of tree's and or bear damage,m I think, the best bet is some solar powered e fencing
bears really don't like getting zapped, even by small voltage!
but living in bear country isn't that bad, IMO
I always get more damage from deer than bears here!
I personally find and, know this might sound like it will attract MORE bears, but having other food plots that they can eat from, seems to save me any damage, or for sure this time of yr
once apples are on the tree's
well, its hard to keep a hungry bear from eating what natures tells it to eat!
if you have a LOT of tree's and or bear damage,m I think, the best bet is some solar powered e fencing
bears really don't like getting zapped, even by small voltage!
but living in bear country isn't that bad, IMO
I always get more damage from deer than bears here!
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Sorry to see the damage to the crab, Grey. I can sympathize with your problem. Bears, particularly young ones, will damage things just out of curiosity. They like to reach up, reach in, swat things around, etc. Our camp is in heavy bear country, and after watching many bears over the years, it's usually the younger ones that do most of the damage. When bears reach up in apple or crab trees before fruit can develop, it's usually investigating or maybe marking the tree ( as bears will do ) like deer lick branches and make rubs & scrapes. It's not for food that isn't even there yet.
As for pears, the sugar content in them will bring bears in by the swarm !! One of our members brought about 4 bushels of them to camp about 15 years ago that he raked up in his yard. It was in September and he figured something would eat them - better than throwing them out for the trash man to haul away. Well, the bears wouldn't leave them alone for any length of time. The pears were hammered in 2 days. So if you think pears aren't going to attract bears ....... think again !!
We're fortunate to have enough acreage to plant plots of corn each year, and that helps keep bears' attention off the apple trees. Having loads of oaks that put down tons of acorns also helps. The fat calories in acorns becomes the biggest draw for bears in the fall, beside the corn.
One of the reasons we planted so many apples and crabs the last 5 years is because we figured we may lose a few to bear damage. Our choice of B-118 and Antonovka rootstocks was to grow larger trees with heavier wood to survive a bear climbing in them once they start to produce quantities of fruit. Hopefully, the corn plots and tons of acorns will let the apple trees get to a size that will let them stay viable after a bear visit.
As for pears, the sugar content in them will bring bears in by the swarm !! One of our members brought about 4 bushels of them to camp about 15 years ago that he raked up in his yard. It was in September and he figured something would eat them - better than throwing them out for the trash man to haul away. Well, the bears wouldn't leave them alone for any length of time. The pears were hammered in 2 days. So if you think pears aren't going to attract bears ....... think again !!
We're fortunate to have enough acreage to plant plots of corn each year, and that helps keep bears' attention off the apple trees. Having loads of oaks that put down tons of acorns also helps. The fat calories in acorns becomes the biggest draw for bears in the fall, beside the corn.
One of the reasons we planted so many apples and crabs the last 5 years is because we figured we may lose a few to bear damage. Our choice of B-118 and Antonovka rootstocks was to grow larger trees with heavier wood to survive a bear climbing in them once they start to produce quantities of fruit. Hopefully, the corn plots and tons of acorns will let the apple trees get to a size that will let them stay viable after a bear visit.
greyphase
5 year old buck +
Question for Greyphase: Is it your experience that the bears do all their damage in the Spring (i.e., perhaps they are done for the year)
Most of my damage is June through Aug. As Bowsnbucks said most of the damage is done by small bears being juvenile delinquents. Apples have never been eaten, they just break off limbs because they can. :(
Most of my damage is June through Aug. As Bowsnbucks said most of the damage is done by small bears being juvenile delinquents. Apples have never been eaten, they just break off limbs because they can. :(
buckvelvet
5 year old buck +
OMG Rick, considering the time it takes to grow an Adirondack I am so sick over this for you. That SUCKS!!!!!!!!
