4wanderingeyes
5 year old buck +
The past few falls/winters I have had bear damage my apple trees. I know most of you guys here like to have apples hang as late as possible, me, after hunting season, I am not interested in having apples on my trees anymore. Between the bear, and raccoons climbing on my trees and breaking them, I decided I wasnt leaving the tree bait on the trees after I am done hunting. Last winter after I had to cut a 6 year old tree down about 60% from a bear trying to climb to grab apples, I had enough. I called the local DNR, and I asked them if I shook and knocked down all the apples off my trees would that be considered baiting, or feeding, and he told me that they are my trees, and I can do whatever I wanted with them, when I wanted. I even asked him if I could shake them up before hunting season, or would that for sure be baiting, again he said they are your trees, do as you wish with them.
I am not confident all DNR would agree with that, but I didnt need to shake trees to call in the deer, I just wanted to not draw in bear, and coon after deer season, so this year, after season I shook all the apples off of my trees, in hopes the bear will not be as drawn to climb and break my trees. Does anyone else do this that lives in bear country to protect your trees? My trees are mostly in the 4-6 leaf, and cant take much damage to kill them. Maybe once they are 8-10 leaf, I wont worry as much, but I am sick of replacing a couple trees every year because of the bears. I only have 22 trees, and about half produce, so when they kill, or knock back a couple every year, it hurts!
I am not confident all DNR would agree with that, but I didnt need to shake trees to call in the deer, I just wanted to not draw in bear, and coon after deer season, so this year, after season I shook all the apples off of my trees, in hopes the bear will not be as drawn to climb and break my trees. Does anyone else do this that lives in bear country to protect your trees? My trees are mostly in the 4-6 leaf, and cant take much damage to kill them. Maybe once they are 8-10 leaf, I wont worry as much, but I am sick of replacing a couple trees every year because of the bears. I only have 22 trees, and about half produce, so when they kill, or knock back a couple every year, it hurts!