Tree Thefts

[Max]

3 years ago I planted 220 Norway Spruce trees that were 4-5' tall along 1/2 mile of road frontage my property has. I Planted them in an effort to keep spot lighters from seeing into my field because every tresspasser I have caught says the same thing " I saw the buck here while spotlighting and couldn't help myself "

Each year since planting right at Christmas time I lose trees to thieves who saw them off as Christmas trees. I have been racking my brain on how to deter theft. This is a rural area between two very prominent towns. I thought about letting the strip of trees grow up with briers but that would be hard on trees ( I keep them mowed up nice) , I thought of electric barbwire fences. I thought of wrapping trunks with concertina wire. Between vehicles crashing into trees and thefts I've lost 20 trees.I'm hoping someone can give me a foolproof, cheap suggestion because I don't think this problem is going to end. Thanks, Max

 

[bwoods11]

Now that's the Christmas spirit!! Steal someone else's tree??

Wow

Possibly a fence, row of shrubs, signs noting cameras?

 

[Diesel5610]

Start planting uglier trees.

 

[Catscratch]

Post signs, camera's, prosecute.
Call the local nursery and find out how much it would cost for them to replace with same size trees. Post that on your signs. If it would cost $500 to replace a tree then put that on your sign and prosecute when you catch them. I met a guy who was having a poaching problem. He posted that his land was leased for hunting for $2k per day. He caught a poacher and proved he had been on his place two different times. After charges were made for trespass and poaching, he then went to court for lost income and cost the poacher another $4k.

If that's not your cup of tea, throw some orange paint on them so that they aren't pretty enough to put in a living room.

Don't like that idea then find a trapping supply store and get some skunk scent to put on each tree.

 

[j-bird]

I say plant a nice wide row of black locust, honey locust, green briar, hedge and anything else you can think of that has thorns!!! I'm such a jerk, I would consider putting in some T posts with some strands of barbed wire in the center of all of that stuff with thorns. This can all come out after the trees have exceeded the height any normal person would use as a Christmas tree.

 

[chickenlittle]

Trim them ugly. Paint sound like a good idea.

 

[Bill]

That sucks!

NJ had signs up along the highways years ago that the trees were treated with noxious chemicals to help stop tree theft.
And they were indeed treated with bone tar oil. Had no smell in the cold but if you took a tree into room temperature it smelled "BAD"

Can't tell you where to find bone tar oil but it's an idea.

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/24/n...melly-chemicals-keeps-tree-poachers-away.html

 

[MoBuckChaser]

Mix together red food coloring and hydrated lime to produce a fluorescent pink, non-toxic paint that you can spray your trees. Last about a month!

 

[Catscratch]

As much as I wish the most unbelievable misery on trespassers and thief's, please don't introduce honey locust to your place. You want to punish them... not yourself.

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[mrlnfshr1]

Sounds like you need a screen to hide your screen.

 

[Turkey Creek]

The city parks in a couple of the bigger cities used to spray their trees with red fox urine and then post a sign as to such! I think it significantly reduced the thefts.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

That sucks. I agree that letting the area grow thick can't hurt. To be honest, I'd plan for the worst and add a few more rows of trees behind your existing row. Having a variety of tree types for visual screens also gives you some insurance if a new disease arrives and kills the spruce.

Trimming off the branches off the road side or spraying might temporarily help if they look ugly enough.

 

[j-bird]

As much as I wish the most unbelievable misery on trespassers and thief's, please don't introduce honey locust to your place. You want to punish them... not yourself.

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Man Cat - you really have a hatred of honey locust don't you? I have a couple of them on my place and they are not a big deal. I just know one of those that has been turned into a bush is a very daunting site to the average person with all those large thorns. I guess we all have our habitat menace...sounds like honey locust is yours!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I know something much smellier than fox pee - FISH OIL !! Trappers use it and it's fairly cheap. I'd put it as offensive as skunk scent if not more. Spray it on each tree and I'd bet thieves won't be able to stand getting near them. I'd also stop mowing. Get some blackberries growing next to the spruce and that will also give cover to rabbits and birds of all sorts. If you want another row of thorny screen plants ..... Washington hawthorn. Excellent wildlife food and cover trees that won't shade out your spruce. 2" needle-like thorns. Red berries feed anything with feathers.

Make your own fish oil this summer for next Christmas. Catch a pile of bluegills, sunnies, perch - whatever fish - and cut them up in small pieces. Put them in plastic jugs and let the caps loose to let stinky gas out as they decompose. Hang the jugs from nails or screws on a tree or wooden post about 8 to 10 ft. off the ground and AWAY from your house. Let them rot all summer long. You will end up with a gray, goopy, horrible stuff that is all liquid. Bones will be bare and loose in the jugs. Pour this stuff into tightly sealable jars or bottles for transport. Apply to trees in a dish washing liquid bottle so you can squirt it on trees - you DO NOT want this stuff on your hands or anywhere else. It lingers for days - I learned the hard way years ago !!! :eek::eek:

 

[Catscratch]

Man Cat - you really have a hatred of honey locust don't you? I have a couple of them on my place and they are not a big deal. I just know one of those that has been turned into a bush is a very daunting site to the average person with all those large thorns. I guess we all have our habitat menace...sounds like honey locust is yours!

lol, I do! Lots of hatred for them!
It's because they pop up everywhere. We must have the perfect growing conditions for them because I find them every 20ft in open pasture.

 

[j-bird]

lol, I do! Lots of hatred for them!
It's because they pop up everywhere. We must have the perfect growing conditions for them because I find them every 20ft in open pasture.

I'll keep that in mind during next years seed swap.....I'll offer you some honey locust in trade!!!! Yep - I'm a peckerhead like that!!!:D

 

[Catscratch]

I'll keep that in mind during next years seed swap.....I'll offer you some honey locust in trade!!!! Yep - I'm a peckerhead like that!!!:D

:)
Don't be surprised if some Johnsongrass and lesbideza seed sneak into in my next box shipped to your house.

NOT! I wouldn't wish those on anyone (well, most anyone).

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[Tap]

Mix together red food coloring and hydrated lime to produce a fluorescent pink, non-toxic paint that you can spray your trees. Last about a month!

I like that.
I seem to remember reading about a commercial product that does the same thing. Just a temporary dye that makes them look dead.

 

[Tree Spud]

Mix together red food coloring and hydrated lime to produce a fluorescent pink, non-toxic paint that you can spray your trees. Last about a month!

I like this approach ... planting a row of poison sumac between the road & trees will be the gift that keeps giving ...

 

[UP Powers]

put up a few signs.
coyote leg hold traps. BEWARE
spring loaded explosive traps. BEWARE