North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["del stubbs" <pinewoodel@hotmail.com>]

When we bought our property 6 years ago, the large oak trees were so sickly 
looking I had a forester disease specialist come out and have a look, he 
pronounced it was cattle compaction and aphids. The entire tops of the trees 
were dead. A week later I was looking with binoculars and it was obvious 
that every single branch up to 4" was stripped by porkys - so much for 
educated specialists.
 My only sucessful solution was to go out on a moonlit night where I could 
see their silhoette against the sky, with a .22. Rarely saw them in daytime 
or dusk. I still feel like a cow every time I shoot one, they are so 
defenseless. But the fishers have been so trapped out here that they no 
longer have natural predators. Yes, I even made chili out of a few, but 
there is not much meat, and one was too gamey for even my tastes, so now the 
foxes get to eat them. After 6 years the oaks have recovered, and my 
fledging apple orchard hasn't been hit yet. If I was to trap them I'd use 
several foot traps together , or a large double ended live trap.  Del
northern MN. where we already have more snow then all of last year........

> I have tried live trapping using carrots/grain/apple slices, but nothing 
> seems to work.  Going out at dusk everynight with a .22 has not produced 
> results either.  In the past I found the .22 much more efficient than my 
> first weapon...a shovel.  (Although, I really got my frustration out on 
> that one as I recall.)
>
> If anyone has a sure fire way to bait this menace, I would really 
> appreciate it.  Honestly, I don't want to kill this animal, just stop it 
> from wrecking my hard work.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Dean Kreutzer
> Regina, Saskatchewan Canada
> USDA zone 3

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