How do I keep squirrels off my hazelnut tree?

Question

It's a pretty tall one (~12 feet high). The nuts are just starting to show up & the squirrels are aready eating them. I've tried a couple of store bought repellants, but they don't work. I'm also trying a water & cayanne (sp?) pepper mix.

I'd rather not have to shoot them, but I'm running out of ideas.

Answer 1

The only way I know to keep squirrels out of a nut tree of any kind is to cut the tree down. You have 2 choices.

1. Share your nuts with the squirrels.

2. Trap or shoot the sqirrels and have them for supper. I am not being a smart alec here. I was raised on a farm where we raised our veggies and harvested our meat from the wild. Squirrel is a delicacy in the South.

Answer 2

squirrels and possums are very much alike /here in oz we keep possums from getting into and eating the trees by wrapping the trunk of the tree with thick plastic .the kind used for hanging strip blinds on doors etc. nail it on about i metre or so from the ground so they can't jump above the plastic

Answer 3

Please don't hurt the squirrels in any way. If they are eating them already, obviously they are hungry with nothing else to feed on. Around my house, most peaches have been eaten by them as well. Do you want to know what I say? Let them! They are creatures and need food to survive, just like we do!

Answer 4

An air rifle is the obvious answer.
Other than that, put some sticky tar around the trunk, but they may still jump from an adjacent tree.

Answer 5

Just put sticky paper around the base (2 ft. and up)
It keeps away the squirrels and will also keep away bugs.

Answer 6

make a trap for it:
buy one of those trap things at home depot or something and put some of the hazelnuts in there and that should do it.