Just saw an ad in a grower magazine for a product that may be worth looking into to help in repelling small animal pests of figs. May help Jason in his epic clash with squirrels or others with similar problems.

Plantskydd - Vole repellent is what they call it. My main reason to mention it is because I know many people who have had good results with the deer repellent they sell and some live where they can't fire at will on the varmits.
Listed as working for squirells , nutria, possum,rabbits,voles ...
http://www.plantskydd.com   or 1-800-252-6051

I'm not selling it , just saying it may help some of us. I'd look into it if squirrels or chipmunks become a problem as my now young trees start producing. Which I hope is this season.

Maybe someone has already tried it.

Kerry

Kerry thanks for the info.  Last was the first year I had problems with squirrels.  I have a cat that keeps the birds away but apparently not the squirrels.

If it's worth anything, I tried peeing in bottles and burying them around my figs to no avail. Usually works with other animals.....

Sounds like you are the animal

I have a plastic owl with the moving head.
The squirrels just hippity hop all around it. Save your money.

Kerry,
Thanks for the great info but it has gotten to the point to where I'm just calling it an "All out War" with them squirrels. They are no longer my buddies. Buddies don't steal my only ripening Sals Corleone from my tree.

And they're stupid! They bury their nuts and forget where they put it. They dig the whole yard to try to find it!

First thing I'm doing when I get home is to go to Walmart and buy a pellet rifle. Someone here and I can't remember who but said to buy the pointy pellets. Oh ya! No mercy baby! Who's your daddy, who's your daddy?

Rafed ,
Hope you can get the squirrels under control and enjoy all of your figs for yourself and family.

Jason ,
Hope your traps work to control your marauders.

Just went looking for some acreage to build my retirement orchard and looked at a 5 acres piece that is being used to grow muscadine grapes and peaches and some  figs and other miscellaneous. The lot is surrounded on three sides by woods and the farmer had to place an ELECTRIC FENCE around the grapes to keep the deer out.

He said the squirrels thin out the peaches and they occasionally are on the receiving end of a 12 GA shotgun. then we started talking about plants in general.

Amazing how hard it can be to grow an orchard....

Guess I'm going to keep looking

Ben

rafed; I may have mentioned the pellets with the pointed tip. They are much more accurate than the ones with the flat tip. Other pellets can be found that are reported to give you a little more velocity & accuracy as well. Probably have to find those online unless you have a local store that caters to the higher powered pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air guns.

I'd say one of those at Wal-Mart that claim to achieve a 1200 FPS velocity (or there-abouts) would be quite sufficient for the pest problem. I hear that you should never dry fire one of those "break barrel", single cock types though. Apparently it weakens them if you do so.

A small scope might increase your odds of a dead-on-shot. Depening on how much you wish to commit to the mission ;) . I have a bit of a hunters spirit so I think I might enjoy this challenge somewhat more than others. Just my 2c. 

Rafed,

I agree with Bill and note that just yesterday I visited Mr. Walmart's sore and settled on that hardware that claims1200fps.

Also, Fredfig mentions the cone shaped pellets in post #13 of his "Late cuttings" post.

JD

Has anyone tried putting cut hair around the plants to repel deer?? My hairdresser swears it works.