I haven't had anything eat my figs since I started this hobby 5 years ago.  The critters just haven't learned what they are yet, for some reason.  I saw this story and thought maybe I need to set up my defenses early this year.  Squirrels competing for food

Squirreels I could handle.
This morning as I was moving my newly potted up cuttings outside for a warm day in the shade, my dog ate all the leaves off of one plant, and had her eyes on the rest.

Grant
z5b

I have seen more hawks around this winter also so I am not worried. More hawk food = more hawks.

This little baby ought to do the trick:

http://www.garden-counselor-lawn-care.com/gopher-blaster.html

Sadly...we have no gophers or ground squirrels.  My wife won't let me get one...

Ah, shades of Bill Murray a la Caddy Shack

I've already seen the poluation explode.  there are at least 4x as many in my backyard this year, and i had to kill off three parents and 8 babies from inside the walls of my house over a 3-month period, along with two i trapped near a spot they were tearing up on my house.  I'm over the damn squirrels at this point.  lots of babies out back that, if they continue to destroy my house, will find themselves taking a dirt nap.

Squirrel and figs, sounds like they would go together fine.