Crabapples vs. bears

[Bowfin]

I planted 3 small crabapple and a couple American plum orchards on some hunting land north of Rhinelander, Wisconsin as food plots for deer, turkeys and grouse. Each spot will have about 6 trees. I picked crabapple varieties which grow larger crabapples that will drop in August-September and do not persist on the tree (Dolgo, Whitney, Chestnut) However, I have been told by a couple people I am wasting my time and money because as soon as the trees start producing apples the bears will get to the trees and break them and kill them getting to the apples.

Any thoughts or ideas what I can do about this?

Anyone have apple orchards in wooded areas?

[walleyehunter80]

how well do you handle a rifle?

[Jameson]

I have read that boards with nails through them placed around the tree with the nails pointed up can keep the bears from the tree.

[Bowfin]

how well do you handle a rifle?

Well, I've got 3 bear rugs on the wall but in this part of Wisconsin I've heard in takes quite a few years to get drawn for a license.

[spivak]

beekeepers will pound all sorts of nails through a piece of plywood and lay them on the ground around the hives so the bears can't get to them. I have my hives protected with a solar electric fence--pretty expensive for the trees though.