dannypa, I have tried several things to get an edge on wildlife. The photo below shows a cpvc pipe frame I put over my small tree last year. I bought bird netting and stretched it over the pipe frame. I think the netting was 6' wide and something like 150' long so I cut it and joined sections using zip-ties. The cpvc pipe is held in place by metal stakes I drove in the ground and by a string to the ground on either end. Unfortunately it probably wouldn't work for a large tree.

This year, I just picked figs about a day early and just after sunrise before some of the birds and squirrels were active. If you spread your harvest out in a sunny place inside your house, it will ripen fully in a day or two. I put mine on a cookie sheet in the 'fridge when they fully ripened for snacking and found the 'fridge acted as a dessicator and they get sweeter and less moist after several more days.

Thanks! that ripening/sweetening after harvest is just the kind of thing I needed to know. We have bird netting and have been considering it also.

Yes, for me, Birdnetting is the only way to go...Its works everytime. So far, nothing has penetrated it. If I even think I see an opening on the netting, I doublenet it. NO problems.