A network of shooters with pellet guns will work. Any netting other than metal will not keep a determined squirrel or chimpmunk off.

Mike

I use netting sold by American Nettings on most of my trees, and NOTHING gets to my fruit

I suppose I should have specified, “Please do not suggest a
dog or a cat.” I have a cat, indoors only. Neighbor’s 2 cats patrol but we have
so many and so aggressive squirrels that that does little if anything that I
can tell. I even planted catnip to encourage the cats.

rayrose, do you net the entire tree. or just individual fruits?

The entire tree.

That inexpensive bird netting is flimsy and terrible to try to work with. The heavier "knitted" type of netting works better -- I have it on a frame surrounding my blueberries this year and it has kept the racoons out. Next year I am going to build a PVC pipe frame for my peach and use the same netting.

I am new to fruit trees. I have 2 peach trees. One of the country neighbors has an army of cats, do I still need nets for the trees? I also have a few pear and apple trees, they are too big to cover with any net.

Check out https://www.youtube.com/user/markyv69 . He is on youtube as Self Sufficient Me. You'll have to find the specific video on what he uses that works. Door screen. 13.00 or so online at HD. I bought and used by cutting pieces and tying onto each piece of fruit. The squirrels finally figured it out by slipping the screen off. Next year I will wrap the entire tree with this lightweight screen. Carol