I think the fence needs the critter to be touching ground, IF you can also run a ground wire they would have to touch, it make throw them for a whirl. NOT sure they will make the connection.

Also be aware an electric fence can start a fire when weeds grow up to touch the wire.

There is some kind of box, like a bird feeder, that actually tosses squirrels for a loop. I saw it on Youtube.

I feel your pain. I tried it, started with it for the deer, I tried putting the strands a couple of inches apart, all the way up the post, they are so good at going between the clicks they hardly ever got zapped.
I now have a two foot chicken wire fence around the whole garden, with the electric just on top of it. so when they get to the top to hop over they get it. So far so good, but I am going to tweek it this weekend. (sorry it is too hot right now and I have to go to work)

I am going to make the outer fence (electric) about 2 inches from the inside . (chicken wire) . I already have a ton of posts and wire.
Good luck. There are some very clever suggestions on here, all being combos. (I think)
Oh and lead poisoning works the best.

You might consider getting a dog.

Here is a link that might be useful: DFW Gardener

I have an electric fence. One of the alternating ones that runs of D batteries. I have tons of squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks and racoons and have yet to have anything go into my garden. It might be that I've just been lucky. I use a combination of the electric fence (ground wire about 6 inches of the ground and also grounded to the poultry wire, live strand about 9 inches up), poultry wire fence about 4.5 feet high, fox and coyote urine crystals and also blood meal. I've neglected the last two over the last couple months though. I also plant a lot of marigolds and garlic.

You can see my setup in the thread called Summer in the Midwest So Far that I started the other day.

I don't know how well shooting things ultimately works. Other squirrels etc will just fill the void.

One. Note, I will be putting the electric fence on the outside and top of my existing chicken wire fence and will ground it to that.

There is a farmer with a vineyard near me that uses one very effectively. When he set it up he puts peanut butter on the wire to attract the critters and get them familiar with the fence. After the test run most of them will stay away.

That'll do it :)

Prob is everything under the sun likes peanut butter.

Living in suburbia, I'm considering a hotwire along the top of my fence to keep squirrels from invading my backyard. Any one try this?
Also, what are good brands?

There are no trees, wires, or other objects for the critters to follow over this fence?

I live across the street from a park, and the little buggers run along the top of my fence each morning, heading toward a big live oak in the neighbor's yard behind mine. There are nests there, as well.

My idea, at this point, is to run a hotwire along the top of the fence, making it a less desirable route in both directions. There are no trees or shrubs touching the top of the fence.

I have also had relatively good luck with Bobbex-R squirrel repellent, along with my 2 dogs, but I want the squirrels to learn that this yard/garden is off limits.

Now, if only I could find the idiot neighbor who keeps feeding them peanuts...

I think you misunderstood my question.

btw - I think the squirrels would have to also touch ground for this to work.

I am the idiot neighbor! I had problems with squirrels for years, even did an electric fence around the garden ( it did help). But then I discovered if I fed the birds and squirrels year round from the bird feeders, they had no interest in the tomatoes. Expensive fix but it worked.
Jennie

No insults intended!

I have heard about distracting them with more desirable foods, I just can't do it.

@ gumby_ct - Sorry, The squirrels currently climb up the fence, run along the top, and then jump into the neighbor's tree behind me. The fence top acts like a squirrel expressway. As for needing to touch the ground, I don't know. It's one of the many things I'm hoping to learn here.

Thank you!

I have an existing non-electric fence around my garden that is four feet high. It looks good, but has done nothing to keep critters away, particularly from my sweet corn and sweet potato vines. They draw deer like honey draws bear. I tried a traditional electric fence last year, and it was a waste of time. Whenever a deer sees an obstacle, she jumps, and traditional fencing requires that their feet be on the ground.

We have horses, and use Horseguard fencing on our pastures. Works great and looks better than most electric fences. Horseguard also makes a neat electric tape that has both the hot and ground wire in one tape-they call in Bipolar. No ground wire need on the charger, and, like the hairs on a venus flytrap, if an invader touches two conductors about an inch apart-ZAP! I am going to string this over my fence this year, as well as run a strip around the corn at ear level and use the peanut butter trick as well.

horseguardfence dot com

I could be wrong here but I think deer and squirrels are two different animals (couldn't resist :) requiring different repellant methods.

What I was trying to point out about trees over fencing is that squirrels would just travel a diff route. But hey I can't see this setup so can't help much.

The point is that squirrels, like monkeys, are hard to keep out of anything since they both climb anything easily.

kitfoxdrvr, did you try the Horseguard bi-polar tape around your garden? I wonder how it worked? I'm thinking of trying it around some individual fruit trees (on top of a chicken wire enclosure) to keep squirrels away from the fruit.

John

I've used an electric fence for the past 2 years to keep deer and groundhogs out of my garden with good success. I'm a bit confused about comments regarding ground wires; the ground itself acts as a ground for me with no problem. I simply strung 2 galvanized thin steel wires around the garden; one at about 8"
above the ground and the other at 36" up. The low one takes care of the groundhogs and the upper one nails the deer. I suspect it works because they seem not to be inclined to jump over the wires but just seem to wade in and get juiced! Once they get nailed they seem to learn and don't come back,
and that is good!
I made some figure 4 shaped stands to carry the wire and they are spaced about 8 feet apart. Tractor Supply sells all kinds of standoff wire brackets to hold the wire. The figure 4 shape puts the upper wire about 18" outboard of the lower wire so the lawn guy can mow near the posts without getting
shocked-very very important!! Must keep grass trimmed away from lower wire, weed wacker works well until line entangles with wire, such fun.