Unsolicited advice here... I've got a small orchard. A few good barn cats are helpful but won't take care of the problem the way you want. I did the shooting thing for a few years too. Was taking too much time. Deployed several of these traps (amazon.com) a while back. Almost felt bad b/c they are so effective. Slice of apple with some peanut butter and you'll be clearing and resetting multiple times a day. I bring them in at night b/c I don't want a live skunk half dead in one. Mind your p's and q's if your state has a squirrel season. Otherwise, get used to being tired of clearing the traps. Also, if you or your neighbors don't eat tree chicken, you'll want to discard them out away from the property to keep the clean up critters from getting used to wandering into your orchard or near any domestics you have. Last thing, the kill is quick but it ain't instant for the big boys. Takes a couple seconds and they'll flail a bit. Just something to consider if you've got little ones about or more sensitive types within visual range.
Wow, thank you for the advice. I attempted to put bags around the fruit or nets over the trees. They weren't very effective.
I had a squirrel problem once, and I set up some of these which were also very effective. https://northernpecans.blogspot.com/2011/06/setting-squirrel-traps.html
Yeah, the netting will work for most of the birds but those tree rats will just dig under and it's a pain in the butt to get on and off and tears up my trees. For me the paper bags worked for the birds but not on the squirrels. Plus once my trees got bigger, it's was too much time to bag all the fruit.
For birds I use streamers of reflective tape, a bobble head owl, and hang my sweaty mowing shirt and hat on one of the trees. I rotate them each time I mow. The birds don't like change. Whatever deterrent you use, I've gotten the best results by moving them often. Otherwise the birds get used to them and just ignore them.
For deer, I've got a motion activated sprinkler if I'm really trying to keep them away from something. Otherwise I use irish spring soap shoved into a piece of PVC and hang it from the tree. They don't like to venture too close to that. Or you can let the deer fatten up on apples and harvest those eaten apples all at once with a well placed shot in the fall.
I'm still learning things as I go. I've still got some trees that are duds from disease and pests but some others are doing well. It's a humbling hobby.