Can this be done in February in the Okanagan? We get a lot of damage from owls and magpies sitting on new shoots in spring and summer.
Should be OK to do it at any time of year. Might be an idea to erect a pole, taller than the tree, so the birds have an alternative higher perch they can use instead.
Thanks, Michael. A pole? I'd be concerned about ruining roots. Multiple leaders every few years is probably the lesser of the two evils?
Won't the birds do the selective pruning for you then? Would be a shame if you pruned the excess and then they parked their fluffy butts on the shoot you want to keep! You could maybe even wait and see if one of the shoots becomes dominant on its own. Is that a broken-off main shoot in the middle?