I have a friend who saw a video the other day on FB or a squirrel trying to go up a pole to a bird feeder. The guy smeared it with Vaseline. My friend took metal sheeting and wrapped his wooden pole to the feeder. Being his job as a welder he welded the sheeting to a smooth finish. Then smeared it with Vaseline. He no longer has a problem with squirrels or chipmunks.