You can gradually reduce the size of the trees by bringing down about 10' a year cutting to a large branch each time (no stubs). You can also cut branches shorter. The only danger is if you cut too drastically you might encourage fireblight.

Thanks Harvestman. I have done some light pruning on the trees but nothing at all substantial. I will be taking a bit off this year though. What are your thoughts on when to prune? Am I right in thinking SOON here in the northeast? With the warm weather we have had things are going to be coming alive shortly I suspect. Thanks again.

I suspect the pears are varieties that get small fruit, and I doubt reducing the size of the tree is going to affect it that much. I've seen untended trees with large fruit, so there is more than just thinning and pruning involved in getting larger fruit.
Northwoodswis

Seckel is common here in the northeast and is small and very sweet but thinning the fruit makes a huge difference. Won't get as big as a store bought Bosc but half that size anyway.

I've been pruning pears most of this winter because it's been so mild. Normally I wait until March for pears. I really don't know what the limit is as far as cold after pruning causing damage but the commercial growers around here follow the schedule I've noted.

Thanks for the info. There are other pear trees on the property that are taller than the ones I mentioned, have no low branches (or really any branches except for the very top) and drop these very small (golf ball size or smaller)pears that are almost banana yellow in color. The deer make quick work of them.

Harvestman - I will probably do some pruning this weekend.
Northwoods- Any other recommendations as to something I might try to improve the fruit in any way?

Thanks again!

I didn't mean to imply that thinning and pruning were useless practices, just that the variety has a lot to do with the size, too. We had a pear tree at our former house that I never pruned or thinned and it still got fairly large pears. Northwoodswis

Yes, given the temperatures, prune now. Your only way to make bigger pears is to thin them, you can thin up to the point where you have 25 leaves per pear. The non-sweet pears may turn sweet if stored in the garage, and then left inside the house on the counter for 1-2 weeks. Experiment with them. Pears that do not have a true pear shape may be of the Comice type and are IMHO the best. Also, buy a good ladder.

Great advice from everyone thanks. The one other characteristic that the pears have that I thought might have something to do with not reaching a full ripeness or size is a grittiness to the flesh.

Grittiness can be the result of allowing them to get ripe on the tree. Some varieties need to be picked hard-ripe and refrigerated for a few weeks and then softened at room temp. If that doesn't do the trick you may have a wild (seedling) pear.

It is tricky learning how to pick pears at the proper time- one reason to grow varieties that can ripen well on the tree.