Deer scrapping my new trees.

[Josef]

I've planted 40 new trees around my place and the
deer are scrapping their horns on some of them. Does
anyone have a success story about how to stop them.
I'm sure a number of my trees are permanently damaged.

 

[helomech]

Fence around them, only way to stop them.

 

[bearskinner]

There's a blood meal fertilizer mix called something like "Milgornite" that keeps the deer and moose off all of our fruit trees and from scraping on the Aspens too. The only problem is the dog loves it! It is pretty inexpensive, and helps all the trees too

 

[cerlawson]

Buy some 4" and 6" diameter wrinkled (corrugated) plastic hose. Usually that is used for extending downspouts, among its many uses. Cut off a section about 4 feet if possible and make a cut from one end to the other and open up and fit it over the trunk of the tree. Leave it on until it expands to so large that the larger tree trunk is no longer an invite to the deer. That may take 10 years,

I also put up an electric fence around wife's hosta garden. Fence height about 2 feet does the job. For posts use fiberglass roods and just wind the wire around it a few times. Power the charger with a time clock so it only runs at night. Leave it working the year around. I run this in town and have no problems with neighbor's radios, etc. When attaching he wire tothe posts put a little bend in the posts so you can see when the fence has been MOVED by the deer. It might even be carried off on some buck's horns. Be prepared to re-attach the wire to the posts and expect the wire to have stretched . This fence is near invisible and can be used where the municipality doesn't like fences.

 

[NEPA Guy]

I'll agree, fence is your best bet. I used a few rebar as stakes, and tie it up with some wire. The plastic around the trees doesn't work as well, the bears seem to think its a toy around here and makes it worse.

As long as the damage wasn't done too close to the bottom of the tree, and its not too deep, it should be OK. Depending on species, make sure your PH is good, apply sprays as needed and fertilize to help it repair itself.

(60 fruit trees and counting) GL

 

[MadMax31]

Hang bar soap off my little Maples. They dont go near em. My other tree of choice is the Norway Spruce, they dont go near them anyway.

We planted ornamental grass around the front porch and I wonder if they will be a buffett come early winter....

 

[Stmar]

We have been dealing with this problem for decades and the most effective is tall fencing, minimum 4' but 5' is better and make it a large enough circumference so they can't reach it by leaning in. Big job for 40 trees. Wonder if a pepper sauce spray would work for any length of time. Sam's sells big jugs of Franks that you could mix.

 

[sdk1968]

Buy some 4" and 6" diameter wrinkled (corrugated) plastic hose. Usually that is used for extending downspouts, among its many uses. Cut off a section about 4 feet if possible and make a cut from one end to the other and open up and fit it over the trunk of the tree. Leave it on until it expands to so large that the larger tree trunk is no longer an invite to the deer. That may take 10 years,

this is how we do it ... if not the deer here will kill a fruit tree every ttime!

 

[Josef]

this is how we do it ... if not the deer here will kill a fruit tree every ttime!

Thanks, I'm buying some this morning.

 

[D2Cat]

When I first saw this thread, I thought it read...."Deer scrapping my new TIRES"! Then I had my coffee.

 

[Creature Meadow]

For my garden we use cayenne pepper 4oz to the gallon to spray on plants but they are trying to eat them and it works great and cheap.

Since bucks are rubbing the trees not sure this will help you, may be worth a try.

 

[Josef]

Can someone suggest to me the easiest way to split the
4" and 6" diameter wrinkled (corrugated) plastic hose. I'm
fairly crippled up and my right shoulder is fairly useless.
My son will be able to help me Saturday, but no telling how
much damage will be done between now and Saturday.

 

[85Hokie]

Can someone suggest to me the easiest way to split the
4" and 6" diameter wrinkled (corrugated) plastic hose. I'm
fairly crippled up and my right shoulder is fairly useless.
My son will be able to help me Saturday, but no telling how
much damage will be done between now and Saturday.

I would run it down with a chalk line and a jig saw - for that matter, if it was cut to lengths that I could manage - I would cut it on a table saw! A three foot section would be an easy go on a table saw, for you - a jig saw might be the better answer - You could cut it with snips....but that would be slow and not fun at all!

 

[sdk1968]

you cursed me!!!


hadnt had any trouble this year.... until i posted in this thread.


so.... 2 totally destroyed apple trees yesterday!!

wife is super pissed.

 

[skeets]

And that my young padawan, is all my young trees now have 4 foot redtop fence around them

 

[Creature Meadow]

As a deer hunter I look for and like to see trees tore up by bucks the bigger the better

Deer in my area tend to like cedar trees and any tree that when bark is removed is real white.

In my case I go back to trees they rubbed previous years and will find rubs on them year after year.

Saw a pic of a cedar fence post once rubbed in half the wire was holding it up, that jewel had been rubbed for years.

Good luck preventing them from rubbing your trees and I will continue to look for big trees rubbed to set my cameras on to see how big the guy is rubbing it.

Note the machete leaning against the tree it is 5" across.

 

[Josef]

As I was leaving to come out here today, I noticed something big swimming the lake behind my house, at first I thought it was a very large dog but as it climbed out, I saw it was a nice buck. I then intended to take a picture as it ran among the houses. My intention was to film it, but thankfully common sense kicked in while I was driving trying to get my phone out while following the deer. I know I cannot do all 3 at 1 time. The film would have been nice but?????

 

[sdk1968]

LOL.....


yeah we knew better... we do have a small fruit farm after all...

and very heavily wooded acreage... we are covered up in deer, they didnt touch anything last year & didnt touch any of the fruit producing trees this year (yet)..

they only destroyed the tops of the newly planted fruit trees... which now have fence around them.

good news for you rack enthusiasts: they werent low scrapes... they tore the top branches off the trees at about the 4'+ range

we love venison & it wouldnt even be a challenge to shoot a deer with how many we have in the plot. saw near a dozen last nite while was out with the toothbar & bush hog working a trail.

my wife is still mad as all get out... & of course its "my fault" for not having fence around "her" trees for her.

so im hanging outside till dark last nite & tonite on the tractor.

 

[jryser]

When I first saw this thread, I thought it read...."Deer scrapping my new TIRES"! Then I had my coffee.

Me too - I was worried for a sec!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lugbolt]

Deer season will be open for many of us soon, if it isn't already.

Living outside the city limit has it's perks.

Needless to say, the freezer stays full and my belly stays more or less happy. There's an old black bear that's been hanging around too and I'm itching for some bear burgers. And spaghetti. And...well you get the idea.