Keeping the Deer Away from the Trees
Created on 10/7/2009
Even though most of the apples are gone from the trees, it doesn’t mean the deer will leave them alone. Grant erected cages around them several weeks ago keep the deer from destroying them. Not only do they nibble on the branches- pruning them in a direction we don’t want - but the bucks come in during the night taking out their amorous frustrations on the poor things. They rake their antlers up and down on the trunk to let other bucks know who’s the bad boy of the neighborhood, as well as to impress the ladies. A night of this can cause irreparable damage.
To remedy the situation, we used a start 3-ft tall sheep fence staked far enough from the tree to ideally prevent them from reaching inside for a bite. It’s also an effective barrier to keep the bucks away from the tree. Although these deer aren’t nearly as brazen as others I’ve dealt with that lounged on the lawn or bedded down under the trees, we spotted a lovely buck wandering through the front lawn in the middle of the night. They’re here whether we see them or not.
I’ve taken extreme measures on various projects to keep the deer from trampling or rubbing out newly planted trees and shrubs. The oddest method to keep them out was to string monofilament line to create a nearly invisible barrier. The homeowner didn’t want to look at a fence, but we were right in the middle of prime mule deer habitat. I frequently tried to sneak up on the deer resting peacefully on my newly created lawn, and they were more like pets than wildlife. At least, that’s what they seemed to think.
Acting like a little spider, I strung large spools of fishing line from tree to tree and around the shrubs. I created layer upon layer so the deer couldn’t walk into the area without being touched by it. The goal wasn’t to entangle them, but to annoy them. They don’t like the feeling of something touching them that they can’t see well. A twig or branch is one thing, but something invisible is another. It worked fairly well until deer went through it and broke strands.
At the same property, I set bird netting on the ground around the trees for a similar purpose. I kept it raised a few inches off the ground. Once again, the deer don’t like the feeling of it, particularly since it did catch on their hooves.
Another way to keep the bucks from destroying the trees is to put a tree collar or flexible plastic pipe around the trunk. These plastic tubes are slit up one side, and are easy to place around the tree. These do a great job to minimize antler damage, but don’t do much to keep the deer from eating the new growth on the branches.
Deer can cause a lot of trouble whether they’re eating the trees or rubbing them to death, but at least there are a few ways to keep them away… just remember where you string the fishing line so you don’t catch yourself!
