Fruit tree deer damage

[Rangerbait]

Fellers,

I planted 9 five-gallon fruit trees on my property this spring, and just discovered that the damn rutting deer have rubbed a significant amount of bark off of about half of them. I'm going to get some corrugated drain pipe to wrap the trunks with, but it is anything else I can to to help them survive? Thanks!

 

[Jackbnimble]

Buy a 30.06.

 

[customcutter]

Or about 10' of electric fence. I've heard of people collecting hair clippings from barber shops and spreading them in gardens, but don't know how effective it might be. There pretty stupid when they start rutting/rubbing/scrapping.

 

[diezelsmoke]

As long as the damage is not more than half way around it will probably survive. Wrap the trunk with the tree wrap and buy the small tree corrugated covering and place it below the ground as far as you can (1") to keep the mice, etc from ringing the rest of the tree.

 

[BC WetCoast]

You can get deer deterrent odours, usually derived from wolf or cougar urine.

 

[stillhunter]

You can get deer deterrent odours, usually derived from wolf or cougar urine.

.......... Coyote urine should be available at most any sporting goods, hardware or home improvement store.

 

[Jackbnimble]

.......... Coyote urine should be available at most any sporting goods, hardware or home improvement store.

FWIW, I never found urine deterrents effective.

 

[Little Al]

My neighbor had problems one year with damage to his walnut trees the " leccy" fence was the most effective

 

[Bobby Kirbos]

My grandfather used to hang bars of Ivory soap around his garden to keep the deer away. I don't know how well it worked.

 

[ATH]

If you are using scents as deterrents, you need to change the product you are using frequently. The giant rats will get used to it and no longer be fearful if you stick with the same one.

 

[Jackbnimble]

My grandfather used to hang bars of Ivory soap around his garden to keep the deer away. I don't know how well it worked.

My wife uses the same approach to keep me off her side of the bed.

 

[customcutter]

I take it you are not a hunter. I am, but then i would not want to be harvesting game around my house. I would rather observe them.

 

[customcutter]

Some of the guys at work would take an old greasy oily tyvek coverall, and make a scare crow to keep the deer out of their small food plots until they got large enough that the deer weren't nipping the whole plant off in one bite. Mostly field peas and soy beans.

 

[Jason Douglas]

Deer Stopper is effective and doesn't smell like rancid death.

 

[Oldmaple]

Antler rubbing is tough to stop. A physical deterrent is best (your corrugated pipe). Most repellents are to stop feeding on the plant. My father-in-law used to get dog hair from a groomer to keep deer out of the garden. It only worked once the corn got high enough to hide a dog, otherwise the deer figured it out.