Deer Damage

[Lubbo]

Hello, forgive my ignorance but I have had a 4 ft walnut tree severely damaged by deer. The bark has been completely removed from about half way up the tree resulting in anything above that mark dying. Below this level some shoots are growing. My question is, If I was to cut the main "trunk" of the tree off just below the area where the bark has been removed will this allow the tree to grow back/regenerate or am I just better off replacing the whole tree?

Also, I have a few other small trees which have been damaged by the deer to a lesser extent where the bark has been removed in places but not all the way around the trunk. I have noticed that the leaves on these trees are smaller and sparser. Is there a good chance of recovery or will these most likely die?

Many thanks,

[Mick Dempsey]

IMO, you'd be better off replacing the whole tree.

It's possible it would regrow to form a tree of some description, but it could also die very quickly.

 

Maybe plant one nearby and retain your "stump tree" see what happens.

 

Get some deer guards of course!

[Paul Smith]

Are you sure it's deer damage?

[matelot]

Hello, forgive my ignorance but I have had a 4 ft walnut tree severely damaged by deer. The bark has been completely removed from about half way up the tree resulting in anything above that mark dying. Below this level some shoots are growing. My question is, If I was to cut the main "trunk" of the tree off just below the area where the bark has been removed will this allow the tree to grow back/regenerate or am I just better off replacing the whole tree?

Also, I have a few other small trees which have been damaged by the deer to a lesser extent where the bark has been removed in places but not all the way around the trunk. I have noticed that the leaves on these trees are smaller and sparser. Is there a good chance of recovery or will these most likely die?

Many thanks,

 

I personally would cut off the damaged trunks and cut off the minor "leader" branches (leaving the main branch that will form the new trunk).

 

I'd imagine the trees will recover fairly well.

 

Get some deer protection like tubes.

[Lubbo]

Thanks - will give it a go. Yes, it is 100% deer. I have put some industrial deer guards up around most of my fruit trees but thought these ones were safe. I have used the small spiral tree guards around here but quite often you will find them ripped off the trees by the deer!!

[woody paul]

Just put the deer in the freezer job done.

[drinksloe]

Are you sure it's deer damage?

 

I tend to agree with this. Deer ofen get blamed for all sorts and not always correctly

Wot type of deer are they?

Really quite unusual for deer to eat bark althou they can cause damage by fraying (generally roe this time of year or really a few months ago marh/Apr time, and ur larger deer about august time)

If its fraying deer can stil knock trees about even with guards on.

 

Most deer prefer to fray on willow before any other tree so possibly planting some wilow just for that reason and fell when trees are past vurnerable stage?

 

I'd also stick it in freezer.

Althou the old school stalkers often used the 'stand buck' principle for protecting vulnerable trees, basically a real big buck will cause less damage and hold a bigger area than a small/young buck, so better to leave ur big bucks around vurnable trees.

Not really done as much nowadays as usually stalkers/rangers usually under to much pressure to get numbers throu larder

[Paul Smith]

I tend to agree with this. Deer ofen get blamed for all sorts and not always correctly

 

Wot type of deer are they?

 

Really quite unusual for deer to eat bark althou they can cause damage by fraying (generally roe this time of year or really a few months ago marh/Apr time, and ur larger deer about august time)

 

If its fraying deer can stil knock trees about even with guards on.

 

 

 

Most deer prefer to fray on willow before any other tree so possibly planting some wilow just for that reason and fell when trees are past vurnerable stage?

 

 

 

I'd also stick it in freezer.

 

Althou the old school stalkers often used the 'stand buck' principle for protecting vulnerable trees, basically a real big buck will cause less damage and hold a bigger area than a small/young buck, so better to leave ur big bucks around vurnable trees.

 

Not really done as much nowadays as usually stalkers/rangers usually under to much pressure to get numbers throu larder

 

 

 

Good answer! I will reiterate, deer have to be very hungry to eat bark! There is so much food around this time of year!

 

Fallow have been known to play with tree guards. What does the damage look like and what height? Please put a picture up.

[Lubbo]

It happened in the winter shortly after they were planted. It was definitely deer I am sure of that - also the end of a number of branches were torn/ripped which is deer. We have roe and fallow here and we also have a very active deer policy. I agree this time of year they are interested in other sources of food. My freezer is already full!!

[headgroundsman]

Where are you?