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 the deer nibble on the branches- pruning them in a direction we dont 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 whos the bad boy of the neighborhood, as well as to impress the ladies. A night of this can cause irreparable damage.

Erect a Sheep Fence for deer

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. Its also an effective barrier to keep the bucks away from the tree. Although these deer arent nearly as brazen as others Ive 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. Theyre here whether we see them or not.

String Monofilament Line

Ive 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 didnt 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, thats 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 couldnt walk into the area without being touched by it. The goal wasnt to entangle them, but to annoy them. They dont like the feeling of something touching them that they cant 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.

Use Bird Netting

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 dont like the feeling of it, particularly since it did catch on their hooves.

Try Plastic Pipes or Tree Collars to stop Deer

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 dont do much to keep the deer from eating the new growth on the branches.

Deer can cause a lot of trouble whether theyre 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 dont catch yourself!