Deer ate my apple tree

[BornToHunt]

I planted 2 new apple trees last year and the deer destroyed them. Ate braches right down to the trunk. Anyone have any advice on how to prevent this.

[Zag]

5ft tree tubes

[Ford]

You have to fence them. Young apple trees, a delicacy to deer. I fenced mine, and a deer still got in. Luckily, they just ate the leaves and some branches that were low. I reinforced it after that, and no problems so far..

 

 

[LIHUNT]

 

had to fence mine in as well. The deer started to eat them right to the wood the night I planted them.

[Five Seasons]

fences for me too. although I have one that's not fenced from the previous owner that i stumbled upon. It had grown a little raggy and tangled itself in the old fence. I cleared it out, pruned it and mulched around the base. Seems to have blown up the last few weeks and is untouched by the deer. for now... you must have a lack of food for them to destroy a tree, or they're just hanging out locally.

[LIHUNT]

way too many deer, and with everyone fencing in their entire property its not helping...

[Fantail]

Rabbits seem to like them to, little snots.

[PREDATE]

Whose apple tree? They must've neglected to see the property line!! lol  Hmmm our new tree 4 1/2 ft. hasn't been touched, but then again the rye and clover must keep them busy.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I planted trees this year and fenced them in. Nothing special, just 4 foot welded wire in a 7 foot circle. The deer havent touched them. I also planted some pear trees, which I didnt cage in and the deer havent touched them either.

[Geno C]

you should always fence them and use tree tubes as well...

[Geno C]

You have to fence them. Young apple trees, a delicacy to deer. I fenced mine, and a deer still got in. Luckily, they just ate the leaves and some branches that were low. I reinforced it after that, and no problems so far..

your fence doesnt look tall enough... i would have just fenced them in individually  

[WNYBuckHunter]

your fence doesnt look tall enough... i would have just fenced them in individually  

 

I did mine individually so they wouldnt have room to jump into the cages. Thats why I can get away with only a 4 foot fence.

[Geno C]

I did mine individually so they wouldnt have room to jump into the cages. Thats why I can get away with only a 4 foot fence.

Forfs fence looks low and he has enough room for deer to clear it and land on the other side since he has multiple trees in his cage. if he did his individually they cant jump in like you said.

 

the deer dont touch yours with a 4 foot fence? im sure they get to the growth around the cage though?

[WNYBuckHunter]

Forfs fence looks low and he has enough room for deer to clear it and land on the other side since he has multiple trees in his cage. if he did his individually they cant jump in like you said.

 

the deer dont touch yours with a 4 foot fence? im sure they get to the growth around the cage though?

 

There is no growth around the cage at this point. The fence is 6-12" away from any branch.

[Geno C]

oh ok got ya... as it grows out and up the deer will be able to nip it. might have to rebuild it wider or higher down the road...

[WNYBuckHunter]

Yeah Ill worry about that when the time comes. I hope to get rid of the cages all together in the next few years, they are a pain to mow around.

[Gthphtm]

oh ok got ya... as it grows out and up the deer will be able to nip it. might have to rebuild it wider or higher down the road...

Yes. 2" x 4" wire would be good for the bottom later on but they can get there mouth threw it.If you look back when you posted that you bought some trees, I replied  that I hope you bought some chicken wire also.Deer and rabbits can't get there mouth's threw it.Also I have watched deer jump right over my 4' fence with an electric wire on the top of it.To get into an area and jump out again.

 

 

[Geno C]

oh ok got ya... as it grows out and up the deer will be able to nip it. might have to rebuild it wider or higher down the road...

Yes. 2" x 4" wire would be good for the bottom later on but they can get there mouth threw it.If you look back when you posted that you bought some trees, I replied that I hope you bought some chicken wire also.Deer and rabbits can't get there mouth's threw it.Also I have watched deer jump right over my 4' fence with an electric wire on the top of it.To get into an area and jump out again.

Not sure about what you wrote just now because of the way you quoted it but my trees don't have any deer near them for well over 5 miles. There are no deer anywhere near my neighbor hood so I'm not concerned with protectin them. They are potted and on my driveway and the rabbits don't even go near them.

[Geno C]

Yeah Ill worry about that when the time comes. I hope to get rid of the cages all together in the next few years, they are a pain to mow around.

Did you lay mats out? You can do that so no growth will shoot up around them.

[Pav2704]

I just ordered the tree tubes, mats, and stakes from tubex.  I've definately spent more money on the supplies than the actual trees.  I still need to get some type of wire mesh or fencing before I plant.  Lots of money for ten trees!!!  As one of my hunting buddies says, "All this work to miss a doe!"  lol

[WNYBuckHunter]

Did you lay mats out? You can do that so no growth will shoot up around them.

 

No mats, but I keep the area clear that I dug out when I planted them. I dont really want 7 foot bare spots under them. They are in my yard btw, its not hunting property or anything. I just pull the fences every other time I mow.

[Two Track]

Last year I sprayed my apple tree and some of my flowers with deer repellant.

 

Worked for the tree until I had several days of rain wash the scent off it.  Due to frequent rain I did not get back out to respray it for a couple weeks.  So the deer snacked on the blossoms and all the leaves during the light rains.

 

Came home one night and found 3-4 deer eating the grass near the tree.  Walked towards them to get them to leave.  Spoke out to them too.  Said "stay out of my garden and don't eat my apple tree".

 

The larger doe was defiant and seem to understand english - it walked over to the apple tree and starting eating the leaves.

She wouldn't budge until I was 10-15 yards from her.

 

They also snacked on the branches during the winter.  Tree is smaller than when I planted it 2 years ago.

 

Hate to have to put in a fence for 1 apple tree.

[Ford]

your fence doesnt look tall enough... i would have just fenced them in individually  

 

They were fenced individually, but a pain to get into each one and work.

 

That's four foot fencing with two foot of chicken wire at the bottom, even though it is hard to tell in that photo.

 

Seems to do the trick, been that way since last summer.

[Ford]

One of the larger ones. All those Blossoms probably got whacked. Was twenty something degrees last night. I thought we would get by with no late frost this year....Oh well.

 

 

 

[Geno C]

No mats, but I keep the area clear that I dug out when I planted them. I dont really want 7 foot bare spots under them. They are in my yard btw, its not hunting property or anything. I just pull the fences every other time I mow.

 

 

ohh ok, i was thinking thats what you were getting at. lol