Pin tree damage

[sweet old bill]

 I have  next to my shooting 3 D targets a spot that has maybe 12 pine trees that are 1 ft to 3 ft high, that is next to our land. 

 

He stopped by and asked why I was cutting back his trees ? I have not cut back the trees and or broken any off.

 

What can be doing this to his small trees ? any ideas, I do not think a deer will eat ona pine tree.

 

any ideas ?

[Curmudgeon]

Deer eat pines readily during the winter. Here - and I am not far from you - they never seem to touch them in the summer. There is really good forage around my place in the summer. If you are in a heavily wooded area, they might eat pines. Or, if the deer have eaten everything else of value.

 

Time to set up a camera.

Edited September 10, 2015 by Curmudgeon

[Doc]

I doubt it is deer in the summer. Are they cut or broken? Are they dead or alive? Any pictures?

[growalot]

People tend to use the word pine to cover many species...It depends on what pine or spruce they are...thing about wild life is they instinctively know what they need and when...some pine/spruce act as natural wormers and young shoots can be used in this case....

[sweet old bill]

they are Balson pine and are about 1 ft to 3 ft....

[growalot]

Well that answers that question....