Author Topic: Deer Control (Read 3386 times)

wesdor · « **on:** February 04, 2008, 07:49:54 pm »

I plan to plant several hundred hard wood trees this spring. Most of them will go on land that has been bulldozed and has no ground cover, so I need to plant that as well.

My hope is that I can plant something along with the trees that the deer won't like as much. Do any of you know if there are any flowers, grasses or other plants that will discourage the deer from browsing in the trees?

Worst case, can I plant something the deer like so well that they might leave the trees alone and eat the other plants instead.

I've searched the archives and don't find anything along this line, so I'm thinking nothing like this exists. But I had to at least ask.

Phorester · « **Reply #1 on:** February 05, 2008, 07:53:08 am »

Planting something the deer like among your tree seedlings will only attract more of them to your seedlings, which will be eaten along with everything else.

I think the second-best practice to control deer in tree planting projects is to apply one of the commercial deer repellents. I've had several landowners do this successfully over the years. yes, it involves time and effort. Here in my part of Virginia quite often we have to spray 2 - 3 times each winter starting in mid-November. Spray once every 4-6 weeks until mid-late April. More often if you get a lot of rain or snow that washes the repellent off the seedlings. Tedious and repetitive, but it works here.

Good news is that you only have to apply repellents until the trees are chest - head height. after that, deer browsing won't hurt them.

But with hardwoods we plant them using the tree shelters. This seems to be the best way to eliminate deer browsing. They provide a greenhouse benefit to each tree and also physical protection from animals.

wesdor · « **Reply #2 on:** February 05, 2008, 01:18:12 pm »

Thanks phorester, especially about planting something the deer like.

Someone in another thread mentioned a roll (1000') of mesh to go around seedlings.

Would that work? I don't have time to look the thread up at the moment and it is book marked on my computer at home. My recollection is that you pull off the amount you need and then put it around the tree. It is cheaper than the tree shelters, but maybe I would be getting what I pay for.

My goal is to have as many trees survive as possible. I know 100% in unrealistic, but it would be nice to be above 60% after two years.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #3 on:** February 05, 2008, 04:46:05 pm »

merigolds!

Irish spring soap cakes tied to limbs

Tree Guard repellent

coyotes

skunk juice

Phorester · « **Reply #4 on:** February 06, 2008, 01:30:37 am »

Trying to fence out several acres of trees from deer would be very expensive. A fence built vertical, as most are, is needed that is 10-12 feet high. A better fence is one that is built on a 45 degree angle, sloping up to 6 - 8 feet tall at the high side. Deer can't jump well both vertically and horizontally at the same time, so a fence must be slanted to be effective. There is also some indication that looking through the fence wires of a slanted fence creates an optical illusion that deer find disturbing. They can't figure it out so walk away. If the plan is to put a mesh fence around each tree, why not just install the tree shelters around each tree for their extra benefits?

My thinking on deer protection specifically and tree plant generally is..., yep, it costs in time and money to do it right. Hardwood plantings in my area, with mats and tree shelters, run $4 - $6 per tree. We routinely get 90% and better survival. You automatically get the deer protection with the shelters so you don't have to apply deer retardants later. But those trees will be living for 50 to 100 years or longer. What's $4 - $6 per tree when it lives for a century or more?

ellmoe · « **Reply #5 on:** February 06, 2008, 06:50:00 am »

The problem I see with spending $4-6 / tree at planting time is the time value of money. If you investing that $5 over the time till harvest time much would that be worth? Also, if your talking of a maturity date of 60 or more years, who gets the benefit of this investment? I realize the property will be worth more with a growing stand of timber, but that value will only be realized if it sold. If you look at only the financial side it's a tough decision for an individual.

Mark

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #6 on:** February 06, 2008, 07:16:08 am »

Oh the math has been done already ellmoe, your right. The actual cost of tree planting and tending the first 10 years approaches $900 /acre. The stumpage most land owners see here approaches $600/acre in the good times for a clearcut. Those loggers that pay more than $900 go bankrupt.

wesdor · « **Reply #7 on:** February 06, 2008, 07:30:32 pm »

ellmoe,

"If you look at the financial side it's a tough decision."

Actually that wouldn't be a tough decision at all for me. If finances were the only factor, then it wouldn't happen. 60 years is probably a shorter time frame than most of the trees will need, so I'm hoping to leave something of value for my grandchildren. Problem there is that none of our three children seem to have any prospects in that area, so perhaps I need to change that goal to being, leaving a place in better shape because I had the privilege of living here.

The land in question is too rough to be farmed and we have a golf course on one side and a lawyer on the other side that would sue big time if we had livestock that ever got out (we had cattle 20 years ago and he collected $4,000 plus for 20 cows in his pasture for 2 days - so we don't have any more livestock).

That pretty much leaves the options of planting timber or selling for housing. Housing is something we don't want to do and thus planting trees is at the top of the list.

As you can see, my immediate goal is to save as many seedlings from deer as possible.

But you are correct, from a financial standpoint this isn't a great investment.

ellmoe · « **Reply #8 on:** February 06, 2008, 08:03:25 pm »

I'm all for regenerating a timber stand, I don't like cutover land left in that state. However, I always believe there is more than one way to "skin a cat". I'm not familiar with regeneration techniques in your area, but perhaps timing the planting when there is plenty of deer feed available, hand planting after a years growth is there to provide cover, or selecting less palatable species might be options. Inviting a few "good ole boys" from down south to thin the herd might work too.

Perhaps your state Game and Fish or Div. of Forestry could give you some other ideas.
I've never had any problems down here with deer eating regeneration, but I did have a bunch of cattle wipe out a 10 acre cypress seed tree demo plot I had worked hard to create. The cattle pulled the 2 foot tall seedings right out of the ground eating "guts, feathers and all". There wasn't much else to eat around, so I can't blame them. When I dicovered the intrusion,I had a 50 person group scheduled to tour the site. All I could do once point at the ground and explain "what could have been".

Good luck.

Mark

Phorester · « **Reply #9 on:** February 08, 2008, 09:18:25 pm »

"The problem I see with spending $4-$6 / tree at planting time is the time value of money."
For private landowners, I sometimes wonder if the economic analysises about planting trees are realistic. The landowner who plants the trees in all likelyhood will not be the one who harvests them. Especially if they are hardwoods, which grow much slower than pine.

The landowner who eventually harvests the trees planted by a landowner 50 years ago had no investment in the planting of them, so how can an ecomonic analysis begun at the time of tree planting really be viable?

There could be several landowners between the time the trees are planted and when they are harvested.

Polly · « **Reply #10 on:** February 08, 2008, 09:33:04 pm »

i got several pine trees around my house the deer had been working on all of them last august i put red cedar chips i had ground up around the base of them the deer have not bothered since

woodbowl · « **Reply #11 on:** February 08, 2008, 11:10:58 pm »

I hung aluminum pie pans in my garden for the first time last year and didn't have any more problems. From what I understand, it freaks the deer out by reflection. Even if the wind is not blowing, the reflection appears suddenly as they step farther into the area.

Someone told me the other day that they were successful with stringing fishing line about a foot off the ground. They said there is something uncomfortable about feeling the line. This year I plan to place a few eye screws to route some fishing line upward and hang a bunch of tin cans. Not sure how this would work.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #12 on:** February 09, 2008, 06:24:50 am »

Well you'll here the coons out there at night stripping the corn anyway.

rocksnstumps · « **Reply #13 on:** February 14, 2008, 11:38:34 pm »

Google Karl Martin Deer Impact. He works for Wis DNR and has been studying small enclosures to reduce deer browsing. Small 20' X 20' areas with only 4-5 ft high fences. You might be able to scatter these around without having to high fence large acres at a time. Haven't tried yet, but keeping in mind for when I have some logging done next year. Regeneration is a big problem in my little patch of woods as well.

Beweller · « **Reply #14 on:** February 15, 2008, 08:59:43 pm »

The peanut butter fence is reported to work well in this area.

LEES WOODCO · « **Reply #15 on:** February 29, 2008, 07:38:51 pm »

30-06

woodtroll · « **Reply #16 on:** March 01, 2008, 09:52:47 pm »

How about you plant a cover crop (grass, like redtop) that will become established with the trees? They will hide the trees (a little) letting them develop. You will lose a few to deer browse, But hardwoods tend to re-sprout. Check your plantings for survival at the 2nd and 3rd year. This gives your seedlings time to re-sprout. Then fill in any gaps.
Given time (10 years or so) you will see your trees well established. You will save the money of the tree tubes and deer repellent. During the ten years you will also have natural regen of light seeded trees. Then you have the benefit of starting a forest and being wise with your money. The generations after us can enjoy your effort.
So I guess I am saying don't worry about them. The damage they do will be short term. They should get past browse stage in a few years.

Ed · « **Reply #17 on:** March 10, 2008, 07:44:08 am »

I started using the tubes from Tree Pro last year on all my hardwood seedlings. I think I bought about 50 of them. Total protection from critters and you get an increased growth rate.
IMHO, well worth the price.
http://www.treepro.com/index.html

Ed

Ron Scott · « **Reply #18 on:** March 25, 2008, 02:43:24 pm »

New Product to Protect Trees from Deer

Called a "Bud Cap", this lightweight plastic strip wraps around the terminal bud and is held around the
tree top by its own adhesive. It's designed to protect the terminal bud in the winter and spring, when deer are
most likely to browse it; then in summer deer should have plenty of more appealing food while the tree is growing.
The Bud Cap is good for one season and would have to be replaced annually until the tree is out of the reach of
deer. Price last summer was 6 or 7 cents apiece. They are available from IFA Nurseries, Inc., 463 Eadon Road
Toledo, WA 98591 (360) 864-2828 (ifanurseries.com)

pappy19 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 25, 2008, 02:58:44 pm »

We had a problem with deer in our arboretum while I was in college. While at the barber one day I asked what he did with all of the hair on the floor. He said he threw it away. I took a bag full and stuffed some in old nylon hose and tied it to some of the trees surrounding the area. No more deer. I woulod replace the hair balls about every month.

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Author Topic: Deer Control (Read 3386 times)