Hey, they killed Kenny.....

[rocksnstumps]

.......the plum tree that is......
These ravenous deer are starting to get out of hand! Tried to recycle some cheaper 4 ft blue-X tubes on some trees from the NWTF this spring. Worked ok a few years ago but they were eating them as they came out the top or busting off the wood stakes I had. Ok, I'll just use some sturdy fence T-posts and than move them up a foot with wiring them to the post as they grow. Wrong......the venison vermin are getting impatient for dessert. Geez, they have like 200 acres of soybeans all around me and now they're starting to play hard ball. Here's what I found on about 15 tubes recently.
 



Here's another....... mmmm, yummy plastic flavored
 



The only luck I've had is with the Treepro tubes that are like 3X the cost (also more expensive due to 6 ft), but at least the trees have a chance. These are going on their third summer. I order 'em off the NWTF.org web site.
 

[underdog]

http://www.walnutcouncil.org/deer_repellent_study.htm

[Ed]

I know where you are coming from.

As soon as my Oaks poke above the the tree tubes, the DanG deer are eating them off............so I have to fence around the tubes to keep them away...........just can't win.

Ed

[Green Wood]

I have a nice little tool that could fix your problem...


It's called a .308

[rocksnstumps]

I might have to resort to some sort of fencing in parts myself to get regeneration going on the nearby 30 acres of low grade hardwoods that's getting a timber salvage and TSI done right now. Hopefully not, but next year will be an interesting test. My management plan calls for 10-15 mini clear cuts to help promote growth as the mostly dead/dying elm and lots of ironwood get carted off for pulp. Needs to be done, but wow, lot's of open area now that hopefully can fill in with some maple, cherry, yellow birch, popple, and even some ash (but with EAB now in WI, I don't hold out much hope for that). The 40 next to me is a world of difference from this woodlot that had too many cows for too long pastured there years ago. Hope someone's grandkids appreciate it decades down the road.

As far as a nice tool and lots of bullets, I'm just a small landowner and making a significant dent is not really realistic. Just the right mix of habitat around me owned by others to keep deer numbers high. I heard stories of a landowner down in southern WI that is in CWD country (DNR want them to kill, kill, kill). He only owns 10 acres. Loves to bowhunt. Shoots 30+ deer a year and gives a lot to friends and food pantries (state was testing them for free). The deer just keep coming and coming.

[justintimemoto]

300 mag would work good for this problem

[SwampDonkey]

I have some oak in under aspen because there is more light than say under fir or maple. The things grow 2-3 feet a year, but the hares eat them to the ground by spring.  Hares will even eat the rubber handle grips on a brush saw and hard hat liners.

[Left Coast Chris]

Anyone try the motion sensor sprinklers?    They are supposed to scare them away.

Another thing I have thought about is a pit trap.  We have deep soil and could dig one pretty easy.  Just need to divise a cover with a trip mechanism.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Just Get a GUN and SHOOT THEM if there like the ROOS Overhere They will get the message that the paddocks out of bounds  hapy hunting mate

Chris

[rocksnstumps]

There's plenty of hunting being done by family and friends in season. Just as I mentioned, not effective on a small piece of property to reduce numbers that has good habitat and wintering areas close by owned by others and also a large county park (no hunting) to boot. Not really the point of the thread anyway. Just thought I'd pass along what kind of tree tubes do/don't work for me with high deer numbers. A buddy has good luck with the blue-X tubes on his land a county away so in some situations they work just fine, not so by me however. Good luck with your plantings...