There is no picture to consider.

Trees normally recuperate from deer typical damage but we don't know what damage your plant sustained.

Oops, how embarrassing. Thanks for the heads up.

It does look like deer damage..., done in the Autumn rut. They prefer small, soft trees like yours. Try wrapping the trunk before the next rutting season. This kind of damage is highly seasonal (usually in November for me). As long as the damage is limited to 50% of the diameter of the tree..., it should recover. If the damage encircled the tree..., the tree is a goner. It will take a few growing seasons for the would to seal over if all is well. Do NOT apply any wound injury treatments to the trunk (black tar sealants etc..), but do make sure it is watered in the growing season (if necessary).

How interesting! I thought I'd read this tree was deer resistant but I guess the age and softness sort of trumps that. I do believe the bark is missing all the way around, or definitely more than halfway...at least for several inches in height. Sigh. Luckily this one was only in the ground for a year, and I think I only paid $20 for it. Still, very sad to lose one when I'm just in the beginning of all this, I only started putting things into my completely bare beds after spending our whole first year here removing old yews, intense weeding, and getting the soil ready. So it's still really sparse looking out there.

For the future, what does it mean to wrap the trunk? I also added a weeping Norway spruce last fall, about the same height now as this guy. He was left alone this time but next year I might not be so lucky... Maybe I should wrap that trunk too?

thank you! I very much appreciate the help.

Ok nevermind, I'm googling tree wrapping now. Thank you!!

We say deer damage, but this damage is exclusively buck damage. They prefer smooth trunks of smaller trees. Those that look like poles seem to really attract their attention. To some extent, I find the tree gets less vulnerable to attacks as it gets bigger and the damage that does occur is less traumatic. I never limb up my trees as the low branches (touching to the ground), do deter them. Magnolia grandiflora and Metasequoia for example are very low branching and they can't get near either of those.

I believe "deer resistant" typically refers to whether they will browse on it, not whether bucks could harm it by rubbing (although we've found they'll browse on plants labeled deer resistant). Good explanations from subtropix, it does look exactly like a buck rub. Good luck!

My research indicated young bucks do this to mark territory and supposedly once damaged, it is never bothered again. IME, 50% survival rate. Your tree looks like it can survive. Initially I thought it was deer hungrily chewing bark but no, just rubbing antlers against tree. Some research suggested it was to alleviate discomfort like when children are teething, I lean towards territory marking.

It will recover in time . The upper branches as they grow will hang down over the exposed damage. It will never replace those missing branches. Cage it for a time.

I wish I could've seen it happening! This is all sounding extremely adorable; I'd have probably been too enthralled to even stop him. The tree is only about 7 or 8 feet from the corner of our house so if I'd have been peeking through the window I'd have had a spectacular view!!

The deer around here are pretty sneaky... They destroyed a large group of hosta that was here when we moved in (in one night! They must've been munching for a while while we slept) and now this, and yet I almost never see them. I might've seen them twice in the past year, maybe three times. And I walk the dog at night even. Tricky deer in my neighborhood, I tell ya.

I find this all fascinating. Really wish I'd have gotten a glimpse of it.

Well, let me tell you, deer are like the fairies of the forest. They appear, and disappear, sometimes (seemingly) to disappear for weeks. They are there one second, then become invisible to mortals. They prefer to browse in the twilight hours but I think the buck rubbing tends to occur in the night. I would avoid a buck in the rub..., they can be aggressive. Don't kick yourself over this..., all part of gardening experience. I know that when I first moved to my present location, the first time I saw the rub damage..., I thought it was vandalized from some kids or a vehicular accident of some kind. I have to agree with 'bossyvossy', it does seem that the MOST vulnerable are the new plantings. Almost, like they are telling you, "You don't get to dominate this landscape, WE DO!" I have had this rutting damage done to..., Blue Atlas Cedars (both the vertical variety and the weeping one), Ginkgo, and newly planted Magnolias. As I said earlier, this is very seasonal damage..., based on your location, I would say November is also the most likely month for damage.

You can have a beautiful garden despite the deer. (Planting Hosta is just asking for trouble, btw.) I could probably write a book now on gardening with deer (I literally live within a very active 'deer crossing'). Deer resistance rating are based on what animals prefer to chew on. A tree may be rated as highly deer resistant (they don't like to munch on its leaves), but may be a favorite for rutting. Magnolias for example are "deer resistant" but they love to rut on Magnolia bark (as it tends to be smooth). (But last Winter was soooo severe, I saw the deer eating highly deer-resistent Magnolia leaves!)

Suburban wild life here in NJ is exploding (deer, coyote, bald eagles, foxes). The latest is the gangs of wild turkeys with plenty of attitude. Hopefully, signs of an improving ecosystem. LOL!

Fairies of the forest, I love it!!! You've painted a lovely picture for me, I have to sit down with the kids again and watch The Last Unicorn now. ; ) Really though, I will.

The hosta we had out there that they devoured, were a rather ugly variety- medium sized, unremarkable solid green ones. We are the 3rd owners of this house and the 2nd ones lived here for 6 years and admitted they didn't do anything to the yard other than mow. The hosta could certainly attest to that-- the patch of them the deer ate was irregular, overcrowded and about 5 feet wide in some directions. My guess is the 1st owners planted a few and then left completely unattended, all hosta H broke loose in the ensuing years. I dug them all up and put them on craigslist for free, they were gone in 2 hours. I love hosta myself but keep all of mine in the BACKyard, fenced in from the deer. Unfortunately our new (now 9month-old) puppy has decided she likes them about as much as the deer. If I'm not watching her like a hawk, she's tearing through the beds like a maniac, often pulling things out by the tops like carrots and flinging them all around. I've cleaned up her poop and found whole clumps of hosta roots in there, ugh... from ones I divided last year. Sorry if that's TMI.

I'm chalking it all up to learning. I'm so new to all of this still-- I know what I love (JMs, conifers and hosta, oh my!) and I love getting my hands in it and working out there, but when I read some of the posts here I find I am really totally clueless. Sometimes I almost feel like I need a horticulture degree to follow along! But the pictures alone in those cases are so worth it.

One question about the trunk wrapping, if I might be so obliged... for a tree like this, with limbs all up and down the length of the tree, is it fairly easy to just wrap the trunk part and skip over those limbs? And if I were to do that, couldn't the buck still get the enjoyment from rubbing the tree wrap and exposed limbs?

you could put in 3 stakes .... and surround the plant with fishing line ...

if it is scraped all the way around.. it will die above ... didnt quite follow your story ....

ken

" Not cool, deer. Not cool at all."

Thanks for giving me a good chuckle here this morning! Scolding deer like that cracks me up. Not cool, deer!!! Too funny.

The plant may well recover, as has been said. I disagree with the notion posited above that once ransacked, the bucks will now leave that tree alone. My experience suggests the opposite-if you like that plant (and it will recover as it sits right now), you'd better get some stakes in the ground around it or do something, because he'll be back perhaps next fall and rub it up again.

I have quite a bit of buck-rub damage on my tree plantation. Our solution for this, which would not work in this case, has been to plant thousands of trees! They can't/won't get them all!

Thanks Ken and Wisconsin for the staking advice. Will that deter him/them enough? Seems to me a buck might be plenty stronger than some stakes and fishing wire but I guess maybe they simply are put off by it and won't even try? I assume and hope that I can wait until late summer to do this.

Yes Wisconsin, he was a naughty naughty deer and deserves a good scolding! I'm very disappointed in him. But still, I'd like to have spied him through the window ; )

I appreciate your insight guys! As always.

Nicole

Yes it will help. I use large tomato cages and they will try to stick their heads through to eat follage but they give up quickly as there is much more out there to ravage with less effort

Indeed...it's often not what a deer can do, but what they will do. Such practices as the fishing line, a few stakes, and even some baler twine like we've been using to erect cages around some of out stuff can work surprisingly well. Seems like sometimes, all one need do is discourage the deer somehow, and they'll move on. Sometimes, not always!

A buck (maybe the same buck) has come back yr after yr targeting the same plants on my lot for rubbing.

Seems to me a buck might be plenty stronger than some stakes and fishing wire

==>>> Au contraire

the fishing line is invisible... and will confuse them ... scare them .. and they will never get to the plant ... they are not going to continue to push thru ... when there is some mysterious resistance ... and i am talking heavy pound in T bar.. not some thin bamboo stake ...

and its invisible.. though the three stakes arent ...

pic below , before the fishing line went on

ken

Exactly^. I will repeat...it's not what a deer can do, it's what a deer will do. We've been at this for a while!

Thanks guys!

I'll definitely give it a go come summer's end. Can I use something halfway between that T bar and bamboo though? Like those thick green plastic covered metal rods? I have some 6' ones that are pretty thick, not like the thinner 3' ones... I don't know that I can persuade husband to buy a bunch of that T bar stuff, and this won't be the only tree I will want to enclose...

For that matter, does anyone think I will have to do the same with my japanese maples someday? I've been buying little baby 2-year's that are in pots now but will eventually go in the ground. All dwarf varieties but I've collected quite a few now and can't imagine having to do this to all of them! Oh, all the little things one doesn't know about until they need to...

Oh yes, I lost a jm to deer munching. You don't need something too elaborate--just enough for them to go mess with something easier to ravage

Thanks bossy, I think I'll use your idea of tomato cages for some of my smaller ones, I have a bunch of those on hand already :-)

Unfortunately I do not think that will survive. Ive got bad deer as well. Ive lost a weeping norway spruce, they snapped a vanderwolf pyramidal pine to a few inches above the ground (there were a few branches low to the ground which are growing nicely), a quaking aspen, and three japanese maples, all during rut season. Probably more too. If you decide to keep it and it survives that is one badass tree.

Well now I really REALLY want it to survive! I will be sure to post a picture if it does.

Might even make it a special gold plaque, with that prestigious title...

Not cool, deer!

Sounds like it's time for a little High velocity lead poisoning!

you can use.. whatever will work ... unfortunately ... i can tell you this worked ... but i cant tell for sure that your idea will work ...

i used these.. because that is an oak pictured ... and i anticipated it growing tall ... planned ahead ...

ken

Gold plaque,,,Nicole,,,you kill me

ron

This guy works for me.

Oh my gosh delta, that is hysterical and adorable.

Hey Ron! Heeeeeeeyyyyyy!! So nice to hear from you ; ) I'll be sure to post a picture of the badass tree, with said plaque, should he survive. If he does indeed bite the dust though, I wonder how long it will take... As in-- given that it still looks green and lush on the good branches-- at what point should I feel it's safe to start engraving?

Lastly mblan and no offense meant, but I wish GW left me an option to say "no thank you" to your post. That hurt my heart a little! There will be no poisoning of fluffy mammals in my yard, ever. I have been known to use some Sluggo from time to time and even that task is done with much sadness, prayer and apology. My deer will be deterred with only mental-and perhaps a little physical- frustration. And some, perhaps greatly ineffective, good old fashioned scolding.

Just figured I'd jump on here and update.... My tree is dead. Well, 90% of him is-- looks like the bottom 10" is doing just fine!

Cut all the dead branches off and tie the upper right branch up to the main trunk. Don't force/break it, may take an iteration or two over a few months. If you prefer cut some of the top of the (dead) main trunk off. Later on use a stake if needed. Ive done this with weeping bald cypress and weeping japanese maples. I lost another japanese maple over the winter due to buck rub.

Thanks Pete, I'll try that. At the least it'll be an interesting project : )

I'm in South Australia & believe it or not I am very familiar with this type of damage. I look after a large garden 2 days a week & it has a lot of conifers & feral deer decimate any conifer with fragrant foliage & trunks rigid enough to push against. They have a definite preference for certain types & mostly leave the others alone. They are particularly fond of the incense cedar group & prefer fastigiate cultivars. We have 6 species of feral deer in Australia & some are even protected.....madness!

Here are a couple of photos of the victims referred to. Both these are recovering....sort of ....I like the artificial deer guard, I might have to make a couple as big as elks to deter the amorous bucks here!

Oh my! That's quite the damage!!

My Alaskan weeping cedar got ruined due to the bucks in our neighborhood, love them dearly but not that. It is June and probably the top 15 ft have turned brown. The bottom1-2 ft are still green. What should I do?

If deer, rabbits etc. aren't fenced out then whatever they take a notion to do whenever they take a notion to do it rules the battlefield. A compromise is individual enclosures around individual specimens. But then there is the problem of weeding inside them and any that are erected within lawns will have to be edged, be in the way of mowing.

Traditionally deer resistant plants coming onto the menu in later years is being widely noted so again it really comes down to making it so plantings are inaccessible to them. (Also there is the existing complication that what plants are targeted varies with the species of deer).

Develop a deer control plan that make sense for you based on overall pressure and your tolerance for damage. This will require some research. The older I get, the more tolerance I have. My experience has been that, short of building an 8’ perimeter fence, it is best to use a variety of tactics to keep them at bay. It starts with resistant plants, but that will not prevent buck rubs. Understanding and vigilance is key. They’re going to get some, and accepting this is a big step forward in dealing with deer.