it wouldn't surprise me if we have both!!..just wondered if anyone would definitely know..I would say 2.5 to 3 ft originally now down to about 2 ft or so..discouraging..plan to look at repellents..

That doesn't look like deer damage to me. Our deer eat oakleaf from the top down, I'd expect leaves and shoots to be gone, not much in the way of wood. They don't harvest branches, then leave them. I have a wire cage encircling my oakleaf now, until it has a chance to get established and put on some growth. Bobbex deer repellent can be effective for me, but this particular shrub is far enough from the house that I have a way of not being consistent with my spraying there.

So morz would you guess rabbits?..we had deer issues at one time (have less now - had a legal hunt in a park close to us) and the damage was more obvious than this..

Sometimes the deer break stuff just by walking around. Sometimes they play or squabble or otherwise take off running. Healthy-looking oakleaf though, patience pays off with those.

Well, the bottom branch looks broken off, not bitten off and right at the grass line. The top branch has the the clean cut of a rabbit bite. So either rabbits or a mowing issue...or both.

tj

I'm leaning towards rabbits after reading these comments..my husband is trained and mows carefully haha..I bought a bag of milorganite today..although a fertilizer I've read that animals don't like it..

I've had deer walk on perennials, not so much woody shrubs. Unless you count the doe who was trying to get a leg up and stand on my azalea hedge last week to better reach cherry blossoms. That's twice in 4 years I've seen a doe do that. I've had them lay on perennials too, take a nap right on top. I think if you had a deer frolicking around breaking branches, you'd see hoof prints.

We don't really have a rabbit problem, I haven't seen more than a handful in as many years. I've had mountain beaver take whole branches from things, but not rabbits. You don't have mountain beaver in Indianapolis ;0)

I feel your pain. If I had the patience needed to mess with installing an outside camera with a sensor, I would try it so it would record the perpetartor... something... but, I would first try products to keep all these guys away as that would be cheaper...

Years ago, some vermin -rabbits, mice, etc- once tore a hole on a newly placed soaker hose. Arrrggghhh! On the very first night... can you believe it? I never found out what did it but it burned me up.

Consider leaving one of those winter protection cages around this small shrub too. And give it some mulch. Ora small decorative fence/ I have some that are 3' tall that I use when the dogs start digging close to some shrubbery that I have or new one that was recently planted and the fertilizer small attracts them.... sigh, if it is not rabbits, deer, etc than add the pooches to the list too. :)) LOL!

I appreciate everyone's thoughts..it's got to be a wild animal..no dogs close by..this has happened several times now..we saw a raccoon in our yard a couple of weeks ago..do they bother plants?..we have quite a few squirrels and I've seen them nibbling my potted annuals but a woody shrub?..curious to see if milorganite helps..I can see that a "cage" would keep plants safer but hate the thought of looking at it..gardening equals 1 part joy and 2 parts problems lol..

Ha! How true. I know racccoons eat fruits and seeds so yes, but, if I have any in my area, I have never caught one in the act of bothering hydrangeas. Not saying they won't though...

luis..my yard is a battlefield for plants :-(

We have tons of rabbits. I just chased one out of my yard a few minutes ago. They never bother my hydrangeas though. Hostas, they love!

Rabbits love my oakleafs.

tj

stir_fryi..might try milorganite..that's my plan

tsugajunkie..after what you just said..I bet my "attackers" are rabbits..

sprinkled milorganite today..saw bites on lower leaves but no branch damage..gotta be rabbits..never used milorganite but have read very positive comments about it..

I found similar damage (a small branch) on one of my oakleafs yesterday afternoon. But I am not sure if it was wabbits because they have been absent the last few years and they would have had to go past the dogs to get to this shrub. Hmmmmm. Odd as there were tastier, lower mophead leaves on two other shrubs. No damage to flower buds on any. More hmmmmms.

it's hard for plant lovers when anything happens to our plants :-(

I don't want to change blame elsewhere but I wonder how much wind speed would be needed to break branches in hydrangeas? I do not think this bed gets a lot of wind but I have not checked. Another one nearby does get windy.

I guess that's possible..you know what happens to me a lot - falling debris..I've had limbs crash into my plants so many times..amazing that the damage hasn't been worse..unavoidable living in a woods..