Deer tracks in the snow on our property are almost non-existent; they seem to mainly be traveling along the plowed roads and driveways.

This past week I had the deer I was seeing come through here dwindle down to one. We suddenly got fairly deep snow yesterday so it looked to be combing the green belt for whatever it could find where the snow was less. Instead of coming out into the open where there was nothing but snow for it. Otherwise before the snow the interest was primarily in grazing the lawn - I've read deer grazing ground plants is typical for late winter-early spring - although nibbling all leaves off the ends of evergreen azalea twigs also became a priority during visits here just recently. (So I finished cutting these shrubs off near the ground, because I don't want to grow evergreen azaleas here anyway).

As I recall, there was extensive rabbit (and vole) damage back in 2013/14 with the record snowfall we had that winter. We haven't had persistent deep snow here this winter, but the snow that has fallen over the last 2 weeks hasn't gone anywhere due to the cold. Rabbits have been damaging the viburnums in my backyard (photo of chewing marks on Alleghany viburnum). They've also been nipping the spicebushes, but I think they prefer the viburnums. I've fenced a few of my younger viburnums and my fothergilla. I don't mind having a few rabbits around, in fact I actually provide an extra treat for them by scattering some crabapple trimmings on the ground during the snowiest parts of the winter.

You can bet your boots I would remove the snow around those shrubs you like very quickly. That is a shame and the pests just keep getting worst(

Snow has a protective effect for the shrubs against cold, if bothering to attend each specimen individually were undertaken putting wire around them would be a more productive use of the time.

THIS is the sound we have been hearing on still, moonlit nights after we go to bed. Our house is surrounded by agricultural fields. If you are unfamiliar with it, the vixen's call can send chills. So what does the increase in red fox population have to do with this thread? Quoting from a Baltimore Sun article: "There are no more bunny rabbits - the foxes and coyotes keep them all harvested."

Also gone are ground nesting birds such as Bobwhites, pheasants, grouse and ducks. Interestingly Canada geese population has exploded.

Fox will also eat carrion. I really don't think there's anything a fox will not eat.

From what I've read foxes and coyotes aren't the primary causes for the widespread decline in quail numbers. According to audubon.org, the northern bobwhite "Has disappeared from much of the northern part of its range, and has declined seriously even in more southern areas. The causes for these declines are not well understood. At northern edge of range, many may be killed by unusually harsh winters, but this does not explain its widespread vanishing act." I think most experts attribute the decline to habitat loss and changing agricultural practices. I haven't seen quail at my location for many years, and pheasants are a rarity. We have foxes and coyotes, but where there is enough cover for them the rabbit numbers haven't declined.

Coyote populations around here have increased exponentially to the point that red fox numbers have gone down, since the coyotes out-compete them for resources and occasionally prey on the foxes as well. Gray fox numbers are more stable, but they tend to stay in more heavily forested and undeveloped areas, where they don't have to compete with the coyotes very often. They also incorporate a lot more non-meat items in their diet than red foxes do, so the grays can make do without an abundance of live prey.

The coyote numbers haven't affected the rabbits at all though...they're far more opportunistic than foxes when it comes to food choices, and would just as soon rummage through your compost heap, snack on roadkill, or raid the backyard chicken coops that are becoming ever so popular, rather than spending all their time chasing wary prey. A friend even shared a video a few winters ago of a coyote nimbly climbing up a scraggly old apple tree on her property and eating the still hanging apples.

When cottontails became conspicuous in my previous neighborhood the nocturnal coyote chorus also became a lot more evident. After that the rabbits thinned out considerably. Did I undertake an organized study? No. But a relationship between those two observed occurrences would not surprise me.

Otherwise decades ago there was a TV production shown that talked about how coyotes were thriving in Los Angeles because of all the delivered milk bottles that were not being brought inside promptly. And because of all the unwary toy dogs and house cats that were being sent out the back door to do their business unattended.

My blue girl & boy hollies, and also rhododendrons chewed to nubs by deer because of the endless snowcover here this winter. Stuff right beside the house.

I noticed last week how all the rabbit trails here went from shrub to shrub. The snow is forcing them to nibble the only stuff that's not covered or fenced and unfortunately somebody here did not fence everything that was supposed to be fenced.

Hopefully as the snow melts it might save a few things, if not there's always rejuvenation pruning.

I did notice the paths we shoveled across the lawn are 'peppered with poops' and the rabbits seem to hang out there since it's the only exposed grass. Of course more snow is coming, so it will be back to finishing off the hollies.

We returned from a weekend away to find the rabbits have now girdled a nice young Sourwood that was planted last spring. The replacement will definitely get fenced!

I would just snip that sourwood off at the base and let it resprout from the roots. You'll probably get about two feet of growth and it will be a nice straight shoot rather than such a forked base.

I finally trudged out into the deeper snow and saw the rabbits have nearly defoliated two camellias (I thought it would be the cold that did them in lol), defoliated and topiaried a few hollies, and worst of all nibbled a row of newly planted serbian spruce down to a few oddly shaped sticks. My fingers are crossed the spruce can make some kind of recovery....

I shoveled some snow off the old cabbage and cauliflower patch. Maybe that will distract them for a few nights.

Of course I'm too lazy to put up fencing now that they've already been damaged.