The area we live in is filled with magnificent-wild creatures including squirrels, rabbits, frogs, toads, snakes, bison, mountain lions, birds, and deer. These tree critters are quite admirable; however, it is important for us to recognize that they share their home with us. One of these creatures you are surely familiar with snooping around in your own backyard is the deer. These furry four-legged mammals may appear harmless, but they are infamous for causing some serious buck rub damage to trees and especially to young, newly planted, trees.
What is Buck Rub?
Deer can go pretty buck wild on tree trunks. More specifically, male deer, or bucks, rub their antlers on tree trunks for generally two reasons. The first reason is that they are cleaning their antlers by rubbing them against the grooves of the tree’s bark. The second reason is that they are showing their dominance to other bucks by marking their territory as they leave their scent on the trunk, and then they utilize the banging sound coming from their antlers clashing with the trunk as a form of a mating call.
How Buck Rub Can Kill Young Trees
Young trees are particularly vulnerable to buck rub damage due to their thin and delicate bark. The force and pressure exerted by a male deer's antlers can easily strip away the protective layer of bark, exposing the tree's inner tissues to potential infections and diseases. If left unchecked, buck rub can stunt their growth, and even kill young trees, negating all the effort and care put into their planting. However, buck rub is preventable through several effective methods.
3 Ways You Can Prevent Buck Rub
The first way you can prevent buck rub from destroying your trees is by utilizing scare tactics. Deer are wary animals meaning that certain scare tactics can deter them from venturing toward your trees. You can use motion-sensor sprinklers, noise-making devices, or even hang reflective objects such as CDs or aluminum foil strips within the vicinity of your trees. The sudden movements, flashes, or noises will startle the deer and discourage them from approaching.
The second way you can prevent buck rub is by spreading repellents around and on the surface of the tree. Various commercial repellents are available on the market that can deter deer from approaching your trees. These repellents typically contain strong-smelling substances, such as rotten eggs or predator urine, which deer find unpleasant (and we don’t blame them!) Jolly Lane carries deer repellents that are very effective. Simply apply the repellent directly on the tree trunk according to the instructions listed on the product, and reapply after rainfall or as directed.
The third, and most effective, way you can prevent buck rub is by installing a physical barrier around the young tree. It is encouraged not to wait to fence around a tree, especially at its younger, more delicate age. To create this physical barrier, you can use three T-posts and a five-foot-tall woven wire and ensure that, depending on the size of the tree, you give it at least three to four feet in diameter of space to grow within the barrier.
Shop for Your-Anti Buck Rub Essentials at Jolly Lane Greenhouse
Protecting young trees from deer damage requires proactive measures and a combination of strategies. By understanding the behavior of deer and implementing best practices such as physical barriers, repellents, and scare tactics, you can safeguard your young trees and ensure their healthy growth for years to come.
You can find anti-buck rub and tree support essentials here at Jolly Lane Greenhouse. We carry Tree Mates, which are conveniently designed to attach to your T-posts and provide your tree with additional protective, flexible support allowing it to gently sway while ensuring it stays upright during its first years of growth, improving its taper, form, and root strength.