Oh Deer! It’s that time of the year again. You walk outside to find that bark of your trees torn and scratched. How did this happen? Well, it’s simple. Bucks. This is the time of the year that they are shedding the velvety layer of their antlers. And so, to speed up the process, they rub their antlers against trees. It may seem harmless, but it actually puts your trees at serious risk of death. Now is the time to protect your trees from deer and JC Tree Care can help!
Deer Shed Their Antlers?
Deer antlers go through seasons that require them to shed. It is a normal occurrence and happens annually.
February to March – Deer shed their old antlers. If you’ve ever found a single antler and thought it was strange there wasn’t more attached, this is probably what it was. Once a year bucks will lose their old antlers because of a drop in testosterone levels. When this happens new ones begin to grow within 3 weeks.
April to May – The new antlers begin to grow and are covered in velvet. During these months the growth is slow.
June to July – This is a period of rapid growth. The length of their antlers increases by about 2 inches a week! This is when they begin to take on the shape of what we typically picture antlers to look like. However, they are still coated in the velvety tissue.
August to November – In the early fall, the antlers have mineralized. They no longer grow and the velvet dries. This is when your trees become the target. In order to get rid of that velvet, deer will usually start to rub against the trees in attempt to remove the velvet from their antlers.
What Does This Do To My Trees?
It may seem harmless at first, but deer rubbing against trees can actually cause serious harm. On the outside we only see that the bark has been stripped. But there is something more serious happening under that bark.
The scraping harms something called xylem from the tree. This is what carries water and minerals from the root system up to the leaves. So when the nutrients to stop flowing, the tree cannot survive.
How Can I Protect My Trees?
All trees can fall victim to injury from this phenomenon. It may only take 24 hours for a buck to shed the velvet, but that is all it takes to damage a tree and there are many bucks out there.
The best thing you can do to protect your trees is to prepare for shedding season. Methods will vary based on budget and land, but there are many options out there.
The most common method is wrapping trees in burlap or mesh can serve as an extra layer of protection against their antlers – especially when it comes to younger trees.
If it fits your budget, then large fences are always an effective options that some people will pick. This keeps them away from the trees and prevents any sort of damage from happening
Others will try methods such as using deer repellants. Be aware that this yields a less consistent rate of effectiveness because deer can learn to adapt to certain scents. Though it might be a good short-term plan.
What If A Deer Rubs My Tree?
If you find that a deer has rubbed against your tree’s bark, the first thing you will want to do is inspect its injuries. Trees that have suffered minimal scratching or were only hurt on one side will typically be okay. Those that have been rubbed around the entire trunk or have deep scratches will need attention and care.
J.C. Tree Care can provide advice and tree service for all your emergency needs. Just give us a call! Our experienced team will do everything it can to make sure your trees are happy and healthy!