We have roe deer in the woodland. This hasn't bothered me, as the Noble Firs are 25 years old and have been brashed up to 8 feet anyway. However, we are going to do some replanting next winter, so deer protection has been on my mind.
We have some Nordman Fir in amongst the Nobles, that have regenerated from a previous Christmas Tree crop. I've noticed that the deer really chow down on the Nordmans, while leaving young Nobles alone. The difference is striking:
Here is Nordman Fir after deer browsing. (Sorry it's on its side. Don't know why. OK on the computer.)
Here is some Noble Fir, not 10 feet away from the previous pic.
This pattern is repeated in many other areas in the woodland. I'm wondering: Do they especially like Nordman Fir, or especially dislike Noble Fir?! If they especially like Nordman, perhaps I can use it as a "sacrificial" species to deter them from browsing on anything else?