Who is eating my trees?

[tracy]

Answers to the question....

http://www.swog.org.uk/news/who-has-been-eating-my-tree-by-rich-and-penny/

[Darren]

We have had the some problem a few weeks. I think it was a deer that some how managed to get eat all tips of the regrowth then managed to get back out again. I've put extra ties on the fence posts, just have to see over the next few weeks if the new regrowth gets munched again.

[andy w]

Deer only have teeth in the top of their mouths and therefore leave a 'tear' on shoots when they browse (as do some domesticated livestock such as sheep but this seems less likely). Rabbits have teeth top & bottom so more of a 'clean' cut is evident. It's hard to tell from the photos, no offence to the photographer, as it's difficult to pick these things up. The height (i.e. >60cm) would suggest rabbits unlikely though.

I don't think there is any evidence of squirrels causing this sort of damage to trees.

Deer can clear a deer fence such as the one I can see in the background of your photos, but would normally only do so if desperate. They are unlikely to jump into a fenced area that is smaller than say 0.25ha.

A colleague of mine once saw a roe buck (i.e. not the largest of deer) clear a 6ft deer fence from a standing start! Deer fences are deterrents, but pretty good ones generally.

Muntjac can squeeze under/through pretty small gaps and do cause a lot of damage for their size.

Hope that helps!?

[Rod Taylor]

Have simelar slight damage to our new coppice growth. Also suspected Deer but no sign of damge to the fence, so suspect as it is still very soft the rabbits have learnt to pull the shoots down to nip the tops off. Also noted chewed off tips of regrowth on pollarded oaks about 5 foot from the ground. Assume the same squirrels that ring barked the oaks last year now climb up and sit on the top to chew the new growth, (unless giraffs are loose in sussex).Why can't these animals just eat grass and leave the trees alone ???

[The Sawyer]

Do you have fallow deer in the area as they are able to jump standard deer fence with no trouble. I have seen one walk up to a deer fence look both ways and the clear it from a standing jump. as for the 5 foot they are big beasts and can stand on their hind legs.

just a thought ttfn Kester

[RichardKing]

Looking at the damage I see that the ends of the branches have eaten as well as the leaves.

This has to be deer.

They massacred a dwarf apple tree out the front of my house, ate leaves, twigs & apples.

[Darren]

I've seen what's doing the damage inside my fence. A clever deer has sussed out that it can push through under the fence. So I've put some logs along the bottom of the fence to pin it down. I spaced the fence posts a the right distance to hold up the fence, but didn't take into account of deer pushing underneath. I wouldn't of believe it if I didn't see it with my own eyes. Next time I'll make sure the posts are nearer. I would reckon posts about every 6 to 8 foot. Lesson learned!

[Darren]

Look like I won't be able to take pictures of the ash coppice for you Tracy as I'ts all been eaten.

I should taken a 'belts and braces' approach now it won't be tall enough to get out of the way of the rabbits this winter. A double blow. :(

[tracy]

DOH! So sorry to hear that Darren. Let us know what you plan to do next time... when you get over the pain of the loss!

[Rod Taylor]

Darren. What kind of sneaky deer did you see limbo-ing under your fence. We only have Roe And Fallow as the smaller Muntjac havent got as far as us yet, so didn't consider it a problem. Have already been putting some old dead wood along the fence line as it's out the way and good for the bugs to live in. If the larger deer are likely to get in I will reinforce my bottoms before they all learn and I loose all my new growth. So far any damage has been minimal, but with growth now getting high enough for deer to hide in presumably it will be more at risk.