I don't know how long its been since you have seen your apple tree. But where I'm at, there is not a single apple on any tree. We had a late frost in the spring that killed all the buds and we didn't end up with any apples on any of the trees in the woods. I have not seen any activity with the deer in my area either. I did a little walking around the other day and only saw one scrape. Not a single rub. I sure wish these deer would start moving around more. I have noticed, they seem to be out more in the evening than in the mornings. But I'm sure every area is different