Weedy

Well if my foil idea won't work what about trying rags on the trunk that have been soaked in deer repellent?
Might last longer than just sraying the tree. Maybe even somewhat in plastic bags.
Any recipes for making deer repellent?

mrbb

I have never seen a deer repellent work when deer are hungry and the food is highly desirable
deer will walk past any solution I know of that isn';t deadly to them
if there was something that could be sprayed on things, farmers would be using it,
I have had thousands in crop damage over the yrs,, and personal friends with a LOT of full time farmers
I have seen all sorts of devices,that were NOT cheap , and many were rather high tech!
from machines that set off small explosives at random, to sprays, to sounds, to?? you name it
hungry animals will EAT things, its what they do and they typically target prime foods first

most of the so called sprays and scents are , basically waste of money items designed to target folks that don't; know any better IMO
designed for yuppies that move out of the city into rural places where deer are eating there fancy landscaped yards and again SELDOM work at all!
they might for avery short term cause a deer to move to something else, but if the food stays sooner or later they will be back for it!

Fold s I know have tried all things, from hanging dummys that moved with the wind, alarms that worked off motion, random crackers that fired off, sprays, solutions
Tying dogs up near by, and deer adapt and adjust and come back for the LURE of GOOD eats!

fencing is your best option and might be the only true option
most all BIG orchards use TALL fencing, as they too gave up on gizz mo's and magic potions!
save your money, put fencing up!

mrbb

a TIP< many places that install fencing for a living, get OLD fence they tear down to replace with new and MANY will GIVE It away or sell CHEAP
due to being in less than perfect condition
but a cheaper way to get some fencing!, or even post at times too!

Weedy

I'm talking about stopping the rubs. Not the eating. There are plenty of other trees for them to rub.
I've had good luck with the sprays when I can apply them. Yes, they would cost way to much for a farmer to spray a whole field.
Driving around I find get deals at some Wal Marts. Once from the spray bottles that sell for around $13 each on sell for $1.50 each.
I bought the last 16 bottles they had.
Also, I had problems with deer getting into my vegetable garden. I put out a product called "Nite Guard". It's a little solar powdered light that flashes a red light on and off.
I haven't had a problems since. And that was years ago.
There are products that work.

Oldtimr

Just put three stakes around the tree trunks, the stakes should be out of the ground at least the height of the fence wire you use. Then take 4 or 6 foot welded fence wire around the stakes and hog ring it together. The deer will not be able to rub the tree.

mrbb

I understand your plans or try and curb the trunks on the trees from getting damaged
BUT again, I stand by my advice and suggestions
I have a ton of fruit tree's and plant a LOT every yr between many hunting camps and many properties I help out on, and used to manage!
I do a TON of wildlife food plots also, started doing wildlife plots in the late 80's
so I have a ton of yrs TRYING different things

will some sprays or like things work about a house or in LOW deer number area's
YES MAYBE< depends on deer numbers and deer's desire to eat something,a nd or if other better things are there for them to eat
its NOT really the spray that works, as it just steers them to other things they find better!
deer will browse on all sorts of things, but like people, like to eat the best things first

BACK to rubs
bucks tend to rub tree's they find in locations they find desirable at times, and this might bean one of your fruit tree's based on its location, more than anything
so, unless fenced off, I doubt anything will stop them

the tree wraps will help maybe, but the bucks can still rub on them and skin of tree can still get damaged
fencing is the best way to prevent it

you can spray all you like and MAYBE it will help some, MAYBE NOT
a fence on the other hand WILL work 100% of the time if done right!

Ridge Runner

electric fence! 2 strands and a solar charger and they stay away.
RR

Weedy

That would be alots of chargers. 24 or more. These trees are not just all in a row. they are spaced out all thru the pasture with a lots of black locust in-between.
Slowly trying to get rid of the locust by replacing them with other trees.
While I've heard deer like black locust, I sure don't.
While sure a fence would work best, I'm not goig to have the time to drive 75 or more post in this rock infested ground this year.

Oldtimr

You do not have to fence the whole field, just do what I posted earlier with welded fence wire around every tree a couple inches from the trunk.

mrbb

I think he came up with the 75 post, by doing, 24 tree's, 3 post to a tree, and well, 3x24 equals, 72
so I can see his point
but if the name of the game is to slowly protect what you can, I still say, fence as many tree's as you can , this will save them at least, others will have to hope for the best!

NOW< I am NOT saying this works or is even something one wishes to try or DO
but I know a few old farmers that swear by it(i seen it NOT work though LOL)
they CLAIM if you take OLD tires NO rims/wheels on them and place them around things, deer will NOT walk over them, they WILL JUMP over them
but not walk, they claim the hole in the tire(better yet if two tires stacked on top of each other,
it causes them to NOT know how deep the hole in center of tire ism and that prevents them from walking in them
I would gather you'd need a whole bunch of tires to protect any tree's as not sure how many it would take to go all the way around a few tree's out from the truck to work here?
but, some guys DO have a LOT of old tires laying about there properties, or I sure see many folks with em on older farm lands!

ALSO< NOT sure you'd want to even do this, as could be \making places for mosquito's to breed , and or stinging bee's and likes to neect!

but throwing the idea out there to you

I also gather you could CUT a tire and place a few around the tree truck in itself, 4-5 tires a tree should get things up high enough to stop rubs
or been place a few things under a tire to get higher, to stop things?

Maybe find a larger ATV shop and ask for old ATV tires, be lighter to work with
once tree grows large enough, you can remove tires too

just some other idea's for you
fencing is best option, but know there is work and costs to it