March 2024

Deterring Deer Damage to Deciduous Trees By Cory Piskorski, ISA Certified Consulting Arborist, Princeton Tree Care

T aking pride in the beauty and preservation of shared spaces, community association boards and property managers face many challenges. One example is deterring deer damage to deciduous trees. Although these majestic creatures may seem harmless, “buck rub” can cause extensive bark damage and create wounds that make trees more susceptible to disease and pests. What Is Buck Rub? Typically, large multifamily housing developments have clusters of woods nearby or surrounding the residential

area. These spaces are a phenomenal habitat for whitetail deer. Once a year, deer go through their breeding cycle. Doe are situationally in heat from September through October and into November. Leading up to this, male bucks often mark their territorial claim. To show their control of an area they will aggressively nudge, scrape, and rub their antlers on tree trunks. This ritualistic scuffing is called buck rub. Bucks also do this to put their scent on the tree and polish their antlers. One buck could have up to 18 dif ferent rubs that he hits not just once, but sometimes three to five times in the heat of the season. Often times, the scrape CONTINUES ON PAGE 24

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MARCH 2024