Deer rub is a serious threat to the health and survival of young trees, occurring when male deer, or bucks, use their antlers to scrape against the trunks. This behavior serves two primary purposes: to remove the dried skin called velvet from their antlers and to mark territory by depositing scent from glands on their forehead. The damage happens mainly from late summer through the winter, coinciding with the bucks’ preparation for and participation in the mating season, known as the rut.
The consequence of this rubbing is the stripping of a tree’s outer bark and the removal of the cambium layer beneath it. This layer is responsible for the tree’s secondary growth and contains the vascular tissues, which transport water and nutrients. When a buck removes the bark completely around the circumference of the trunk, a process called girdling, the flow of materials is interrupted, and the tree will eventually die. Protecting vulnerable trees, typically those with smooth bark and trunks between one and four inches in diameter, is a necessary measure to secure the landscape.
Individual Tree Barriers
The most direct and reliable method for protecting specific, high-value trees is installing individual physical barriers around the trunk. Materials like hardware cloth, wire mesh cages, and commercial tree shelters offer localized protection against the abrasive force of a buck’s antlers. These barriers create a simple, impenetrable shield that prevents the deer from making direct contact with the bark.
For effective protection, the barrier must be tall enough to cover the full range of a buck’s rubbing height, requiring a minimum height of five feet. While a shorter, loose collar of wire mesh (about 18 inches high) protects the trunk base, a taller cage also prevents deer from browsing on the tree’s foliage. The protective structure should be constructed with a diameter wide enough to accommodate the tree’s growth, ideally three to four feet in width for a cage.
Installation requires securing the barrier firmly to the ground to prevent a deer from pushing it aside. For wire mesh cages, this involves using sturdy stakes, such as metal rebar or wooden posts, driven a foot or more into the soil and attached to the cage with zip ties or wire. The bottom edge of the cage should also be secured to the ground with garden staples to eliminate gaps. Commercial tree shelters, which are cylindrical plastic tubes, can also be used for saplings; these must be staked to remain upright and typically require a diameter of three to four inches.
Area Exclusion and Landscape Design
For properties with a high deer population or where numerous trees require protection, excluding deer from the entire area offers a comprehensive, long-term solution. The most definitive method is installing a perimeter fence that deer cannot easily jump over. Since a mature deer can leap seven feet or higher, a truly deer-proof vertical barrier must stand at least eight feet tall and be constructed of strong, non-flexible material like welded wire or chain link.
Where a full eight-foot fence is not practical due to cost or local regulations, alternative fence designs can serve as effective deterrents by confusing the deer’s depth perception. One design involves a double-fence system using two parallel, single-strand electric fences, each only two feet tall and spaced five feet apart. Another option is an angled fence, which is a multi-strand electric barrier slanted outward at a 45-degree angle, making the jump appear more difficult.
Long-term landscape planning can also contribute to reducing rub damage by using strategic planting choices. While no plant is completely deer-proof, incorporating deer-resistant species can help redirect their activity. Deer tend to avoid plants with strong aromatic odors, fuzzy or spiny textures, or a bitter taste. Planting these less desirable species, such as thorny shrubs or aromatic herbs, near vulnerable trees can act as a secondary barrier, discouraging deer from entering the area.
Repellent Strategies and Application
Repellents provide a non-physical method of deterrence, working by creating an unpleasant taste or odor that discourages deer from approaching a tree. Taste-based repellents, often containing bitter or spicy substances like capsaicin, must be applied directly to the bark or foliage. Since the deer must sample the treated plant to be deterred, some initial damage may occur before they learn to avoid the area.
Odor-based repellents, such as those formulated with putrescent egg solids or predator urine scents, work by signaling danger or decay, which deer find offensive. These substances can be applied directly to the plant or used as area repellents to deter deer from entering a wider space. Repellents that utilize both taste and odor, such as certain formulations of egg solids, are considered the most effective.
Repellents are a secondary line of defense compared to physical barriers and require diligent maintenance to remain effective. They must be applied before the rubbing season begins, typically in late October or early November, to prevent the establishment of a rubbing pattern. Reapplication is necessary every two to four weeks, especially after heavy rain or snow, because moisture degrades the active ingredients and reduces their potency.