Between late September through November, during the rut is when a buck is after a doe. When this is happening, he rubs his summer-grown velvet off his antlers. This leaves his scent, establishes his territory, and communicates his dominance over rivals with the hope a doe will take notice. A buck also rubs the glands of his face and underside on trees and branches. Trees take another hit in late winter when bucks seek to shed their antlers.
You might be thinking, how do I protect my trees? An excellent method is to create cages for trees, particularly young trees. Use 4 T posts, 5-foot tall heavy fencing surround the tree (at least 5 feet in diameter), secure with zip ties. Galvanized or vinyl coated wire fencing is tough and long-lasting. Remember that black vinyl-coated wire blends better into the environment than green.
Having sturdy fence wire is important, and lightweight chicken wire would collapse onto the tree and damage the bark.
Need help with protecting your trees during the rut?
Call us here at J&S Landscaping and we’ll guide you through it. 570-889-5366
13 Red Ridge Rd
Zion Grove, PA 17985
Keeping Schuylkill, Luzerne and Carbon county
homes & businesses beautiful - one property at a time!
Did You Know?
Additional protection to consider as the cold weather approaches is burlap wrapping your trees. Burlap is a great material for protecting trees in the winter due to its effectiveness in allowing the tree to breathe, have access to moisture and light while maintaining a cool temperature.
Taking measures to protect your trees during the winter helps them remain healthy and vigorously grow in the spring. Leaving your trees exposed to the elements can cause severe damage, weakening your trees health, leaving them susceptible to disease and deadly infection.
Buck rubbing summer growth off of his antlers on a tree in the forest. Photo courtesy of Louisiana Sportsman, 2-11
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