SM, The rubbing problem by the bucks on my walnut saplings was solved by driving one wood or metal stake right next to the tree; that stopped the rubbing on that tree.
Deer eating the leaves problem I haven't solved that problem yet. Repellents are too expensive for me.
It's not unusual for me to see 11 deer bedding down right outside my bedroom window many nights. They're really not even wild anymore around here.

I sure hope your 'rope a dope' works, Spruce! If it does, please let us know. I've been making cages with 1x1x8 poles in the ground covered with chicken wire around the places where I'll soon be planting trees. These are in areas that are along my woodland paths where previous seedlings/young trees have been browsed to death by deer - the deer apparently use my paths! I'm not a good carpenter, so the cages are ugly. Hopefully, the deer won't try to knock them down - the poles are about 2' or more in the ground, but the deer could still make a mess of everything if they chose to ram the cages.
Like you, I've tried the various repellents on the market with no success. Your 'rope a dope' would be great if it works - you'd be 'the greatest of all time'! :)
Sherry

I've heard of mixing a repellant with an antidessicant like Wilt-pruf which will make it stick to the leaves longer. It seemed to work fine when I did it, but I don't know if that was because it worked really well or because the deer found somewhere else to feed.

Has anyone tried scattering used remnants of Irish Spring soap around trees and shrubs to discourage deer? The strong aroma of Irish Spring is supposed to act as a deer repellant. I'm saving Irish Spring remnants to use for this purpose.

Jay:

The soap thing is one thing the biologist talked about--he said it works, but didn't specify any kind of soap. For me with a hundred, or hundreds of trees, this doesn't seem practical. I am trying to think of something easy, and cheap.

--Spruce

Hi Spruce:

I'm with Sherry - the world is waiting for an effective solution to the deer problem(s). Cages and crates are too labor intensive. After reading your post, I started thinking about the porosity and density of different types of line or rope. What type of line/rope will absorb the most repellent? Or hold the repellent for the longest time under 'average' conditions?

You may find people in this forum who will help you experiment with different types of line and different environmental conditions. If your experiment is a success, I hope you'll consider a patent!

I just ordered Plantskydd to try it out...I read good reviews overall. The deer are so hungry here they are eating unopened buds off of my saplings. Please update this thread with the results of your "rope a dope", Spruceman...I will watch with great interest.

Interesting idea Spruce. One thing they def. got right with that Plantskydd is the stench. Whew that's some stinky stuff!

Hope your results are positive.

+oM

The rope thing just might work.This is the first year I've tried a spray to deter deer,Mines called Deer Off and the directions say respray every 2-3 months.I'll see how that works.The spray I'm trying must have hot peppers in it,because when I'd get some mist that would drift across my face it burned.I used to work in a food prossesing plant,that would be a free source of hot pickled pepper juice.We would drain 30 gal barrels and just run it down the drain.Just an idea.

I also make a lot of wire cages, at first I bought the thin high gage wire,but then all it takes is a little bump from a deer to bend it.So I rethought and now I use the heavier stuff.I figure they will outlast me and I should be able to sell them to someone else cheaper than the tree tubes .Which I think are a total waste of money.

lp

I wrap my young trees in black plastic deer netting. Very easy to do and easy to remove and store. Also, I've used Deer Off for many years with excellent results. It lasts long after people cease to smell it, but of course, you have to spray new growth. This said, keep in mind that starving/very hungry deer will eat anything, even if it's poisonous.

lp:

I will still use the wire cages, especially when I can move one from a tree that has grown large enough to a new tree. And I did buy one more roll of cattle fencing this spring--good for about 31 cages. Yes, the lighter wire is not very good. I use the 10/12.5 gauge (the 10 gauge is for the top and bottom wires). And I don't use the high tensile, which is much more expensive and harder to make cages with. Heavier gauge wires are just overkill. I get a brand at Southern States that is from Mexico. But last summer I paid $115, and now they insisted that it went up to $175, even on sale--whew!! Maybe last summer they made a mistake or something. Anyway, I just went ahead and bought one roll--I really need two, hence my trying to think of other things.

I usually anchor my cages with heavy rocks over the bottom wire, and I have the narrower openings at the top, where it is more difficult for deer to poke their heads through. If I have them near the road, I use one heavy grade steel post to anchor them and then one heavy rock. Deer can occasionally dislodge one and I don't want something like that rolling onto the road if that should happen.

As for the rope--I will be going shopping today to see what I can find. I first thought of the cotton because I thought it would hold the repellent well. If I can't find that I may try hemp, or maybe some wool yarn, or something. I don't really know much about all the various synthetics, but I suspect nylon would be one of the least absorptive/effective.

--Spruce

I have some of the thinner wire cages and also some of the heavier ones. I use bamboo stakes for the thinner ones and so far the deer haven't messed with them (knock on wood), if they ever got their antlers tangled up in it I'm sure it would be a mess.

Just a thought, but what about Irish Spring (or store brand) body wash mixed with a gallon of water sprayed around the trees? I wonder if that would be strong enough to deter them?

I've heard of soaking strips of rags in repellent. It sounds like pretty much the same idea, except I'd expect rags to soak up more repellent. I have not heard of it being a miracle cure for the problem. That is still a good, high fence.

Most of the cages I've made are rolled cylinders.But last year I made some out of 12 gage 2x4 inch openings by 5ft tall ,I bent the wire to make square cages,this makes a much more rigid cage.I have my fingers crossed.

I am protecting mostly oaks and northern white cedar.My ornamental trees around the house are safe.The deer are not brave or hungary enough to try that.

If I could find a way to keep them off the cedars,I would plant a couple hundred.

lp

I'll also be following this thread closely. I have deer, mostly doe and fawn, eating and chewing on everything this year they wouldn't touch before. I'd liek to find something that that might shoo them away. I'll tell ya, they aren't afraid of me one iota, so someone up and down the line fron me must be feeding these deer and rabbits 'cause they're everywhere.

They must be extremely hungry this year, not to mention builders cutting down more pretty thick tree stands around here to slap in more housing. That means more of nature's critters feeding grounds gone and displaced, and people wonder why they come up to the back door and eat garbage...well those new houses and condos are probably sitting right on top of where they used to eat. Ahhhhh, progress, huh???

I will be back to report--I did not go shopping for my cotton rope yesterday, but my wife tells me what I need can be found at fabric shops, a kind of roping that comes in various thicknesses and is used as a fill for the rolled edges of upholstery. She will be going out today to get some.

But, what I am trying is an experiment--in the meantime, all the rare cultivcars I get will be kept in tough wire cages. I may "rope a dope" these in addition to discourage other critters. My larger plantings of spruce and pine will be the "Guinea pigs" for this experiment.

I will start my "applications" in a day or two. Right now the notorious winds here are howling.

--Spruce

jimtnc, I agree completely. I have planted Swamp Chestnut Oaks, hybrid Chestnuts, Persimmons, Mayhaws, and Crabapples for the purpose of feeding the wild animals, but I just need them to leave them alone long enough for them to grow.

I've thought about stringing that webbing around the back side of the yard near the woodline, but it would look so dadgum cheezy. I've tried Deeroff, and urine, and you name it with not much success, or should I say not not any success that lasts after the next rain.

Re: Irish Spring.
What I do with Irish Spring Soap is let used bars accumulate for awhile. As the used bars accumulate, I store them in a plastic grocery bag. When the bag is almost full, I go out and scatter the Irish Spring Soap remnants around the trunks of our camellias that are planted in the most deer-frequented areas. I'm not sure how effective this treatment is. However, I think it may be of some help.