I think the branches were alive. I don't know that I'd call them twigs. Some of them are up to 8 feet long. There are approximately 20 stripped branches now that I look. Also, the tree is more like 35 - 40 feet tall. I think it's 20 years old. I agree that it shouldn't hurt the tree too much, but I'm jsut wondering what I should do. Do I need to prune off all those branches? What a pain. I would definitely require a ladder or some tree climbing. Would you guys try to reduce the chances that the animal will do this to another 20 branches next time? If so how? Thanks.

I mistakenly did this to a large redbud tree when a kid about 10. Did not strip everything, but more than enough to kill the tree over time. I'm sorry the tree is good as dead, it just hasn't died just yet. Depending upon how high the striping is, you MAYBE can cut the tree off at that level, and MAYBE get a new shoot to form to assume the old canopies place. IF it does sprout it would regenerate much more quickly than a new tree, as the root system will be pushing canopy growth ASAP to replace what was lost. With that said, if regeneration is not fast enough, it still might die. Personally I would try cutting at the strip line (assuming it is a couple feet up), paint the open wood with copper to stop rot, hope for the bes, and then plant a replacement nearby. I would also do the cut NOW, so the tree does not completely expend itself trying to support a canopy that is not able to give anything back. JMHO Arktrees

Conifornia: I was waiting for someone from your own area with a litle more day-to-day experience with redwoods to reply, but seeing your post hanging out here for a while, I will help as best I can. I have always been fascinated by the redwoods and have visited the parks often. OK, as for your damaged little guy. If the bark has been stripped off all the way around and all the way to the cambium layer, the top will die. But sometimes when bark is "stripped," it is not completely stripped, in spite of appearances. Sometimes a thin layer of inner bark is left, and if enough of this is left--something like half way around, the bark will re-grow, the little trunk will "heal," and the tree will be fine. Maybe a close examination can tell you if what you see is indeed exposed sapwood where the buck rubbing was done, or if there is a substantial area where there is some residual bark. If the top has been stripped so it will die, redwood trees are prolific sprouters, both from cut stumps, and from trunks stripped of foliage. Redwood is unlike most conifers in this respect. So if the top dies or is so clearly completely stripped of bark that you decide to cut it off, the tree will sprout from the trunk below the damaged area and re-grow rather rapidly. As for deer protection? What are you doing? How did this buck get to your tree? I make cages about 3 1/2 feet in diameter out of the heavier grade of woven cattle fencing. I secure it with either stout metal fence posts, or by placing heavy rocks on the bottom rung of the wire. Very rarely does a buck manage to rip this away and get to a protected tree--it may have happened once in 30 years of my experience with several hundred protected trees. I keep my trees protected until they are between 4 and 5 inches in diameter. I wish I could grow redwoods here! I do have a young giant sequoia, however. It is now large enough to go unprotected! --Spruce

jesus ... the tree can live 100 years.. and you want to act within hours of an injury .. step away form the tree .. for at least a year ... the wound is rather meaningless ion regard to the bazillion volts of electricity that went thru it ... how about we just give it some time.. to see what happens ... is it.. in any manner.. hanging over any structure of value??? /. hire a CERTIFIED professional arborist before you do anything .. and every dude with a chainsaw is not necessarily .... a learned.. certified professional tree peep you are way to intent on instant gratification .. for a tree that can live multiple centuries ... without anything from you ... DONT DO ANYTHING ken