Tree Trunk Damage

• Cambium damage negatively affects further development of a tree.Fruit tree on spring image by TekinT from Fotolia.com
  
  Deer prefer to rub young fruit trees with their antlers because they have smooth bark. The bark is also thin and deer frequently rub through it into the cambium layer. The cambium is where nutrients and water are transported to various parts of the tree and where trunk diameter enlargement occurs, producing growth rings. If the cambium is damaged, nutrient and water supply is disrupted and diameter growth of the main stem is seriously restricted.
  
  

Limb Breakage

• Limb breakage results in a reduced fruit crop.fruits image by Rog999 from Fotolia.com
  
  Deer often break the lower limbs of fruit trees when rubbing their antlers. This may occur accidentally or the deer may purposely remove limbs to obtain better access to the tree trunk. Limb breakage results in a reduced fruit crop and leaves open wounds for microorganisms to enter and cause infection.
  
  

Other Damage

• Protect trees from deer to avoid fruit loss.over-laden fruit tree image by Alfonso d"Agostino from Fotolia.com
  
  Deer also paw at the soil around the base of trees and urinate on these areas. Since deer usually return to the same location, these repeated actions will cause root damage to trees from the pawing and urea poisoning from the urine.
  
  

Mechanical Protection

• Fencing is the best way to protect fruit trees from deer. But a 6- to 8-foot-high fence is required to keep deer from jumping over it, and this type of fencing is very expensive. Tree wraps also work well and are much less expensive than fencing. These devices are usually made of plastic and are wrapped around tree trunks to protect the bark.
  
  

Repellents

• Repellents keep deer away from trees when they are applied at frequent intervals. Very few repellents are rain-fast, so they need to be reapplied whenever trees become wet. Most farm stores and garden supply centers sell deer repellents. Various home remedies are also used including deodorant soap, hair clippings from barber shops and rotten eggs.