TURF TALK
DEER MANAGEMENT I N
THE
LANDSCAP E By
Peter T. Hertl, Ph.D. Turfgrass Entomology Program, North Carolina State University
M
uch admired for their grace and beauty, whitetailed deer in the wilderness are beautiful creatures. Unfortunately, in an urban setting, they are often large, hungry herbivores that can cause serious damage to landscaping. Not surprisingly, sometimes deer aren’t so dear! Combating deer damage in the landscape, however, is just like any other type of pest control. The better you understand the behavior and biology of the pest, the more likely you are to successfully control the damage.
The damage Deer generally don’t feed on grass, so damage to turf is usually minor. However, deer are attracted to a wide variety of ornamental plants commonly used in the landscape. Although a year-round problem in some areas, feeding damage is often most evident in the early spring, when wild food sources are scarce, and in late summer and fall, when deer are trying to fatten-up for winter. Some obvious plant selections can be avoided, but these normally finicky feeders become a lot less picky when populations are high and food is scarce. Additionally, the moist tender plants in a well-watered landscape are especially attractive during dry periods. Although deer’s feeding on leaves and branches can damage trees, the greatest concern is rubbing damage, which occurs primarily in the fall. During the breeding season, rutting males use small-diameter tree trunks to rub the velvet covering from their new antlers. Deer also rub trees with their scent glands to mark their territory and establish dominance for breeding purposes. Unfortunately, this rubbing also removes bark and can seriously wound, scar and even kill the tree.