# Late season deer damage



## bhoenisch (Sep 5, 2015)

So, my 1st and 2nd year vines were doing pretty good here in central MT. I should've known better but was just using spray and some bags of hair clippings for deer deterrent, which seemed to be working, until last night. Many of my 1st year vines even made it up to the top wire with some going beyond. The deer came through and ate 80-100% of the foliage. Any ideas how bad this may be? How might it set back hardening off the plants for winter. Here's a pic. Plants are a variety of cold hardy hybrids (0sceola Muscat, Frontenac, prairie star, Brianna, la crescent).


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## Marctee (Sep 5, 2015)

The deer decimated my first year vineyard at the end of last summer. The vines, the majority, came back with a vengeance this year, much to my surprise. Oh and now I have a honkin' fence!
. Fingers crossed for next spring.


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## bhoenisch (Sep 6, 2015)

Looks nice marctee. Am definitely planning a fence for next year now!


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## BlueStimulator (Sep 6, 2015)

Wow one night!!!!! The roots should survive, I still have no idea what I am doing we had temps in the upper 40's then I 48 hours the low was 14. A couple first year vines died back to with in inches of the ground. This spring with a good year of root growth in them they came back with a vengeance. I think in the first year the rooting is a little more important then the vine. Hey I am a newbie so I could be dead wrong and lucky. I guess this means it is time for a fence :-:


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## OilnH2O (Sep 7, 2015)

Can't tell how much they got so can't give any predictions. I had deer get mine but not the hard vines - just leaves - in the second year or third of many of the vines. That's why my fence looks like it came from some Montucky source... but it does work. The vines came back well, but I figure I lost a year from the ones that could have produced in the third year. Once they get that taste, though... like Arnold, "they'll be back!"


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## Pat57 (Sep 9, 2015)

The vines will probably respond by putting out a flush of new growth. The only problem is that much of that new growth will not harden off in time and may be winter-killed? I had that happen on some of my apple trees a few years ago....deer ate a bunch of leaves off them and they sent out a bunch of new growth. Most of it died back over winter, but no long term damage to the trees. Your vines should be fine, you just might have to prune out some dead branches in early spring. JMHO.

Pat


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## DoctorCAD (Sep 10, 2015)

Just think, when you eat those deer, you won't have to marinate in wine...they already have some IN them!


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## wineinmd (Sep 10, 2015)

Sprinkle some yeast in the ol' watering hole and you can track them from the burps.


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## bhoenisch (Sep 11, 2015)

Thanks for the info. My fingers are crossed for the vines hardening off, but I don't think any new growth would have a chance. Any recommendations on type of deer fencing? I like the lower visibility look of the mesh types but was wondering if there were any drawbacks to those vs the metal wire types.


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## hounddawg (Sep 11, 2015)

OK YOU'RE GOING TO THINK I'M NUTS AND YOU'D BE RIGHT BUT DO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO GOAT MANURE, DEER HATE THE SELL OF GOATS AND GOAT TURDS, YOU POUT IT AROUND YOUR PLATS AND SLING IT IN BETWEEN YOR ROWS, IF ANYONE AROUND HAS GATS YOU CA WORK A DEAL TO SHOVEL OUT THEIR BARNS TO USE PLUS IT ALSO HELPS BUILD UP YOUR SOIL,
JUST ANOTHER SOUTHERN HILLBILY.
GOOD LUCK::





bhoenisch said:


> So, my 1st and 2nd year vines were doing pretty good here in central MT. I should've known better but was just using spray and some bags of hair clippings for deer deterrent, which seemed to be working, until last night. Many of my 1st year vines even made it up to the top wire with some going beyond. The deer came through and ate 80-100% of the foliage. Any ideas how bad this may be? How might it set back hardening off the plants for winter. Here's a pic. Plants are a variety of cold hardy hybrids (0sceola Muscat, Frontenac, prairie star, Brianna, la crescent). View attachment 24414


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## Sage (Sep 12, 2015)

They make great jerky and sausage. Deer season open yet?? Invite all your hunter friends to thin the herd.

I have 6' fences around everything. Unless chased or starving, they won't challenge a high fence normally. Mine has been there for 15 years ond only once had a chased deer get inside and all he wanted was out!! I should also point out that this area is crawling with deer, both whiteys and muleys.


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## bhoenisch (Sep 13, 2015)

Yes they are tasty critters. Mostly whitetails that are the regulars with a rare Muley on occasion. I'm on a 5 acre lot and pop gophers all the time with the .22, but not sure if the .30-06 would fly with the neighbors. Time to get out and practice with the bow I haven't shot in 20 years I guess. Funny, just remembered that last spring I simmered a bull elk head for several hours not 15 yards from those grapes to do a European mount.


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