Protecting Norway Spruce from deer

[BCS]

I will be planting 25 Norway spruce 19-25 inches tall for a privacy/wind screen and am wondering about how to protect them from deer. I have an old wire fence that I am contemplating removing and recycling into 5' Diameter rings to place around each tree.  The fence is no longer on any property lines and does not serve a purpose anymore. So I would only cost would be the effort to remove 400' of overgrown fence line. There currently isn't any power at the site and I am not a fan of spending the money to have a solar powered electric fence controller. Also, unfortunately this is the future site of the house so there is absolutely nothing around it so no dogs or other noise activity to keep them away. To the benefit of the site it is currently a 5 acre hay field and 75 acres of hardwood timber so the food supply shouldn't be an issue to where they start looking for spruce trees.
Any suggestions for a cheap and easier solution?

[beenthere]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum
A few years back, I planted about 1500 Norway Spruce, and the deer didn't bother them at all.

Now possibly that is because along with the Spruce, were about the same number of red oak and white pine mixed in, which they enjoyed immensely.

It would help if you would go back to your profile (just click on your name) and add your location at least in general.

[BCS]

That is encouraging to hear since there is a large stand of red oaks surrounding the hay field.  This will be the first time I have planted this many trees in one go and I am considering what I need/should do for watering.  Is this something that people consider or just wait to see what mother nature has in store and react from there?

[BradMarks]

"and the deer didn't bother them at all".     That would be typical with spruce.  Stiff sharp needles are a natural deterent.  And with more appealing forage, no need to mess with the spruce.

[roger 4400]

Overhere the same thing,,,,,deer will get mostly anything before spruce. Like Beenthere I have over 1200 Norway spruce and 800 white spruce, deers will not eat them (needles are too hard)

[pine]

As a matter of fact some planters put a Sitka spruce in right next to their WRC seedlings so as to keep the browse on the WRC down.  As Brad posted they do not like the sharp needles of the spruce.

[BCS]

Is this true for all Spruce? We had had 8 Black hill spruces a couple years back that the deer seemed to really be loving. Is there something about the black hill that is different?

[Mn woodchuck]

I want to plant 300 Norway pine (red pine)  there is red oak white oak and aspen all around the spot  will the deer leave the seedlings alone ?

[mroldstyle]

You wont have to worry much about them browsing on the spruce, but once there about 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall bucks from miles around will come to trash them with their antlers in the fall.   :'(

[mesquite buckeye]

We planted red and white pine in a CRP planting in Missouri in 1999. The deer ripped every one out by the roots within 2 seasons. We had another mixed planting in 1996, including incense cedar, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine from 3 different localities, southwestern white pine, several firs, dawn redwood, bald cypress, giant sequoia. The pines got beat down by the deer repeatedly, many were killed. We piled blowdown red cedar branches around them and they are just now looking like decent trees. Many are multitrunked and will need to be thinned. The lodgepole pines were hurt, but less than the white pine, the ponderosa pines were the lowest preference but they still beat them up. Dawn redwoods were gone within 5 years, at least partially due to browsing. The giant sequoias were dead after 2 summers, couldn't take the heat. The firs arrived in a degraded condition and none survived the planting, so who knows if any would work there. The ponderosa pines did the best and the larger ones now are approaching 20 ft tall. Unfortunately they were severely injured by the historic drought 2 seasons ago, so we will see. The ones from California grew the fastest and were hurt the most by the drought. The lodgepole pines are growing and look ok. SW white pine still growing and there. The last incense cedar died about 3-4 years after planting, and they never thrived. The bald cypress were repeatedly browsed by the deer and are still small after nearly 20 years. I don't think it is an adaptability problem with this one as we had a large one in a nearby lawn that grew fast and was quite healthy.

Our deer pressure is what would be considered very heavy. Check out MO trees for more pictures and information.

[Brookside]

In our part of the world (NE Iowa) if the deer don't get them as seedlings they will for sure get them at the 3 to 6 ft range with the bucks tearing them up marking there territory.  We have quit planting conifers for that reason.  I think the wire will be needed but will have to be left for protection until the 7 to 10 ft. range before bucks will leave them alone.
Good Luck
Tom

[Don_Papenburg]

The deer love white pines . and young walnuts if they get too tough for the rabbits. they left my blue spruce alone .