When I'm out walking the two terriers I'm beginning to see the result of a lot of deer activity in the orchards. I don't actually see them up to their gnawing and bark stripping tricks on the trees but there is fresh evidence every morning. It must be hive of activity down there in the dark.
During the last two or three winters there was very little sign of these antics but this year the numbers of deer have grown, we even get them on the front lawn, and apart from man they have no natural enemies. Unless you believe all of the sightings of escaped big cats, the big cats that never leave a paw print anywhere.
On the morning walk yesterday I could see a couple of plum trees that have been thoroughly gnawed and the culprits are the Muntjac and Roe Deer, the rabbits aren't to blame because we have very few in the immediate area because of myxomatosis.
At present the deer arey are only gnawing at lower and broken branches but as the weather gets harder they will become less choosy so I think that venison will be in the freezer and on the menu before too long.
John they are beautiful animals. Their destructive problems can be expensive. Harvest one.
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ReplyDeleteThey certainly are, if you plant new fruit trees they have to be sleeved but they never seem to touch the fast growing goat or Crack Willow. They aren't great in plantations either. We have to use rifle so it's down to where you can set-up for a safe shot. The good news is the farmer is planting March/April time thirty acres of some special peas that are sent to Japan to be incorporated in some kind of dry snack so there's going to be lots of pigeon pie too. I'll be building the hides next month. Regards, John