White-Tailed Deer and Elk Damage in Grapes
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White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and elk (Cervus canadensis) consume new plant growth and fruit, depending on the time of year. During spring and summer, deer and elk clip leaves and new shoots, leaving behind distinctive angled teeth marks. They also consume ripe fruit, but this may be minor relative to destruction of vines and trunks.
White-tailed deer.
(Photo: Scott Bauer, USDA-ARS, Bugwood.org)
Deer track.
(Photo: Teddy Fisher)
Deer feeding damage to grape shoots.
(Photo: Marilyn Odneal, Missouri State University)
Elk.
(Photo: Alfred Viola, North Eastern University, Bugwood.org)
Elk tracks.
(Photo: National Park Service)
Management:
- Protect plants using 8-foot-high metal fencing for deer and elk; where elk are not present, a plastic 8-foot fence is effective in protecting plants from deer.
- Side fencing or zone fencing options exist and can help prevent access to plant material.
- Off-set (double wire) and overhanging slant electric fence designs are also effective.
- Reduce the overall deer population on the property through hunting.
