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USE OF CREOSOTE TO PREVENT DEER DAMAGE IN ORCHARDS 



G. Everett Wilder 

 Regional Fruit Agent 

 1499 Memorial Avenue 

 West Springfield, MA 01089 



The white- tailed deer is highly prized by hunters who spend 

 large sums of money annually in quest of "their" deer. However, 

 the "Buck-law" in Massachusetts, enacted to increase deer popu- 

 lation, has not found favor with farmers because deer feed on 

 agricultural crops. 



Deer favor fruit trees, especially apples, as a food source 

 and cause considerable damage in some Massachusetts orchards. Both 

 the female and male deer feed on apple trees during the winter 

 months and the male deer injures trees with his horns. During the 

 sumjner, deer feed on new shoot growth and developing fruit. 



Fencing, the most effective means of keeping deer out of 

 orchards, is expensive. Therefore, many growers use taste repel- 

 lents to prevent deer damage. These are somewhat effective when 

 sprayed on trees during the growing season and/or during the fall 

 and winter months. Smell and noise repellents also have been tried 

 in Massachusetts with limited success. Recently, it has been 

 reported from Maryland that Tabasco Sauce is an effective taste 

 repellent against deer and rodents. 



Ben Tarnauskas, who operates an orchard on the Granville- 

 Westfield town line, conceived the idea of using creosote as a 

 deer repellent. Strips of felt approximately 3/4" x 6", with a 

 wire attached to each strip, were dipped in creosote. (Felt 

 weather stripping is an available and perhaps the most economical 

 source of felt.) Ben attached one treated strip per tree on trees 

 next to the woods. He observed that the deer avoided these trees 

 and therefore he placed the creosote-treated strips in all young 

 trees. The creosote has proved to be an effective repellent. 



Other orchardists in Granville are now using creosote-treated 

 felt strips in their orchards. Edward Roberts has placed 2000 

 strips near young trees (one strip/tree 30 inches above the ground) 

 with excellent results. No feeding by deer has occurred in trees 

 containing the strips this past year. Mr. Roberts retreats the 

 strips with creosote in an oil can. He suggests "touching-up" the 

 strips about every 3 weeks during the rainy periods of the growing 

 season. (Once seems enough for the entire winter) . This method 

 saves on repellent and keeps the odor strong. One caution : creo- 

 sote will burn apple tree leaves and bark. Therefore, the felt 

 strip must be hung in such a manner that the excess creosote will 

 not drip on foliage or wood. A safer method is to drive a 3/4- 

 inch stick approximately 36 inches in length in the ground near 

 the tree with the creosote strip wired to its top. 



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