4' Welded Wire Fence Deal

[rocksnstumps]

Same on the small diameter just for later rub protection.

10 ft of fence with the bigger openings like 6" is probably fine for spruce or other moderately browsed trees. For oaks or apples you need to make it a bigger dia and use like 12-13 ft. Small deer and fawns can poke their heads thru those 6" opening and browse the leader when just several feet tall and inadequate diameter. Been taught that lesson a few times. Sometimes the same tree! If you plant a 6 ft tree likely ok.

Or if you want to save on wire and cut at 10 ft really need to stick with 2 x 4 mesh. Everything is a trade off

 

[Tree Spud]

I typically use 10' lengths. Lengths of fence will equal the following diameter:
10' = 2.9'
12' = 3.5'

Remesh at 5' high probably overkill for conifers, but good for apple trees. 48" high welded wire with 4"x2" openings would be cheaper for the conifers. As the tree grows and bushes out, you can always unclip the ends and let the cage expand with the tree growth.

 

[Brian662]

Took some cages off a few norways this summer that I thought had outgrown them. They were in the 6-8' tall range and not in a normal deer "area" as they were used for road screening. Well lo and behold a buck found them and rubbed 3 of them which I'm sure will set the tree back a few years. Without making a 25' fence, how do you guys keep the deer off of bigger trees and still allow the branches/limbs to do their thing?

 

[Tree Spud]

Took some cages off a few norways this summer that I thought had outgrown them. They were in the 6-8' tall range and not in a normal deer "area" as they were used for road screening. Well lo and behold a buck found them and rubbed 3 of them which I'm sure will set the tree back a few years. Without making a 25' fence, how do you guys keep the deer off of bigger trees and still allow the branches/limbs to do their thing?

Let them grow taller, and up-clip the cage ends to allow the conifer to bush out. I have cages still on 10'-12' trees. Hopefully the lateral branches will make it more difficult for them to get into the tree.

 

[Brian662]

Let them grow taller, and up-clip the cage ends to allow the conifer to bush out. I have cages still on 10'-12' trees. Hopefully the lateral branches will make it more difficult for them to get into the tree.

Yeah, that's what I had in mind, was just hoping to repurpose the cage to other things. I refuse to buy more caging at the current prices.

 

[ksJoe]

Let them grow taller, and up-clip the cage ends to allow the conifer to bush out. I have cages still on 10'-12' trees. Hopefully the lateral branches will make it more difficult for them to get into the tree.

I appreciate discussions like this. It helps my lazy tendencies win the argument with my cheap tendencies. reusing a $5 cage isn't worth risking a tree I've spent years on...