It started as a week and expanded in most units to 2 or 3 weeks, some are the entire season. This year its 1 week outside a handful of units.
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Bear Damage
- Thread starter RGrizzzz
- Start date
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
We've had similar damage on a couple trees at camp. I pruned off the damaged stuff - as you plan on doing - and the trees boomed with new growth the following year. They're still doing fine. Keep the faith, friend!!! I think you'll be OK.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
It seems to always be the case. Disappear when the season's in - show up again when it's over.
RGrizzzz
Administrator
We usually see them early October and that's kind of it. Sometimes they make a brief appearance, sporadically. Two or three years ago some walked under my dad's deer stand around 4:00am when they were in season. They left tracks in the snow. 5+ years ago a saw one born that spring. Too small for me.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
October has always had the highest number of bear sightings for me, too. Gorging on everything they can get to fatten up. October seems to have lots of choices for bears then.
Telemark
5 year old buck +
In early summer, when the bark is slipping and the tree is pliable, you can push that branch upright and make it the new leader. I've done that after deer damage.
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
You have enough land to get nuisance / crop damage permits?
MAybe letting another hunter or two come by for early bear could help out too. Might be a new can of worms though.
MAybe letting another hunter or two come by for early bear could help out too. Might be a new can of worms though.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Our deer don't panic when bears show up. They just move away from them to other spots on food plots. Deer don't cozy-up close to bears, but they tolerate their presence. If a bear wanders into spots deer normally enter our plots when deer are approaching, the deer will just enter somewhere else. Bear travel is pretty random. They go wherever - whenever.
Not what I wanted to see on my trip to camp. Three of my best late dropping producers - Enterprise, Droptine, and 30-06 - destroyed. So frustrating. I’ll definitely be putting in for my bear tag next year. In the meantime, it’s a waiting game until the rest of my trees get big enough to produce.
Attachments
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
That sucks. I think 2 or 3 will survive that damage though. I'd clean them up and seal the wounds. I use doc Farrell's heal n seal. LAtex paint with permetherin in the paint. Keeps bugs from attacking the weak spot.
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
Dependingon how fresh, you might be able to trim the limb and seal it back together with grafting tape and some wire and electrical tape. I do that with branches I train too hard. You'll eventually loose the limb, but save the trunk for a big dead spot. IF not, seal it up now with what you have.
I think the asphault bsed stuff in't good for healing over, thats why I use the latex based stuff.
Not sure how quick it heals during the dromant time, but worth a shot. You might b able to save some of the limb. Otherwise its save a bit for damage control.
I think the asphault bsed stuff in't good for healing over, thats why I use the latex based stuff.
Not sure how quick it heals during the dromant time, but worth a shot. You might b able to save some of the limb. Otherwise its save a bit for damage control.
That really sucks and I have seen that way too many times over the years. Those trees will survive, but they will be set back for several years. I'd recommend just cutting off the damaged sections and see how the tree responds. I have some really ugly trees that have survived multiple bear maulings, but they still produce fruit.
My pruning plan in bear country is to only prune off branches that cross. Having a bunch of extra branches comes in handy when a bear snaps off a large branch or two.
My pruning plan in bear country is to only prune off branches that cross. Having a bunch of extra branches comes in handy when a bear snaps off a large branch or two.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Don't give up on those trees!!!!! I pruned off similar damage on a few of our apple trees, and they bounced back with new growth the following spring. Our trees are still growing fine - just a bit different in shape. Your root systems are established - so they'll fuel the new growth next year. Prune off the damaged limbs, seal against bugs, disease, and sap leakage come spring. If you can support a limb to become a new leader, do that - even if you have to pound in a tall pole of some sort. Hang in there!!
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
General rule of thunmb is to prune back 1/3 of the growth.
This description is pretty good. I think he redid his pruning page. I thought you need to prune back till you get a downward point bud. Might still be the case. He added remove downward point branches. Thought a bit was ok, might be refering to severly downward ones. But, the big thing is prune back 1/3. When I was looking last year, tractor supply had a really good price on new orchard ladders, deliver to store. Close ot the price I paid used for one, which I thought was a good deal already. Think mine is 10ft. Would of bought a 12ft one after using this guy. I got a few older monsters at home.
I tend to think open center might be a bit better for bear issues. Rarely see a problem in an orchard with open center trees. Got to be diligent with pruning. Will definitely give it a try if I start having issues.
This description is pretty good. I think he redid his pruning page. I thought you need to prune back till you get a downward point bud. Might still be the case. He added remove downward point branches. Thought a bit was ok, might be refering to severly downward ones. But, the big thing is prune back 1/3. When I was looking last year, tractor supply had a really good price on new orchard ladders, deliver to store. Close ot the price I paid used for one, which I thought was a good deal already. Think mine is 10ft. Would of bought a 12ft one after using this guy. I got a few older monsters at home.
I tend to think open center might be a bit better for bear issues. Rarely see a problem in an orchard with open center trees. Got to be diligent with pruning. Will definitely give it a try if I start having issues.
