A lot of whitetail deer habitat managers have been planting trees for cover and forage on their properties. The trouble with tree planting is unless it is done right it can result in significant losses of time and money.
It is estimated under normal conditions losses can be as high as 30-40% and if you have a droughty year you can get 70 to 100% losses. Wouldn’t that be disappointing?
Then there is the big question of deer and other wildlife damage to trees while they are in susceptible stages of growth. Planters often plant 100′s to 1000′s of trees in hopes that some of them will survive without much attention to providing the moisture, weed control and wildlife protection necessary for tree survival. Tree Shelters may seem expensive, but when weighed against the losses they become more economical and frankly, necessary in some areas.
Tree shelters are translucent tubes that create a ‘mini-greenhouse’ environment around single tree seedlings while offering protection from animal damage. Tubex Tree shelters are usually attached to stakes and should provide support and protection after planting, shortening establishment periods and increasing survival rates.
Choose the size tree shelter based on the level of protection you need. Choose the 2 or 3-foot to protect your valuable hardwood seedlings from rabbit or mouse damage. Choose the 4 or 5-foot tree shelter to protect your seedlings from deer browse damage.
http://www.treessentials.com/index.html
This link is for Tennessee Healthy Hardwoods website but the principles apply and the source is excellent for information regarding planting hardwood anywhere.
http://web.utk.edu/~jackson/thh/seedling/index.htm
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