Fruit tree protectors

So I’m getting ready to plant quite a few fruit trees this year but I am putting them out in my main hunting field. So there’s a lot of wildlife deer and rabbits etc that will undoubtably want to check it out. What do you use to protect the trees and has it been effective? Anything you would change from a setup you used?

This is a pretty big dollar outlay so I’d definitely like to protect the investment as best as possible.

Thanks

Oh going with bare root if that matters.

I have tried a lot of things, and this 4 foot fencing is the one I use now and have had zero deer damage since using it.



Deer Fencing

I cut it into 6 foot sections and put it in a circle around the tree. This length stands up easily by itself and is resistant to falling over, especially once mulch is added. It is a little pricey but only comes out to about $7 a tree which is worth it in my opinion to protect the investment of buying the tree.

Smaller sections can be used but require staking and other effort and can still fall over in my experience.

Here's a picture from above looking down.

That’s a way better idea than I had as far a cost wise. I really didn’t think that would stand well on its own so that’s a great option.

No t post or anything needed at 6’ length circled up?

Yeah I haven't had to use any posts or anything. It isn't extremely windy here, but I bet the length of fencing could be slightly increased in a windier area to have a wider base and work well.

Yea I was more thinking of animals not necessarily wind. It’s looking like I won’t be bring cows in again this year unless my injury drastically changes in the next month or so. I will definitely see how this feels first. T post like $6 now lol.

My other plan included that tho so either way this is going to save me at least 25-30 per tree

Glad I posted

In my zone 3-4, have used the above welded wire method (mine are 5ft tall and 3ft diameter) with a single 6ft t-post on the downhill side and couple of landscape stakes. I estimate this cost me 15$/tree a couple years ago. Even with few poorly fenced cows next door and deer around, i haven’t seen any herbivore damage.

For my zones 1-2, I have a great pyrenees-akbash inside a 1-acre 800-900ft x 5’ 6” fence. This was made with salvaged old growth redwood corner posts, t-posts, 4ft woven fence with two wire lines above it. These trees have also been unharmed by herbivores. We needed a fenced area for our dog(s) and so this made sense for us.

I think I remember my estimate for comparing the geometry and cost of these 5ftx3ft cages to true 8ft+ deer fence was that it had to be well over 4 acres (the area of my zones 3-4) for a perimeter deer fence to cost less. That cost and area  goes down if it is a shorter (5-6ft) fence for keeping a dog in, who will then keep deer and cattle out.