Not such a long, long, time ago (two nights ago), in an orchard not so far away (our backyard) . . .

DEER WARS

As you can see, two nights ago "Deerth Vader" took a light saber to one of our figs.  I sprayed all of them with a natural repellant that works well (rotten eggs; hot peppers; garlic), and that should solve the problem.

The weird thing is that they don't bother the figs except this time of year, when the Evil Emper-Deer and the rest of the Sith Deers come from the dark side of the forest to eat the bark off the younger figs (what antler-holes).

I picked up the pieces and planted them at the base (second picture).  I will let you know if any of them root.  I know it's a long shot, but nothing ventured nothing gained, and the main fig will come back next Spring anyway.  It was either that or throw them away, so I gave it a try.

May the Force be with you fellow figgers . . .

John
North Georgia Piedmont
Zone 7b

i just want to mention two things....

first, i make jerky.  i don't hunt, but i am always on the hunt for some venison bottom round to make venison jerky.

second, the interesting unknown fig i found the other day ... i'm trying the same thing as you with that one - foreclosure sale sign went up this past week.  i took the cuttings from the week prior, cut off almost all of the leaves, and shoved them in 1-gal pots to overwinter outside.  I also stuck one in the ground which would become the baby's tree (I wanted to do a Gino, but it's not quite ready yet).  Based on results with a mulberry from last year (it's in same genus or family as fig), I think it will be good.

Hi Jason.  I did all my cuttings outside this Spring and summer, just stuck them in the dirt, and got about a 70% success rate with rooting.

To label the rows of fig cuttings, I had taken down a mulberry tree, so I used sticks of that cut mulberry tree to hold the labels for the rows of fig cuttings and stuck the mulberry sticks in the ground as label markers.  The mulberry sticks rooted too!

I know Spring and Summer are best for rooting, but every year I bury low lying fig branches, and by Spring, they are well rooted.  So who knows, it might work, and either way, it took me one minute to do and cost nothing, so there really is nothing to lose.

It was discouraging to see the deer attack on a fig I cared for all summer, but the best solution to a problem is to turn the problem into a benefit.  So I took the pieces, and may end up with several trees by Spring.

I don't hunt either, but hopefully the people that do can thin the herd a little.  The deer laugh at the local dogs.

Best wishes.

John

I hear that deer are edible.

They taste damn good, too.

Please gentlemen, help yourselves.  There's plenty for everyone.

And trust me, given what they have been eating, they should be delicious!  ;-)

Hi John,

The deer do seem to like figs and there are a lot of bold deer around (we have had deer on the front porch during the day). Someone told me that there is research that indicates deer are unlikely to leap into small fenced areas that are attached to a house (he has tomatoes and squash in a 20 ft square next to his house that is surrounded by a 4 foot fence--with no deer damage). Here (so far) figs adjacent to fences and next to the house have not been attacked and I have seen deer within 20 feet of them during the day.

Low fences can be hazardous to deer, our neighbors found a buck with its horns entrapped in their 5 foot chain link fence one morning (and its neck broken from jumping over the fence with its horns entrapped--suicide by chain link). Maybe that thought keeps them from wanting to jump into these little fenced in areas..

scott

But it seems the deer are getting ready to start breaking into our buildings as did the buck that broke into a hardware store in Gainesville, Ga this weekend.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/25790620/detail.html

The deer are totally out of control here in North Georgia, so hunters are most welcomed.  The deer are actually quite dangerous on the roads.

And they will eat almost anything, especially during drought conditions when foraging is tough.  And yet they don't eat our figs, except the bark on the young bare trees in the fall and winter.

My guess is that the deer don't like the smell of the leaves.  I also thought it might be the latex sap, but that would still be there even when the leaves drop I would think.

Anyway, we are blessed that they don't attack the figs in the summer, and so are they, because if they attacked our figs and ate the fruit, it really would be WAR!  ;-)

Yes the Rut is on in Georgia as of last week. Those bucks that for most the year are elusive  lose all their good sense when love is in the air.  They hit one of my Kaki persimmon this weekend. I have had more damage like this from antler rubs than actual eating. I don't think they actually probably even ate any of your fig just thrashed it to bits.

Hi Strudeldog.  Actually, that makes sense, and explains why we only see this type of damage this type of year.  They aren't eating it, but just attacking an "antler like" object or rubbing the felt off their new antlers (or some other crazy thing deer do)!

If they don't like the latex/sap, the latex is still there, so they probably aren't eating it.  And all the pieces were on the ground, not eaten.

The deer are just giant rats as far as we are concerned, and I hoping wolves make a come back.

Correct,

I'm not saying a deer will never eat a fig, but that picture was a antler rub, The felt is gone by this time of year, but yes they do rub it off. Your fig was a basically a punching bag, A few years back a Japanese Maple I had sculpted/trained into a multi-trunk went from looking like 12 point to a button buck overnight. Where abouts in North Georgia are you located, if you are serious about wanting hunters, my son is always looking for a place to get his 1st deer, we are located in Hickory Flat just south of Canton. He actually just purchased a crossbow as he is finding the deer population is much larger in the protection of suburbia, than in the country, and the crossbow doesn't disrupt the neighbors at daybreak like the rifle does. That note about the buck runing into the hardware store is sure sign that rut (breeding season) is on, and over the next month or so really watch when you are driving, and notice all the road kills.

Firearm deer season started in Michigan today.

Sure miss getting out at 4am in the morning and walk through the woods to the blind with a 7MM in hand.
What-a-rush that was.

We all played the hunters Anthem the night before: Ted Nugents Fred Bear

Hi Strudeldog.  We are over here by Athens, so that's quite a drive from Canton, and since there's no shortage of deer between here and there probably not worth the drive.

Also, my neighbors on it.  And, while I want the deer gone, there can't be any evidence I'm involved in the hit (the kids still think these giant rats are cute).

Hope your son has success though.  I'm joking a lot about the deer, but really, the deer are a serious safety problem.  It's not their fault, they are just trying to live, but with their natural predators gone and so much area opened up for housing the deer population is out of control.

Best wishes.

John

Yes, that’s a bit far. You folks over there in Athens like your hedges, maybe you can get UGA to get rid of that nasty privet hedge and replace with a Fig one like yours.

I agree Suburban deer can easily get out of hand, I have never hunted them and half scared if my son gets one that I would have to help gut it. Besides the accidents they cause, in areas not hunted and with predation they can overpopulate their food sources and deseases as well become more of an issue for them. In some areas I believe they are a major contributor to decline of trillium and other wildflower populations.

Removal of them is often controversial, as they are impressive animals and some people never want to see anything harmed, but sometimes the conditions we create need fixing when things get out of balance and it’s really evident at this time of year as the population is more active moving about and with the crazed bucks chasing the does all about and across the roads.

Best Figs to you I will be watching Sports Center for your interview with Coach Richt on the new Fig Hedges.

Best figs to you too my friend.

Figs are loaded with healthy vitamins, minerals, and quick energy healthy fruit sugars.

So if I can convince Coach Richt that figs would help him win more games for the Bulldogs, Coach Richt will be planting those fig hedges personally!  ;-)

John

If you think they're bad in your garden or orchard, just look what happens when they get into your house.

http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20101114/ARTICLES/101119607

Holy crap!  O.K., Gene, no more complaining from me as long as they stay OUTSIDE!

I really would be in favor of bringing back wolves, which were a natural check and balance on the deer.

And as far as I know, wolves won't eat your figs, just the critters who eat  your figs.

Hope all is well there in the Bayou and that you are enjoying this great Fall weather.

John
North Georgia Piedmont
Zone 7b

Things are well here John, the weather is perfect. Fig season is just about over but I have hopes to taste a couple more. I know they won't be great but a fig is a fig is a fig.
"gene"