WINTER TREE PROTECTION • BISMARCK, ND
How to Protect Trees from Rabbits and Deer in a Bismarck Winter
To protect trees from rabbits in winter, wrap the trunk with a cylinder of 1/4-inch hardware cloth or a white plastic tree guard. It should reach 18 to 24 inches above the deepest snow you expect, sit 2 to 3 inches into the soil, and go on in October while you can still dig. For deer, fence evergreens and young trees, and get buck rub guards up by August.
This isn’t a small problem in North Dakota. NDSU Extension’s forester puts it bluntly: “Rabbits and voles kill more trees each winter than cold temperatures do.”
YOUNG TREES • WINTER SURVIVAL
Which Trees and Shrubs Get Hit Hardest?
Rabbits go after smooth, thin bark. Old trees with thick, rough bark are mostly safe. The trees at risk are the ones you paid for recently.
This matters more in Bismarck right now. A lot of homeowners are removing ash because of emerald ash borer and planting young replacements. A new tree has to survive its first winters before it can replace anything. If you’re weighing that choice, see should you treat or remove your ash tree.
Yards next to parks, open fields or the Missouri River bottoms are more likely to see deer. Rabbits are everywhere, including brand-new subdivisions.
IDENTIFY THE CLUES
Rabbit, Deer or Vole? How to Tell the Damage Apart
Knowing who did it tells you how to stop it.
| Clue | Rabbit | Deer | Vole | Buck rub |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut on twigs | Neat, clean cut at a 45-degree angle | Rough, torn or shredded | Mostly gnaws bark | Not a cut |
| Height | Low, near the ground or just above the snow | Up to about 6 feet | At or below the snow line, near the soil | 1½ to 3½ feet above the ground |
| Bark damage | Gnawing with marks about the width of a spoon tip | Deer usually don’t leave tooth marks in bark | Gnawed bark low on the trunk, often under the snow | Bark scraped off in strips |
| Other signs | Round droppings nearby | Tracks and browsed evergreens | Winding trails in the lawn in spring | Late summer to December |
The cut and height clues come from the University of Minnesota Extension and the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management. Deer tear instead of cut, which is the quickest way to tell them from rabbits.
TRUNK GUARDS • SNOWDRIFTS
How to Guard a Tree Trunk from Rabbits and Voles
Pick the Right Material
| Material | Stops | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4-inch hardware cloth | Rabbits and voles | The best all-around choice. Voles can’t get through mesh this small. |
| White plastic tree guard or spiral wrap | Rabbits | Also reflects winter sun off thin bark. Only protects as high as it goes. |
| Chicken wire | Rabbits | Holes are too big to stop voles |
NDSU’s forester notes that white plastic pipes and wraps “do a good job in preventing this type of damage, but only as high as the pipe goes up the stem.” Height is where most guards fail.
Set It Up Right
These measurements come from University of Minnesota Extension and Iowa State:
- Cut the hardware cloth so the cylinder stands about 6 inches away from the trunk all the way around.
- Bury the bottom 2 to 3 inches in the soil so voles can’t tunnel under. Leave no gap at the ground.
- Make it tall enough: 18 to 24 inches above the snow line you expect. Taller is better.
- Pin the bottom with U-shaped anchor pins, or stake it, so it stays put.
- Pull mulch back at least 6 inches from the trunk. Mulch against bark gives voles cover.
- Cut tall grass and weeds within 2 feet of young trees in late fall.
For a shrub bed, fence the whole bed with hardware cloth and enclose the lower branches as well as the stems. Check it now and then to make sure no rabbit got trapped inside.
Plan for Bismarck Snowdrifts
Here’s the thing most guides written for milder places miss. Bismarck averages about 50.5 inches of snow a year, according to NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals, and the wind moves it around. A tree near a fence, a house corner or a shelterbelt can end up in a drift far deeper than the snow on open lawn.
NDSU warns that “rabbits can climb the drifts and girdle stems or even branches.” A rabbit standing on a 2-foot drift is chewing well above a short guard.
So don’t size your guard to average snow. Look at where drifts piled up last winter and measure from there. If a spot drifts badly, go taller, or check the guard after every big snow and shovel the drift down.
PROTECTING EVERGREENS • DEER
How to Protect Trees and Evergreens from Deer
Fences and Cages
Deer are the hardest to stop. Iowa State says a fence needs to be at least 8 feet tall to fully keep deer out of an area. For a small planting, a fenced area no bigger than 8 by 16 feet can work at about 50 inches tall.
For a single young tree or evergreen, a wire cage set far enough out from the trunk that deer can’t reach the lower branches does the job. NDSU’s forester uses wire fencing around his apple trees for this reason: set out far enough, it stops rabbits and deer at the same time.
Stop Buck Rubs
Bucks rub their antlers on young, smooth trunks during the fall rut, scraping the bark off in strips.
- Timing: Guards need to be up by mid-August and stay on through December, per UMN and Iowa State.
- Stakes: Drive three sturdy metal or wood stakes around the tree, no more than 18 inches apart.
- Height: Iowa State says a rub guard should be at least 6 feet tall. Most rub damage shows 1½ to 3½ feet up the trunk.
Do Repellents Work?
Sometimes, for a while. They’re a backup, not a fix.
- Apply on a dry day when it’s above freezing.
- UMN says one application is usually enough for the whole dormant season.
- For deer, most repellents need to go back on after rain, and UMN says to switch products now and then so deer don’t get used to one.
- Iowa State says repellents have “limited success” over winter.
Always follow the label. If a tree matters to you, put a physical guard on it.
WINTER-PROTECTION CALENDAR
When to Put Guards On and Take Them Off
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| By mid-August | Put up buck rub guards on young trees in deer areas |
| October | Install trunk guards and bed fencing while the ground can still be dug |
| Late fall | Cut grass and weeds within 2 feet of young trees. Pull mulch back from trunks. |
| After each big snow | Check drifts against guards. Shovel drifts down if they’re near the top. |
| Midwinter | Walk the yard for fresh chewing, tracks and droppings |
| Spring | Take off plastic wraps. Hardware cloth can stay year-round if rabbits bother the tree in summer too. |
Guard installation fits right in with other fall jobs. Our fall yard checklist for Bismarck has the full list in order.
COMMON WINTER MISTAKES
Mistakes That Get Young Trees Killed
- A guard that’s too short. The top has to clear the drift, not the average snow.
- A gap at the bottom. Voles work under the snow and will find it.
- Mulch piled against the trunk. It hides voles while they chew.
- Waiting until the ground freezes. Then you can’t bury the bottom of the mesh.
- Forgetting the rub season. By the time you notice a buck rub, the bark is gone.
- Feeding deer. UMN warns that a deer’s digestive system “is not prepared for high-energy food” in winter, and feeding pulls more deer into your yard.
CHECK THE DAMAGE
What to Do If Your Tree Got Chewed
Check how far around the trunk the bark is gone.
- Chewed partway around: The tree has a good chance. Put a proper guard on right away so it doesn’t get worse, and keep it watered next summer.
- Chewed all the way around (girdled): The tree can’t move water and food past the wound. Iowa State says “replacing the girdled trees is the best course of action.” Bridge grafting is possible but hard.
- Shrubs: Many deciduous shrubs grow back from the base, though Iowa State notes “several years may be required for some shrubs to fully recover.”
If a young tree needs to be replaced, plant it with a guard on from day one. Our landscape installation page covers new plantings, and our tree services page covers removing damaged trees.
Questions
Winter Tree Protection FAQ
Straight answers about rabbit guards, deer browsing, snowdrifts, and damaged young trees.
Wondering if your young tree can recover?
Check the symptoms in this guide and ask a local tree professional about severe bark damage. For related questions, see the trees and EAB FAQ.
How do I protect my trees from rabbits in winter?
Wrap the trunk with a cylinder of 1/4-inch hardware cloth or a white plastic tree guard. Set it about 6 inches from the trunk, bury the bottom 2 to 3 inches, and make it 18 to 24 inches taller than the deepest snow you expect.
How tall should a tree guard be for rabbits?
At least 18 to 24 inches above the expected snow line. In Bismarck, measure from where snow drifts, not from the average snow depth, because rabbits climb drifts and chew above short guards.
How can I tell if a rabbit or a deer ate my tree?
Rabbits leave a neat, clean cut at a 45-degree angle, low to the ground or just above the snow. Deer leave a rough, torn end and can browse up to about 6 feet high.
When should I put tree guards on in North Dakota?
Put trunk guards on in October, before the ground freezes, so you can bury the bottom of the mesh. In areas with deer, put buck rub guards up by mid-August.
Will a tree survive if rabbits chewed the bark?
If the bark is chewed only partway around the trunk, the tree often survives. If it’s chewed all the way around, the tree is girdled, and Iowa State Extension says replacing it is the best course of action.
Should I feed deer in winter to keep them off my trees?
No. The University of Minnesota Extension warns that a deer’s digestive system is not ready for high-energy food in winter, and feeding draws more deer to your yard. Fences and guards work better.
Bismarck Landscape
Want Guards on Before the Snow Flies?
If you’ve got young trees, new evergreens or fruit trees that went through a rough winter last year, we can put proper guards on during a fall visit.
See our other contact options. For more local answers, visit our FAQ.