Does anyone have any pictures of successful bud caps they've put on trees on their property to protect them from the deer? I'm visualizing something simple- i.e. some sort of homemade paper product with a couple staples. Thanks

I put out a whole lot of them on Sunday. It was a rewarding experience & I recommend it for others to consider. Numerous foresters recommended it to me. It was kind of a relaxing project. It's kind of a fine line because I like to have browse for the deer but I don't want them browsing the terminal bud on all my good trees. It'll be interesting how successful it is partly because a lot of oak browsing is in the spring, which bud capping this time of year may not help. A trick is to get the caps in position so they stay where you want them.

How about popping a cap in the deers arse?

Quite a few deer are harvested in my area..

It's wierd: I don't see many deer, but their browse damage is evident.

Bud caps are especially important once/if we get a bunch of snow. Although deep snow can actually cover small seedlings.

I put on thousands of em when I worked for DNR many moons ago. We just used 3"x3" pieces of paper and folded them around the bud and put two staples in, like a red pine bud taco👍

Yes it isn't really that time-consuming per tree, just a little tricky to make sure it stays on right. I hope the regular paper I used is strong enough but a lot of reputable online sources said paper is fine to use.

I used index cards this year on my White Pines, (2) per tree. I pre stapled one end prior to going to the field, place over main terminal and then staple in place- to keep them in place and secure, you want to capture a few needles. I did 400 trees in an afternoon. I'll look for pics

I might do more this year and will consider using index cards. I have too many natural White Pines as it is though so I don't need to worry about protecting them.

Here's the bud caps I bought. 20 cents each (including tax) but they seem possibly easier and better than paper



The source is Pacforest Supply Co

My first experience with paper didn't go so well, it seems, because they got covered in snow and got wet/heavy (& wind resistant).

Here’s a sample size of one but index cards held up ok after a brutal winter, all other seedlings are covered by a foot or more of snow.

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In WV any deer doing Damage can legally be Capped in the arse and we do!!!

Ain't quite that simple. Gotta get a crop damage permit ,but they pass them out pretty easy. And I think you can sell them to someone else to kill the deer if you want.

After my first season of using Bud caps I'm happy to report success. Perhaps what surprised me most is how well the mesh ones held up. I'll be able to use them for multiple seasons. The paper ones didn't do too bad either considering the heavy snow we had, but the mesh ones definitely work better (and are quicker to install than paper). Here is a couple of pictures I took today.

I noticed tonight paper scraps are laying around the woods and looking messy. The mesh one stayed on the trees and were easy for me to go around and remove.

The paper Bud caps that I put on are still holding up great. I would have thought the paper would have fallen apart by now for sure. Every time I'm at the land I grab a couple and toss them in the recycle bin at home.

The paper still hasn't fallen apart. Does anyone know of paper that will hold up for the winter yet decay in the spring so a person doesn't have to walk around & remove them?

you have to protect spruce trees from deer? wow, those deer must really be hungry where you are.
I've had deer hit white pine, but that is spotty, but never any spruce of any kind.

It was out of extra precaution for some special large white spruce I bought last year.

When do you guys start bud capping, December?

NW Wisconsin- I'll cap the first week of November
SE Wisconsin- Thanksgiving weekend