Deer Zone

Deer nibbled every shoot below the top of my pocket.

It's helpful to know how high a deer can feed. Above that point you can let your vines grow free of cages. I'm on the tall side for a human, so "the deer zone" ends near the top of my shirt pocket.

Of course deer can rear back on their hind legs for a higher reach but I have not seen evidence of that in the vineyard yet. I think they are wary of the wires.

I could try to keep the deer out of the vineyard altogether but if I let them in they will keep the trunks bare, which is recommended with grape vines so growth stays focused on the fruiting shoots along the wire. Deer removing trunk shoots is more free labor.🤓

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