Deer scrapes kill grass?

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Deer scrapes kill grass?

Postby cobb on Fri May 16, 2014 7:38 am

I have had deer scrapes for years around my apple trees, but never noticed that it killed the grass.
Mowed around the apple trees on Wednesday and noticed these 2 dead areas in the grass.

scrape1.jpg

scrape2.jpg


Both are under low hanging limbs that are chewed each year by one buck or another.
Just never noticed it killed the grass before, unless something was different last year that would caused this.
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Re: Deer scrapes kill grass?

Postby xd ED on Fri May 16, 2014 9:12 am

Might it be from urine or scat? Maybe they've been eating something different with the winter we had. All the scrapes I get are in the creeping charlie, and they rake a 1-2' patch down to the dirt.
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Re: Deer scrapes kill grass?

Postby Pat Cannon on Fri May 16, 2014 10:19 am

I bet ED's guess is good -- when they scrape they also take a leak. Pee next to it and see if it does the same thing.
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Re: Deer scrapes kill grass?

Postby smurfman on Fri May 16, 2014 2:44 pm

A scrape is made when a buck kicks the ground until bare earth is reached. This removes above ground vegetation as well as some of soil to varying degrees. Depending on the depth of the scrape, roots may be removed or enough root structure may be exposed for the winter to kill or delay growth due to stress. Humans can do the same thing if they scuff the toe of their shoe on the lawn long enough, deep enough, and vigorous enough.

Larger bucks create larger and deeper scrapes so it may be you no longer have younger bucks hanging out under your trees in the fall. That is not necessarily a bad thing.
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Re: Deer scrapes kill grass?

Postby FJ540 on Sat May 17, 2014 11:06 pm

You should see the crater they dug when I let the mineral lick get used up...

There's a pile of stones next to the hole the new block filled up. :o
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