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[Alan Haigh <alandhaigh@gmail.com>]

I install a lot of home orchards in areas where the deer populations remind you of being on a game safari in Kenya.  I have had 8 point bucks within a stones throw admire my work as I planted succulent young apple, mulberry and Asian pear trees amongst all the other somewhat less attractive fruit trees that will be in the mix.  The deer run in herds like antelopes and only bow-hunting is permitted in most areas I work.

 

I protect smaller trees with about a 10' length of 5' tall, 14 g. galvanized wire fencing and a single post to create individual rings for each tree.  The wire fencing can be secured to itself by hooking its wire to itself in 2 or 3 places from top to bottom so the rings are easily opened to tend to the trees.  In worse predation areas I very rarely have to use 12' (circumference) rings and 3 posts for particularly attractive cultivars like the Mutsu apple, mulberries and Asian pears.

 

Low branches are eaten by the deer when they reach outside of protection which encourages upward growth inside the fencing.  After a couple of years the fencing can be removed and I protect the trunks from buck antlers with 3' rings around the trunks from pieces of the initial fencing.  The deer do a pretty good job of keeping the trees trained above the browse line but fruit laden branches must sometimes be crutched or tied to keep the deer from tearing them off the tree.

 

This means that a lot of the fruit must be harvested from a stepladder, but on the bright side, the deer eat all the drops, lessening apple fly maggot pressure (at least that's my theory, as this is a nonexistent pest in my orchards).  It also means that the orchards allow more open space for child play and mowing the lawn.