Browsing of landscaped plants is likely to increase during severe, long winters when snow cover is deep and extensive. As forage supplies dwindle, deer will reach higher and dig deeper for food. Plants in secluded locations and those grown under the best conditions tend to be more susceptible to browsing. The presence of household pets may discourage use. Plant Recovery From Deer Use Many plants that are heavily browsed recover vigorously during spring and summer, especially when regularly watered, fertilized and weeded.
Winter browsing stimulates new vegetative growth in spring, even on dry rangelands.
Although regrowth of many ornamental plants may increase if browsed during the growing season, some do not recover from heavy winter use and others may require two or more growing seasons to recover. Two growing seasons are often required to replace the vegetative and fruiting buds of apple trees browsed during the winter. In addition to direct browsing damage, occasionally heavy use exposes plant tissues and can lead to frost damage. Observation of Plant Use Deer use of ornamental plants was studied during the winters of 1979-81 in 12 landscaped yards on foothill benches near Layton and Bountiful, Utah. Utilization of all plant species in each yard was evaluated in late winter by estimating the proportion of the current annual growth removed by mule deer.