Bark Stripping
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Bark Stripping

 
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Haggis Hunter
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:20 pm    Post subject: Bark Stripping Reply with quote

I walked along the old railway line from Penicuik to Bonnyrigg today and came across a small section with all the bark taken off of lots of trees and low branches. I had thought perhaps it was an otter but I wasn't close to any water course.

So does anyone know what animal can do this much damage to trees?




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Lodainn An Ear
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

deer?
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Drumin
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rabbits - unless there has been a flock of sheep loose, unlikely but not impossible to be deer at that intensity and so low down on the stem. Did the area have a frozen snow cover up until recently? Seen this happen often when no other grazing is about.
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Original A1
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 8:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yup, that's what I guessed too, although one of the smaller breeds as it's low for a red - perhaps roe? I think the bark's too smooth for a badger (would expect claw marks).

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Haggis Hunter
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 8:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We've had pretty bad snow here recently and some stretches of the path still had bits of sheet ice on it so it could have been deer?
Edit to add that I don't think it could have been rabbits as some of the parts are a 2 to 3 feet high.
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Drumin
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 9:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It may sound silly but remember the rabbits would be on top of any snow cover giving extra height and would continue stripping as the snow melted, also a buck rabbit on its hind legs can get up quite high, especially if it is hungry!

Rabbit is still my guess but I cannot totally rule out deer or sheep, it might be possible for someone more knowledgeable to look at the teeth marks in the first photo for more of a clue. Similarly there might be more clues around the trees, tracks, fur, hair etc which could confirm.
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cooltshirt
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm certain that this is deer ............ I saw this appear during the cold spell when other food would have been hard to find.

It'll be both roe and red deer, the larger animals simply bending down.
This can be seen along the A702 near Biggar where the damage goes higher than in the pics shown. The deer would have been pretty hungry .......... bad news for the trees where the grazing goes all the way round
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Drumin
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 9:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/PDF/fcpn3.pdf/$FILE/fcpn3.pdf
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Haggis Hunter
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Drumin wrote:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/PDF/fcpn3.pdf/$FILE/fcpn3.pdf

After looking at this and having taken a close look at the marks yesterday, it would appear as though Drumin is correct and that it may have been rabbits. The marks certainly were not the same as those shown in the link for deer. Some of the branches that had been stripped weren't much thicker than pencils, I think deer would have broken these?
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Drumin
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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cooltshirt
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Further research has shown that the teeth marks are actually from the lowland Haggis (chapmanus bilious)........... putting paid to the stories that their bark is worse than their bite. This behaviour used to be confined to Selkirk, but it appears that they have fallen from grace and have had to broaden their horizons.

All in all a missed opportunity for a Haggis Hunter

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Drumin
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Laughing
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Haggis Hunter
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Applause Applause Applause Applause Applause Applause
Notworthy Notworthy Notworthy Notworthy
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Tooey
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 6:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yup, I concur with Drumin, we have massive Rabbit damage all through Badenoch and Strathspey. What's more, because of the height of snow they managed to get into our garden over the fence line and stripped the bark off our Apple trees. Now the snow is only at four inches or so, the Rabbits can now be seen to leap over the fence, and if you show them a gun they leap back out again.
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