What did this to my tree?

[rangerfredbob]

This is on a weeping willow, there's a trail leading from the creek that's 40' from the tree through the grass to this. Only the bark is disturbed, the underlying wood is barely even scratched.

There's been beavers in this area but I haven't seen anything from them in a couple years, I got a nutria a few years ago so that wouldn't surprise me, I've seen skunks and opossums and racoon tracks. Depending on what it likely is will slightly change my plan of attack, will likely involve a Harbor Freight driveway alarm. Tomorrow I'll wrap it with some hardware cloth or whatever I find in my shed to protect from further damage.

I have a feeling it hasn't done anything for a month or so since the water level FINALLY dropped far enough that I can mow to this tree which is why I haven't noticed until today.

How lethal is this to the tree? It's maybe 10" diameter and around 5 years old, being a willow it should be fairly resilient but that's a lot of damage, any good way to treat it to help it along?

You might also notice I have a red breasted sap sucker problem too, but that's a whole other thing that isn't as pressing as whatever jerk did this...

 

[bcp]

I found a similar scar on one of my trees. I was told it was a buck deer that did it.

Bruce

 

[jeff9366]

Male deer scrape, marking territory.

 

[rangerfredbob]

at ground level? normally that starts about a foot up and would have at least some scars in the wood, not just bark damage, I only saw one piece of bark on the ground. I have another weeping willow over a hundred yards from this one that I think does have buck deer damage, but not near this extreme and starts about a foot off the ground.

Until I posted I didn't realize the picture wasn't great, I'll try to get something better tomorrow...

 

[jeff9366]

I have another weeping willow a hundred yards from this one that I think does have buck deer damage.

Male deer (with unusually short legs) scrape, marking territory.

Leave my does alone!

 

[Diggin It]

I got a nutria a few years ago so that wouldn't surprise me,

Never heard of 'em. Somewhere between a beaver, groundhog, rat and oppossum .....

 

[polo1665]

Not saying for sure, but google "porcupine tree damage image" and see what you think. I don't think it looks anything like any deer rub (not scrape) I've ever seen. Notice the claw marks at the upper right portion.

 

[hayden]

I would guess that damage is from a porcupine

 

[Jstpssng]

That doesn't look like porcupine damage to me. They don't pull the bark off in strips the way that it was done up on the top.
I see similar damage from moose, but it wouldn't start at ground level.
It looks more to me like something rubbed against it; if the tree was underwater, perhaps a floating log did it?

 

[oosik]

I've never seen bark damage that went completely to the ground. Except for mice and rabbits and your damage isn't from either of those two. Beaver killed my giant weeping willow. It didn't look like that. Deer, moose, elk will scruff the bark but not remove it like that. Porcupines go way up my pine trees - up on top - to chew on the more tender parts of the tree. They also chewed the wood handles of my wheelbarrow.

Where did all the bark go - ???

A trail cam might tell the story.

Check with a florist shop or arbor specialist. There are special products that can be painted on tree scars before you wrap that area.

 

[oosik]

OK At first I did not see the claw marks. Looks to be about as high as the "animal" can reach. I vote on a beaver.

 

[rademamj1]

I also think Beaver is the primary suspect. They are stripping the bark to work it into their mounds. They may come back for more.

 

[Egon]

Trail from the creek? Probably beaver?? Too low for deer and not quite like what they leave when they are rubbing velvet off their antlers.

 

[Doughknob]

Angry neighbor?

 

[dodge man]

I’ve seen a lot of beaver damage before and it doesn’t look like it to me. Looks like a deer scrape but some of the damage is down low.

 

[tradosaurus]

Never heard of 'em. Somewhere between a beaver, groundhog, rat and oppossum .....

Lived south of Lafayette, LA for about 8 yrs and cajuns would eat nutria rats. Of course Cajuns would eat almost any critter.

 

[ruffdog]

Willow bark will come off very easily once started. I have plenty of deer rubs here and none of them go to the ground like that. Also, the underlying wood will have gouges from the antlers. Whatever did it, it was only after the bark to eat or use as bedding.

 

[mikester]

Tractor tire rubbing on tree will do that too.

 

[arto98607]

.................snip.................

How lethal is this to the tree? It's maybe 10" diameter and around 5 years old, being a willow it should be fairly resilient but that's a lot of damage, any good way to treat it to help it along?

It's usually not good to leave it untreated.

We have a habit of painting any fruit, maple, or birch tree pruning cuts above one inch diameter with exterior latex paint which has been diluted with small amount of Lysol.

It keeps the bugs away and the bark should eventually regrow.
Seems to work good and is whole lot cheaper than any specialty commercial products.

Use your favorite color.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

My guess would be something mechanical did the damage. Not any animal. I've seen similar damage on logging sites where a downed tree is dragged and rubs bark off other trees.

Was the area under water and could another tree have floated by and rubbed on this willow?
Could a tractor or bulldozer have caused this?