Deer eating St Augustine grass?

[Roscoe]

We didn’t really have to deal with deer in our part of the neighborhood in Georgetown for about the first 12 years we were there. The drought of 2011 brought them into our section and they never left. It’s been a pain from a gardening perspective but they’ve never bothered the grass itself. This summer they are actively eating the St Augustine, working on some of it pretty hard. Part of the middle of my backyard looks like it’s been de-thatched. Anybody else seeing this?


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[Lee230]

Roscoe, we built in the newer section of Berry Creek 13 years ago. Two years ago, the deer started eating our landscaping vegetation out of the blue. They did not touch it for 11 years, then here they came. They are eating everything including the tops of our SA grass as well.

[AgBass01]

I'm between Round Rock and Cedar Park, it is nothing for me to see a dozen deer in my front yard at any given time. We are on just over 1 acre and only have St Augustine right around the house. I have not noticed them eating the St Augustine though.

[tminc]

newest rage in food plots

[Patton]

Could be from the lack of rain and it being one of the only food choices. I see them in St Augustine regularly in some neighborhoods but haven't ever watched long enough to see if they are eating the grass.

[KIETHSTONE]

Could you show pictures if the damage? I have been watching the rabbits lately. They are very selective around the St. Aug. I have not applied any herbicides so that I can see how a browser may feed. I found that they prefer intuitive the seeds heads.



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[wildaggie]

Chinch bugs will make St Augustine grass look like what you describe.

[Roscoe]

Chinch bugs will make St Augustine grass look like what you describe.

Don’t think it’s chinch bugs. I’ve watched the deer doing this frequently, eating along and occasionally pulls the grass up. Hopefully we’ll some rain this weekend and get them off the watered lawns.


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[tex4k]

I've got scarecrow deer running around here, they eat just about Every green thing, but haven't eaten much if any of the grasses.

[bukkskin]

I haven’t seen any whitetails eating it, but I have 2 axis fawns in the yard and they eat it All day long.

[bearintex]

I would say SSS, but that would be a waste of good backstraps.

[redleif]

Have seen does eating some grass at daughters home in San Antonio. They don't eat a bunch. Just nibble a little bit of longer St. Augustine and move on.

[Snowflake Killa]

New breed of deer