Deer will eat the buds, leaves, flowers, twigs, and even the bark of plants. Deer pull and tear at plant tissue as they browse for food, leaving a ragged edge rather than a clean cut. Rabbit damage can be identified by clean-cut, 45-degree-angled clipping of young stems in winter. Perennials can be browsed to the ground during the growing season. Gnaw marks from rabbits can be found irregularly placed on the trunks of smooth-barked trees and shrubs a few inches about the ground or snow line. Rabbits can only reach as high as they can stand, plus the depth of snow. Rabbit droppings are pea-sized individual pellets.
