Deer Are Rubbing Their Antlers on the Upright Stone: How I Protected It

headstone cleaning in Florida | headstone cleaning in Pennsylvania

I still remember the morning I found it. Drove out to the old section of Elmwood Cemetary, coffee in hand, ready to do a quick check on a few marble markers I'd been tracking. And there it was — fresh scrapes running down the face of a beautifull 1880s sandstone upright. Deep gouges. Like someone took a chisel to it. My stomach dropped.

I knew exactly what did it. A buck, it was late October, rutting season. They're not malicious, you know. They're just idiots with hormones. They find a nice vertical surface that smells interesting (lichen, old stone, maybe another buck's scent) and they go to town. That stone had been standing for 140 years. Took one deer about ten minutes to mess it up.

So I had to figure out how to stop it. Tried a few things that didn't work. Big mistake. But eventually I found a solution that held. Let me walk you through what I did, step by step, so you don't have to learn the hard way.

Why Deer Target Headstones (and Why It Gets Worse Every Year)

Deer rub antlers to remove the velvet — that fuzzy skin that sheds after antlers harden. But they also do it to mark territory and show off for does. Upright headstones? They're perfect. Solid, rough-textured, and often in quiet, open areas where deer feel safe.

I've seen bucks come back to the same stone three years in a row. They remember it. So if you don't do something, the damage just piles up. Each rub scrapes off more stone, exposes fresh surface, and weakens any engraved lettering. On sandstone and marble, those scratches never come out. You can't sand them down — that destroys the original surface. So prevention is everything.

What Didn't Work: My First Two Failures

First thing I tried? Cheap plastic deer fencing from the hardware store. Wrapped it around the stone. Looked awful. And the deer just pushed it over. Didn't even slow them down.

Second try: I sprayed a commercial deer repellent — the smelly, rotten-egg kind — directly on the stone. Took me three tries to get it to stick. And it did keep deer away for about a week. But then it rained. Had to reapply constantly. Plus, I worried about the chemicals staining the stone over time. Never again.

What I learned: deer are stubborn. You need something physical, not chemical, if you want it to last more than a season.

The Solution: A Simple, Invisible Cage That Works

Here's what finally worked. I built a low-profile, freestanding wire cage that sits about 18 inches away from the stone on all sides. Not touching it. The deer can't reach the stone to rub, but the cage doesn't ruin the view.

Supplies I used:

• 4-foot tall galvanized welded wire mesh (2x4 inch openings) — one roll covers several stones
• 4 metal T-posts (the kind for electric fence, but shorter — 5 feet)
• Heavy-duty zip ties (the UV-resistant black ones)
• A post driver (rent from a hardware store for $15)

I cut four panels: one for each side, overlapping at the corners. Attached them to the T-posts with zip ties. Sunk the posts about 18 inches into the ground. Took maybe two hours per stone.

The key: leave at least 12 inches of space between the wire and the stone. If the cage is too tight, a buck can still reach through and rub. Too far out, and it looks like a construction site. I painted the wire flat black with spray paint made for metal — blends right into shadows.

After three years, not a single rub on any stone I caged. The deer just walk around it. And the cage is easy to remove for cleaning or maintenance.

When to Install and When to Remove

Timing matters. Put the cage up in early September, before rutting season really kicks off. I've seen bucks start rubbing as early as mid-September here in the Northeast. Leave it up through December or January, after the rut ends and antlers drop.

I take mine down in late January. That way the stone isn't caged all year — just during the danger months. Plus, it gives the grass around the base a chance to recover. I store the panels flat in a shed, and reinstall them the next fall.

One warning: check on the cage after storms. Heavy snow or fallen branches can bend the wire. I had one panel get flattened by a falling limb. Took me 20 minutes to fix it. Worth it.

A Note on Cleaning After Damage (If It's Too Late)

If you're reading this because a deer already rubbed your stone — I'm sorry. I've been there. Here's what you can do, but be careful.

First, don't try to sand or grind the scratches out. That's permanent damage. Instead, clean the stone gently with a pH-neutral, non-ionic cleaner like D/2 Biological Solution. It'll remove any dirt or lichen that might make the scratches look worse. Spray it on, let it sit for 10 minutes, scrub with a soft nylon brush, rinse with distilled water. That's it.

If the scratches are deep, consider consulting a professional conservator. Some can apply a poultice or a very careful micro-abrasion technique, but that's not a DIY job. For most old stones, the scratches will fade a little with weathering over a few years. They won't disappear, but they'll blend in.

And then put up that cage. Don't let it happen again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will a deer repellent spray work on headstones without damaging the stone?

A: Most commercial repellents are safe for stone if they're water-based and don't contain oils or salts. But in my experiance, they wash off in rain and need reapplying every week or two during rutting season. Plus, I've seen some leave a greasy residue on marble that attracted dirt. Physical barriers are far more reliable.

Q: Can I just wrap chicken wire around the headstone instead of building a cage?

A: Chicken wire is too flimsy. A buck can push right through it or get antlers tangled. I tried it once — never again. Use welded wire mesh with at least 2-inch openings. The 2x4 inch mesh is perfect: deer can't get their antlers through, but it's not so small that it collects leaves and looks ugly.

Q: How do I keep the cage from rusting and staining the ground?

A: Use galvanized wire — it's coated with zinc and resists rust for years. If you're worried about stains, set the T-posts on a small gravel base or a flat stone. I've had my cages up for three winters with no rust issues. Just don't use plain steel wire, or you'll get orange drips down the stone after rain.

Q: Will the cage damage the headstone if it touches it?

A: Yes. If wire rubs against the stone for months, it can wear away the surface. That's why I insist on keeping the cage at least 12 inches away. Use spacers if you have to — cut short pieces of PVC pipe and slip them over the T-posts to push the wire out. Never let metal touch stone.

Q: Is it okay to leave the cage up year-round?

A: You can, but I don't recommend it. The cage can trap moisture against the base of the stone, promoting lichen growth or frost damage in winter. Plus, it looks like a construction site. Take it down after the rut ends (January), and put it back up in early fall. The stone deserves to be seen.