Question
I have a Red Maple with damage to the trunk caused by deer antlers.  The tree is about 15-20 foot tall and the trunk about 4-6 inches round.  The deer have scraped the bark completely off about a 20 inch section of the trunk all the way around the trunk.  Is there anything I can do to the damage to prevent losing the tree to bugs and damage from wind if the trunk is weakened?  I have been nurturing this beautiful tree for two years now and I would hate to lose it.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
If the bark has been rubbed off all the way around the trunk of the tree there may not be much that can be done to save it. The living cells of a tree are under the bark and if these are cut around the trunk then the can not move water and food from the roots to the foliage. about the only thing that can be done is spray the area with an insecticide to keep borers from entering the wound (use an insecticide called Merit). Some people have had success with putting grafting wax on the wound to keep the area from drying out. Cut any loose bark off before putting on the wax or spraying the insecticide, this will help in the healing process.  Check with your local nursery and see if they have the grafting wax and Merit. Check also for some type of tree wrap to cover the area to keep further rubbing from occurring.