EN
The results of the inventory of damage caused by roe deer in a 2−year−old apple orchard in central Poland permitted to evaluate the browsing intensity as well as the relationship between biometric characteristics of trees and browsing intensity. The research showed that damage caused by the roe deer was mainly caused by shoot browsing, then rubbing the velvet antlers against trees and bark stripping. In one winter, roe deer damaged 35% of the orchard by browsing even up to 100% shoots on an individual tree. Significant differences were found between the intensity of browsing the different varieties of apple trees. The largest damage was noted in the case of the Ligol variety (35% of shoots on average), while the smallest – for the Idared and Golden Delicious varieties (approximately 5% of shoots on average). Branching and tree height were not found to affect the level of damage. When establishing forest hunting grounds, the Ligol variety, eagerly browsed by roe deer, should be planted on browsing plots, while Idared and Golden Delicious varieties – in orchards designed for fruiting.