
A red oak showing symptoms is usually lost within a season. The urgent job is protecting the oaks around it, because it moves underground through grafted roots.
Never prune an oak here between April and July — that's when the beetles carrying it are active and a fresh cut is an open invitation. Dormant-season pruning only.
Present in Indiana and the reason for the pruning rule below. It's the single best argument against 'we'll just tidy the oak up in June'.