Protection from or Deterrants for Deer?

[mapper]

A mixture of eggs, Tabasco sauce and garlic will deter the deer around here for about 4 weeks per application.
3 dozen eggs
1 cup of Tabasco sauce
1 cup of garlic cloves, pureed with a bit of water then strained to remove pulp.
Blend together and store in a warm place for about a week before application.
Cut 2:1 with water and spray on plants to be protected. Stinks a bit when applying but soon smell drops below what humans can detect. Smells like dead prey to a deer and they get nervous a stay away!
This is similar to what they sell for about $20 a gallon premixed at the local garden center!

 

[Diggin It]

It's been OK for a while. A short while. No noticeable damage. Until today. They hit three of the apples pretty bad, broken or nibbled branches on the ground. Not sure what to do. Put some tomato cages around the damage ones which I know won't do any good. Psychological for me I guess. Also set some ammonia out. Ordered some commercial deterrents but that will be a few days before it arrives.

Annoyed because they have basically a whole forest to mess around in just a few hundred feet away. And dozens of other trees on my property, just a few feet away.

 

[beowulf]

I don't know if this would work for you but it did for us. A buck came in one night to the orchard - presumably jumping a high fence. Ate a lot of fruit. We turned the lights on because we heard something - he bounded away. The next night he returned with 3-4 friends - took out most of the fruit on several trees. Lights on - they ran.

So, I put up a post in the orchard, attached a motion activated solar light. Deer came, lights go on immediately. No deer. They have not been back, but my wife tells me the light is no longer working - will have to check on that.

 

[Diggin It]

I thought about that too and I have a couple of solar motion lights I could put down there. Might try that tomorrow.

 

[Looking4new]

30-06 or a 30-30 and a long range flashlight. A scope will help but peep sights are just as good.

 

[DaddyFlip]

I predict the game warden will be knocking on L4n's door within a week. Oh, wait; I guess you can do that in Canada?

I live on three acres adjacent to a neighbor's 17 acre field, all of which is surrounded by woods filled with deer. The field is primarily used for haying, but a small portion of it close to my house the neighbor put in a row garden. He tried everything, including electric fencing to keep out deer and other critters; didn't work. What finally solved the deer problem forever was the presence of my rescue dogs being allowed to roam free in my yard and his field. My wife and I used to take in strays for a few years. We had a pretty large group for awhile and the good thing about strays is they take ownership of their "home" in short order. The presence of a dozen territorial dogs will make the deer forage elsewhere. My pack slowly dwindled down to four: a rat terrier, a rat terrier mix, a catahoula mix, and a lab mix. This crew would not let a deer in my yard to eat acorns or his garden to eat veggies. You need a pack large enough to think they are hunting but small enough not to concern the neighbors. Three or four good mix strays or pound dogs who need a home should fix you up.

 

[oosik]

If I shot everything that raided the garden or orchard - I'd need a commercial meat processing plant. Plus I'd need some source of funding for all the ammo. I have a big yard light atop the last power pole in the yard. It did pretty well keeping most at bay. In the worst years we still got 50% of everything - good years we got 75 to 80%.

I just figure that's part of being out here. That line of though makes things go a lot easier - better nights sleep - less need for antacid.

 

[PILOON]

Lots of deer in my area and some comments.

Wind chimes will attract them. (LOL, install chimes in the neighbor's yard)
Human urine seems to help deter, (drink lots of beer) Local landscaper swears by this method.
Sachets of Irish Spring soap flakes has proven to work for us.
Hostas will be decimated in short time as it is desert to deer. (found recipes to cook hosta for human use, it is like lettuce) We hang sachets of Irish Spring wherever we have hostas with success.

Then if all else fails, the 3 S method. (Shoot, Shovel & Sut up).

 

[Diggin It]

I'm remote enough that I can apply liberal doses of human processed liquids without concern. I hung some bits of hair also as a local suggested that method. Put a second solar/motion light down there today.

Don't soap flakes melt in the rain?

 

[Looking4new]

I predict the game warden will be knocking on L4n's door within a week. Oh, wait; I guess you can do that in Canada?

It is not legal up here, but that being said, it has happened from time to time. Just not around my place.