Deer Control Options

[GlennT]

We have an area of shrubs that we're trying to protect so I installed a 7-foot high electric fence--alternating live and ground wires. In other areas I'm using a deterrent consisting of a gallon of water, 3 eggs, a big dash of cayenne pepper, a big dash of garlic powder, and a couple of squirts of liquid detergent (to make the whole mess stick on leaves and stems). I whip up the mixture and let it sit in the sun for a couple of days to ripen before use. This seems to work reasonably well; however, I don't think this would work during a dry year if the deer are pressed for food.

 

[Carl_NH]

Thomas,

Sounds like you have a Lab.. They are notorius tail waggers, and friendly to everyone.

I used to call on farmers in PA years ago servicing equipment and the old adage applies "a happy dog is a happy owner". 98% of the time they were friendly, but had a few occasions to stay in the truck until the owner arrived.

A few years ago some people moved in near us, a few kids, dog, etc. I heard him outside yelling at the kids on occasion, also met his dog in my yard one day, when the dog saw me it hung its tail and slunk away. Not a happy dog..

Carl

 

[rancar]

Tom,

<font color=blue>"...some dogs are great for controling wildlife but not our big 82lbs baby of a dog."</font color=blue>

What kind of dog do you have? This sounded a bit like the dogs we had which were Newfoundler and Collie mix and German Shepard and Collie mix. These dogs would welcome a burglar into the house provided the dogs get a treat first but yet they would yap away at the deer.

Bob

 

[Thomas]

Here is a photo of our big 4year old baby girl. /w3tcompact/icons/love.gif

And still snowing. /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif

 

[Thomas]

I pity the person who should ever decide to stop by for a visit,for she would be your best buddy /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif bring treats. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Carl_NH]

Thomas,

Looks like she's caught a snowflake or two today.

We have a happy Lab next door and my wife is always buying lge meal bones plus dog bones. Now when we are outside, Hanna is always waiting and wagging for a treat. We moderate it since she would eat everything sent that way.

If we're your way we will bring treats..

Carl

 

[Thomas]

I won't tell her about the treats,for she will set at the end if the driveway and wait...and wait for you now. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[rancar]

Yep.....she's quite a looker. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Tscott]

Thomas, I have a 9yr old lab Newfoundland that would love her. I'm in northern NH and this snow seems to be never ending.

 

[MDSteve]

She usually will eat everything but the head. All the parts in the yard come from cows that she gets from the farm next door after they slaughter a cow.

here is a picture of her cleaned up on vacation with my boy.

 

[Thomas]

Heck...Littleton little over a stone throw away from me..well more than a couple of stone throws aways. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Your lab and our lab /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif I have a strange feeling it would be /w3tcompact/icons/love.gif at first sight for them. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

It was great to finally see it stop snowing and blue sky this morning for a change /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif but the weather station said start tomorrow for the next couple of days,a wintery mix is on the way /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif oh well it is New England and we go thru this each year.

Stay warm up there.

 

[deepsnow]

An electric fence. I used treated landscape timbers placed 16ft on center (significantly less $$ vs treated 4x4). 600 ft x 5ft of a product called TrellisPlus. One fence charger. Grounding rods. One 17ga line of electric fence placed about 3ft up. Cost ~$260. Excluding my labor,aluminum foil & peanut butter.

 

[Carl_NH]

Neil,

Sounds like you have quite a property, 40 ac. on a good grade, must have been fun putting up the fence.

Well for an update here, I installed 600+ Ft heavy gauge "Deer Fence II" with an 8 gauge top line the bottom is staked to the ground. The area that I am dealing with is a small portion 120' give or take with few trees, as well this is used for access to the rear land, so fencing weve got, but prefer alternate measures so to keep access without removal of fencing etc.

Deer already got in last week and destroyed some of the wife's favorite plants, now she wants a gun.. They tried to get out and made a mess of the fence every few feet pushed off the trees etc, so today had to fix fence and put in a ground cable as well since our soil doesn't hold bottom stakes very well - too rocky.

Today I got the radio, alarm, and light hooked up and tested this evening. Basically a dual flood light with sensor wired with a 12V alarm/transformer and a plug in one socket for the radio and a light in the other one.

I have tried fox/coyote urine as well.. Thanks for the reply and if this wasn't a regular access area I would do the elec/deer fence as well, tho it may come to that in the end.

Carl