Deer Fencing

[RalphVa]

In Lake Monticello area, a lot of the owners use a plastic mesh deer fence that's about 8' tall. Think you can get it in orange, green or black. Can hang it from tree limbs or on posts.

Another friend used it around his veggie garden on a rental plot.

Ralph

 

[Jackrabbit_Slim]

I've always kind of viewed them as large rats without tails, Egon. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif These things are only about half the size of the deer back in Alberta.

I had a conversation with a tree hugger type a couple of weeks ago who kept referring to the deer as "Bambi." She was thrilled over the fact that there are "more and more every year." (So am I. It means more work for me.)

I pointed out that there are waaaaay too many and that if the balance wasn't restored nature would probably take care of it one way or another. She teed off on me with an anti-hunting lecture and I told her that wasn't what I had in mind at all.

What's really needed is a re-indtroduction of a healthy cougar population. Oh, wait, that won't work. Walt Disney didn't make cougars cute, did he? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Slim

 

[Egon]

No worries Jackrabbit, you have a stock of cougar on the island.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RalphVa]

I have an all-year hunter for the hooved rats. He got 5 one year and 4 this last. He hasn't been back since about the end of regular hunting season.

I've often thought about getting a crossbow. Could probably get one every day that I do hiking. Problem is what to do with the bods lying on neighbors' properties. On my own, they could just sit and let the birds and others have them. Ones that have died took a day or so to disappear.

Have had a few neighbors change their tune on killing deer after their expensive shrubs got eaten. Most of mine are hemmed in by circle fences, ugly but necessary.

The idiot people we bought this place from were actually feeding the hooved rats.

Ralph

 

[whenley]

Had some venison roast just yesterday ... revenge dinner.

We have 10acres 40mi west of DC in Warrenton, VA. Deer are a huge problem here. I have had good success with portable electric 2 wire fence, wires at 2 and 4 feet. Had to add a couple more down low to keep raccoons out of corn. I fence the veggie garden and my grapes. The electric fence has really helped. They could easily jump the fence, but I think get scared of it after getting 'hit' a few times.

Still, The deer really do a job on our shrubs and flowers. Wife has about given up with outdoor planting. The number of deer here is unbelievable. I let a couple of guys hunt here during the season (Thanksgiving to New Year). Last 4 years they have taken 9,11,15,14 deer. Even so, Yesterday I had 6 deer grazing in the back yard - they are desperate for anything green this time of year - even my dormant grass! We have had as many as 11 in the yard at other times. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel.

We also have tree hugger - deer feeding neighbors! I try to explain they are doing nothing but harming them. Feeding increases the litter size and the feeding pressure is just too high.

The stigma against hunting is slowly changing. The body shop business triples during rut. People are slowly beginning to understand these 'bambis' can be quite a nuisance. Even the local paper is beginning to run pro hunt - 'humanitarian' thin the herd articles.

Worth in VA