##$$$^^^&&&&DEER!

[Phred]

I am partial to a 270, much flatter shot....

What about electric fences? They would need to be much taller than a normal cattle fence, more like for a goat?

I will soon be facing the same problem since I am also thinking about a garden, and my place is over run with deer.

Phred (aka Fred)

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

We had a thread awhile back about fencing for deer. Search on "Gardens, Deer and electric fences." There's quite a bit there.

SHF

 

[DaveM]

Yep, that was a thread I started that you can find here. The garden is just starting to really get going and the deer and rabbits haven't found it or aren't interested in it yet. We've taken no counter measures so far as I think we owe it to ourselves to see how much of a problem we're likely to have. Plus, I don't want go crazy constructing a fence that might not be needed or be the best solution. I will put out more of the fertalizer I mentioned in that thread as I have lots of it around and it can't hurt anything.

I'm also the guy with the geese problem! I have not seen any geese since I first posted about them. However, some are still visiting, based on the fresh poop I find everyday. But they're smart enough now to come over only when I can't see them. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif Nevertheless, my 50 cal. muzzle loader should be coming in next week and I plan to get in position before sunrise to ruin their day! I may take up deer hunting too... if necessary. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Good Luck- Dave

 

[DFB]

Usually I don't have too much of a deer problem. Most of the time it seems the dog is enough to deter them. Got back to my garden last week to find out a big doe and her fawn had begun to eat some of my plants.
Took out a whole row each of cukes and zukes.

I've got some stuff called HINDER. It's an ammonia salts/soluable fats that ya mix with water and spray on the leaves. One application is good for long time. Its effective. The deer get a taste of it and go looking elsewhere. Haven't found the stuff under that name but this web site has a similar (if not the same) product. http://www.deer-busters.com/deerdeerrabr.html

There's other products available out there too that use mixtures of garlic, hot pepper or a rotten egg smell./w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

Another option to consider in the battle with Ma Nature and cheaper than a fence.

DFB

 

[IndianaPaul]

Had a lot of the same problems with my garden first year after moving to the country. Seems like the deer thought I had moved to country to open a buffet for them.

Naive me placed my German Shorthair's kennel right next to the garden thinking would keep them away. No such luck. This years does & fawns even added insult to injury our second year by laying down & catching the sun on the hillside about 30 feet away from the kennel. Hopefully I can get a pic of it & post it here so everyone can have a good chuckle.

This year I've not had as many problems as I planted about 4-5 acres of food plots (milo, sunflower, soybeans) for the quail & turkey (only 9 months to season opens). Deer seem to figure the invitation is for them too. They seem to be happy with the food plots & have left my garden alone. Though the chicken wire I strang horizontal to the ground around it also has helped.

Paul

 

[DaveM]

DFB- Thanks for the tip. So far our garden has not been touched but it's great to hear about solutions from first hand users like yourself. BTW, the fertilizer I've refered to and am using is called Milorganite http://www.milorganite.com/abtmil.html Several people around here including a new greenhouse owner swear by this stuff's ability to keep deer away.

Dave

 

[DFB]

Dave, I'll read up on it. I'm interested in alternatives to the chemical fertilizer I use.

Got up today and found one walking around, taking a chomp on just about everything in the yard. (see pic) Good thing it didn't get to my beans. Dog started barking from inside the house and it was gone./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif .

DFB

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

DFB

Simple solution. Eat the deer. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

SHF

 

[Von]

See attachment on how I like to deal with them! This photo works well as this is a tractor forum!

 

[DFB]

SHF,

A tasty soundin' solution at that.

That reminds me, one evening a couple of weeks back my claim jumpin' neighbor was out by his barn firing a blackpowder rifle. I don't know if he only had powder n patch in it or was just a poor shot but he was firing in the direction of several deer standin in his peas. The deer looked up few times and just went back to eatin'. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

(He has this huge pea patch this year an is sellin' commercially)

DFB