Deer

[redlevel]

Georgia's deer herd is an estimated one million head. Hunters kill about 350,000 per year, and there are probably 50,000 killed by cars. That is the minimum kill needed just to maintain the herd at around a million. The problem is that Atlanta and Florida hunters don't think they have had a good hunt unless they see 25 to 50 deer per weekend.

There are some good genetics in the Georgia herd, and if DNR would do something to thin the herd by about half, there would be a lot more trophy bucks and people could grow a garden. There is too much money to be made with things as they are, though, so I don't look for many changes. I think the limit is something like 12 does and two bucks now, but I think they need to require hunters to kill a couple of does before they are eligible to shoot a buck.

My nephew killed this one the day after Christmas in 2004 on a lease that adjoins our farm.

 

[JCB]

Saltman,

There have been some good replies here.

My work is on airports, we try to keep deer away from airports simply because runways and deer to not mix.

Barring a physical barriers, most products work good, but eventually hungry deer become unaffected by them.

The best use of products is variety. Deer will respond to: fear, taste, and smell. Anything you can do to affect these should have an effect on the deer. Making it taste bad, smell bad or making them scared will all have limited success. Soaps, urine, human hair, rotten eggs, hot sauce, and products will all work; but only to a limited degree, and only until the deer become used to them. Especially if you've got the only source of food nearby.

Rain will be a problem for some of the simpler solutions (i.e. soap, hot sauce) and it will be a constant battle. If you really want to keep something deer-free your best bets are a physical barrier, or making the area a less desirable habitat. Changing the habitat usually involves removing sources of food, shelter and water for the deer, which for most of us is the opposite affect of what we’re trying to achieve.

Dogs work on a homestead, but you’re counting on a dog’s vigilance and understand that this will be one of his primary missions. Bullets work too, but unless you can get a year round permit you’re waiting on hunting season…and you’ve got the vigilance thing again.

If you really want to protect some specimens use a physical barrier. Otherwise: fear, taste, and smell, variety and a little vigilance in re-application are good bets.

My two-cents.

 

[Morgan]

On the deer can jump high and wide but not both idea, I freind built a fence for his mom. 2 electric fences one inside the other. I think the outside one was 4 feet high and the inside one maybe 5 feet separated a few feet apart. Electric fencing is pretty cheap and you can even get a neutral color like brown or green. Don't know the exact measurements, but I could find out.
Good luck & too bad you can't hunt in your area. Fruit fed deer might be more tastey. The down side is, I think it's tough to eat the critters you see everyday. Kind of like pets.

 

[redlevel]

The down side is, I think it's tough to eat the critters you see everyday. Kind of like pets.

Apparently you have never raised a steer or a couple of pigs for slaughter. It helps keep things in perspective if you give them names like "Barbecue", "T-Bone", or "Pork Chop".

 

[saltman]

Thanks for the variety of methods. I set up some physical barriers yesterday that will work until the trees get bigger. Then I will use many of the great ideas or practiced methods listed.

In Southern CA deer aren't that common so it was kind of a mixed blessing.


Thanks

 

[philbuilt]

This is what I use with good success. You can go out and refresh as needed.
Phil

100% Coyote Urine
Real coyote urine. Creates the illusion that coyotes are present in your yard or garden. When deer think coyotes are around they will go elsewhere. Hunters, trappers, farmers, naturalists and photographers have long understood how the selective use of animal urines can trigger the instinctive movements of animals to and from specific areas. Comes with three 30 day dispensers.
Specifications:

 

[Greenhouseray]

This is how I take care of the deer.
Place a layer of onions in the bottom of a crockpot. place a good size chunk of deer meat on the onions. Put in 3 or 4 tablespoons of minced garlic. On top of that 2 cans of diced spiced tomatoes and two cans of Old Milwaukee beer. Do all this in the morning. Put the crockpot on low and let it go until you come to the house about 5 Pm or so. Then cut up a mess of potatoes, turnip, carrots whatever is in the refridgerator.Turn the crockpot to high. Set yourself down for a feast at seven thirty just as Jeopardy comes on. It is guaranteed that you will enjoy this so much that you will make sure that you get to eat your garden one way or the other. Vegetables or deer meat it is good either way.
Greenhouseray

 

[ToadHill]

Coyote Urien I wouldn't want to be the guy who collects it!!!

 

[RalphVa]

In using fence surrounds to protect young trees, I raise them up off the ground when the trees get a little taller such that they stick up above the 4' fence. Those green, drive-into-ground, posts work for holding the fence up.

When the trees or shrubs get big enough, just remove the fences and use them for other stuff. The hooved rats mainly like new growth and new stuff.

Even trees that they don't like to eat need protection from young bucks rubbing them on the bark with their itchy antlers. For this, some cheap plastic mesh put around the tree is good enough. Don't fasten it tight. You want the tree to grow and just push it wider. DON'T use corrugated plastic drainage pipe for this purpose. Some agents have found some bad effects when people have used this stuff around young trees.

Hooved rats LOVE those detectors to turn lights on for them. They can see what there is to eat. Best use of these is to shine the light AWAY from what you don't want them to eat, like lights around the perimeter of a veggie garden and shining outwards from the garden. This comes from one of our agents who has been veggie garden since about knee high to a jack rabbit.

This afternoon, I put 2 strands of fish line around 3 new blueberry bushes I planted. I put 2 strands of fish line around my asparagus patch last year and kept them out. They seem to have trouble seeing this stuff and don't like to stick their head when they feel something and can't see it. Probably won't work on bucks, but most of my trouble has been with non-antlered does and fauns. Seem to be A LOT more of these than bucks.

Ralph

 

[texasjohn]

I've heard, but cannot confirm, that a trip to the zoo and picking up a lot of fresh tiger or lion poo and scattering it around is helpfull.

If that doesn't work, shoot and eat them.