Experience with deer fence?

Schultz · May 15, 2003

I've been using a 6' fence (two 3' sections of green garden fence) around my garden for five years now without any deer jumping the fence. I've seen them walk all around the fence but none have jumped it.
Just before I put it up I read an article in Michigan Out of Doors on a study done by the DNR, and I decided on a 6' fence. They did the study under normal circumstances, meaning they didn't have a female in heat and a crazed buck on the other side, and they weren’t caged deer. My numbers are likely off a little, but they mentioned something like the following:

4' fence -- deer will jump it at will to get what they want
5' fence -- deer will jump it 50% of the time, or may just walk along it until an opening
6' fence -- 90 or 95% of the deer will not jump it
7' fence -- 95 or 97% wont jump it
8' fence -- 98-99% won’t jump it
10' fence --- 100% wont bother with it.
So, the extra work and expense beyond 7' doesn't buy much.

I too have had problems keeping the buds, leaves, & new shoots on my fruit trees. The trees have now out grown the 4' diameter cages I started them in. I'm in the process of putting up stakes with black deer netting around the dozen dwarf fruit trees I have. I'm using 8' rebar that I paint dark green. I drive four rebars in around the tree to 6' high and tie wrap the netting to the rebar stakes. At one end of the neeting I use a couple velcro wraps so I can get in a pick the fruit or prune the tree. It's worked so far this season, and you don't see it from a distance. I don't know how long the netting will last, but it’s rather inexpensive, so if I get 3-4 years out of it I'll be pleased.

DocHeb · May 15, 2003

For the same price, you could get 6 1/2 to 7 feet by putting the two three-foot fences up with a 1 foot space between them. This would probably require taller posts, however. Are you growing any corn? Are you bothered by racoons or groundhogs? I'm hoping that the racoons will be distracted by the acres of feed corn around us and leave my sweet corn alone, but I'm already planning for the deer!

StoneHeartFarm · May 15, 2003

I had problems with the deer getting my fruit trees, so I made hoops about 4-5' in DIA to go around the trees. Now, the interesting thing is that I didn't have enough fencing to hoop all the trees, so It's only the trees around the outside and a few in the middle that have the hoops.

Since doing it, I've had deer nibble a little on the trees around the outside edge, but not enter and chew on the trees in the middle. Deer tracks come right up to the edge of the area, skirt around it and go off again. I think the deer are afraid to come inside because they fear they will be trapped between the hoops.

It appears to go area by area. The deer in some areas are unafraid of certain fencing/deterrents, and the deer in other areas are unafraid of different ones. One smart deer can teach a lot of others.

Steve

OverlyRun · May 16, 2003

Before I came to this point, I had 4 ft high woven wire cattle fence in 6-foot diameter circles around each fruit tree...and a "tent" of fence over the top of the circle. Despite this, the deer reached in and got every bud, every shoot. They did not discrimminate between the periphery or the heart of my little orchard. The trees are now gone (see post#1) and I have about a dozen unused circles of heavy duty woven wire cattle fence looking for a different use.

This leads me to want to fence in a larger area that keeps the deer far away from the trees altogether. The lightweight polypropelene is LOTS easier to work with than cutting the wire fence. I like the idea of using two three-foot sections separated by a space to gain some height....and get that last 3% of deterrence.

We have woodchuks and rabbits too, but a sleeve of mesh or something around the first 24" of trunk will protect against that.

It must be a mesure of how bad the other trees taste that the deer go to all the trouble to get the apple trees.

Chas

TresCrows · May 16, 2003

Get some monofiliment and run it in all directions so as to create an invisible maze. They hate the stuff and get spooked when something touches them they cannot see and every which way they run they hit some more of it. That coupled with plastic bags tieied to the trees and tin cans and repellent and wire cages around the trees seems to work somewhat. J

JerryG · May 16, 2003

monofiliment
As crazy as it sounds, it does work. I live in a rural area on the edge of a state wildlife management area. The deer are everywhere. Monofiliment around the garden is the only thing that we have found that will work. We just run it between post like wire, usually two strands. The only bad thing about using it is that when they get into it, they will break it and you will have to put it up again.

DocHeb · May 16, 2003

( The only bad thing about using it is that when they get into it, they will break it and you will have to put it up again )

That sounds like a lot of maintenance. Do you think they will keep breaking a strand of electic fence smeared with peanut butter? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

StoneHeartFarm · May 17, 2003

(
It must be a mesure of how bad the other trees taste that the deer go to all the trouble to get the apple trees.

Chas )

Before I put up the hoops, they bit a couple of mine in half. Left the tops hanging and walked away.

Steve