Gardens, Deer & Electric Fences

[DaveM]

Hi All,

After failing to thwart the nightly visits to one of our bird feeders this past week by deer I'm starting to think of our newly created and planted garden! My wife and I have been getting mixed reviews on the effectiveness of electric fences or other methods used to keep out deer. I originally thought a solar powered fence would be just the ticket but have been told I'd need to run at least 2 strands of wire, one about shoulder/nose high and another at least 6' high. Some have said they'll still jump over this height while others have said just one wire at nose level will keep them away after they've been shocked a time or two. Asthetically, I'm not crazy about building a 6'+ fence especially if it's likely to fail to do the job. I know some people plant more than they can use and just accept their losses but this is not a good option for us. Our garden is very small mainly due to all the manual work involved to remove all the rocks and I'm not eager to enlarge it at this time for this reason. I tried using an organic fertilizer that was recommended by a few people, made from human sewage, to keep them away from the bird feeder but it didn't slow them down at all.

I'd sure appreciate hearing other folk's thought's and techniques for dealing with this situation.

Thanks- Dave

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

Electric fencing worked good for my buddy to keep the bear outta his beehives. Razor wire didn't. He uses a 6v solar charger.

I've heard of a lot of different electric fence ideas for deer. I heard that you only need 2 strands of wire. A low one for rabbits and one about 2' high for the deer. Above that you stick 4' fiberglass rods with nothing strung on them. Apparently, this fakes the deer out and they think the fence is too high to jump over. Deer will jump high or deer will jump long, but not high and long. I've got a buddy on the DNR and he says they've got film of deer charging a chain link fence, dropping to the ground and sliding right underneath it.

But, about the BEST electric fence advice came from an old Nurseryman. He said to set up a fence about 3' high, one strand. Every spring smear peanut butter all over it and hit the juice. Apparently, deer can't resist peanut butter and they'll lick it everytime. Keeps 'em out for the rest of the year. But you have to repeat the process EVERY year because the "young 'uns ain't learned yet." I expect to try this with my own garden next year. So far, for my fruit trees, I've just made a hoop out of 4' high wire fencing about 4-5' wide. Last year, the deer chewed my trees off, this year (with the fence hoops) they haven't touched them.

Hope this helps.

SHF

 

[gws]

Its going to depend on your deer. A hungry deer will get through you fence one way or another. If its just a casual snack then 2 or 3 run electric fence should keep them out.

 

[fishman]

Dave,

I have a lot of deer around my place here in TX, I even feed them with two corn feeders. My garden has not been touched yet, but this is the first year for it. I ran an electric fence with a wire about 6 inches high and one about 4 feet high. No losses to the hordes of rabbits either. I suppose the deer could jump over, but the garden looks pretty intimidating with all of those 5' high cages and tomatoes!/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

SHF's idea may work but my experience has been that unless you have at least a 6' high fence or better it won't keep the deer out. Even then don't worry about electrifying because they won't feel it even if they do jump. The problem is that when the deer jump and hit the fence they don't feel it because they are not grounded. What they wind up doing is just tearing the wire off and all your hard work is for naught. I've seen and tryed every method mentioned except the peanut butter one and that might work but the others don't. Deer get smart too. You watch when the jump and they know the wire is usually hot. They will rarely actually touch the wire before they jump.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by cowboydoc on 06/12/01 11:29 AM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

I've read about laying chicken wire or other fencing flat on the ground around the garden. Supposedly, deer won't walk on it. I doubt that one would work. BUT, if you had a short fence up AND fencing laid flat but supported so it's a couple of inches off the ground. That might make it just miserable enough to keep them out.

I think we have to face it. The only sure fire way to keep the deer from eating the garden is to eat the deer.

SHF

 

[mdbarb]

I have used this method and it works great. Our client had a killer view, a deer freeway and a desire for roses. We drove may 2x2 stakes in the ground, sticking up 12", fastened wire fencing flat on top of this. The shrubs have grown up thru the wire so we don't see the fencing, the deer have never gotten in (5 years) and the client has her view and her roses,

 

[DaveM]

A big collective thanks to everyone! Might try a combination of some of these ideas. I'd like to think that the deer around here are not especially hungry. We're in a sparsley populated area with many prime acres of deer habitat so I hope they 'll go elswhere for snacks if we make it difficult enough. Time will tell I guess.

Keep those ideas and stories comin'!

Thanks Again Everyone- Dave

 

[MarkV]

Dave,

I have never tried it, but I heard that human hair spread around the garden would keep the deer away. Might be worth a stop at the barber shop. Sure would be a cheap way.

MarkV

 

[Hawgee]

Trying to keep the deer out is like trying to keep out the birds and rain. All to some degree.

Local nursery went 2 rows of 4' field fence on 10' post's. Thats 2' in the ground. Looked absolutely grand considering the cost and labor. Went with your standard gate from the Grange. 5' high by whatever width for tractor traffic. Well, don't cha know where the deer come in? /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

"What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)