Protection from or Deterrants for Deer?

[jjeff]

I've mentioned it before but I'm told there is a product called Millorganite that is a soil amendment, maybe fertilizer?

In school we toured the Milwaukee waster water treatment plant and there I was told Millorganite is made from people....people's waste.

Folks swear it keeps the deer away?

It's a slow release fertilizer has nitrogen Its pricey 15+ for 50lbs and I've been unable to find it in bulk unsure if it deters Deer when I lived in Wi everyone used it for lawn and gardens Made on Jones island wwtp in Milwaukee been around for decades and I believe it's considered organic.

 

[jjeff]

I have a fence around my garden area that seems to keep them at bay, its the birds stealing all my berries..

You can try placing netting

 

[workinonit]

I am dead in the middle of this issue and my summation from these 7 pages is the only thing that rally works is an 8' fence with electrified barb on the top run. Preferrably to 240 VAC.

 

[workinonit]

I'll be fencing in a couple of acres this summer. I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[bmaverick]

In Italy, farmers have motion detectors that activate sound devices of predators and other distressful noises to prevent deer in their fields.

Should the deer become accustom to the devices, it lowers their guard down so as real predator do take them out. It's a win-win either way.

 

[lman]

I've heard dog fur, but it did not work for me.

Dog fur works for me. My german shepherd is attached to the fur.

 

[MoKelly]

Dog fur works for me. My german shepherd is attached to the fur.

Made me laugh today. Thanks!

MoKelly

 

[hunt4570]

You can try placing netting

I try to grow enough so as there is enough to share... but if they keep it up maybe... I have enough blueberries I could never eat them all.. but only 3 large blackberry plants, I may try covering those.

 

[Marauder]

I know it's a bit cold for gardening but I just saw this thread. The thing that's works great for me is the motion activated sprinkler. The one I use is called scarecrow. Powered by a single little 9v battery. Hooked up to your hose, works great day or night. You can even daisy chain them together and it is a hoot to watch the dear scatter. It even changes the timing on the activation. These are not fan type sprinklers, but the kind that go

Amazon.com : BSTOOL Solar Scarecrow Motion Activated Sprinkler Water Animal Repellent Deterrent Sprinkler with Day and Night Detection Modes : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com : BSTOOL Solar Scarecrow Motion Activated Sprinkler Water Animal Repellent Deterrent Sprinkler with Day and Night Detection Modes : Patio, Lawn & Garden

www.amazon.com

Another good thing is the driveway alert from harbor freight and a paintball gun Your neighbors will wonder about the green deer....after a few times they will go and munch on someone else's garden.

 

[jyoutz]

In past years, I lost most everything to deer or other critters. To the point it really wasn't worth planting anything. I may try again next year now that I have a bunch of new fruit trees and need to try to protect them. Plus, I need to try to produce a food crop for other reasons.

I've heard and read a few things, but I'm asking about experiences in what others have tried. Some say a deer won't jump anything it can't see over. They say to plant taller crops like corn or sunflowers. Others say an electric fence wire about nose high will deter them with another a few inches above ground to deter smaller ground animals. Somebody even said to hang bags of human hair clippings since the deer can smell our scent and will avoid it. I don't know if I buy any of those ideas. Traditional fencing is all but useless for raccoons, squirrels and anything else that can climb.

Before I go spending a couple of hundred dollars on a solar charger, t-posts and wire, what others ideas can TBNers suggest?

I was planning on trying a few rows of corn anyways, so I could try to use that as a perimeter around the fruit trees. I also have to mow around the area and between the trees, so I have to allow for that.


Then there are the chemical deterrents found in stores, but they're not cheap and don't last long.

I tried many things over a couple of years to protect my orchard and garden from deer: motion lights and sprinklers, 4 different electric fence designs, barking dogs, etc… Nothing worked. Then I got some drill stem pipe for corners; made welded braces sunk in concrete, and pounded 10’ t-posts. Two 4’ rolls of woven wire make an 8’ fence. I buried chicken wire 1’ deep and extending 2’ above ground to keep rabbits out. No more deer or rabbit issues in the orchard/garden. Been over 6 years now with deer tracks outside the fence, but nothing has defeated the fence. Now about those birds….

 

[jaxs]

I know it's a bit cold for gardening but I just saw this thread. The thing that's works great for me is the motion activated sprinkler. The one I use is called scarecrow. Powered by a single little 9v battery. Hooked up to your hose, works great day or night. You can even daisy chain them together and it is a hoot to watch the dear scatter. It even changes the timing on the activation.

Another good thing is the driveway alert from harbor freight and a paintball gun Your neighbors will wonder about the green deer....after a few times they will go and munch on someone else's garden.

This plus your screen name make's me wonder what you do for pass time.

 

[WVBill]

Don't know if it's been mentioned, joined this thread late. Irish Spring Soap (original scent). We drill a hole through a bar and hang them from trees and bushes at "deer nose height" with a zip tie. It works.

 

[tractortroof]

A dog in an out door kennel works about as well as anything.

I’m kinda a new farmer but we have 3 roaming dogs that bark all night long and don’t have too many problems. Currently have 1 acre of strawberries fruiting and have some small animal damage on there outskirts only.

I like a dog that chases everything

 

[DieselBound]

Our dog will chase off anything. But, she's a browser, so she needs to be kept out of the berry garden! (she's not deprived! when in season we will be out on the property and she'll get to browse on plums, cherries, blackberries and huckleberries)

TWO fences. A bit of a maintenance headache (having to trim/maintain between the fences). Maybe get by with a 4' outer and then a 6' inner. Deer wouldn't be able to launch over the inside taller fence. Depth perception thing: most probably wouldn't even attempt the jump. I'd read about this a long time ago when reading up on fencing strategies for various things: also read up on what various airports do to try and keep critters away (mainly birds*). This double-fencing strategy was mentioned as being effective. BEST was said to be humans walking around; then dogs.

* Our berry garden has a 6' high fence (local deer just haven't attempted to scale it). To discourage birds we run wires overhead with streamers hanging off them; this seems to work pretty good. Speaking of birds, interestingly enough we never had crows ravage anything of ours (neighbors have been hit); I am always friendly to crows (they follow when I mow); crows also chase off the big aerial threats (hawks and eagles), so they help protect our fowl.

 

[Raul-02]

A dog. Get a Shepard and put it on a run that lets it go around the garden. No need for a fence or electric or anything else.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

Deer, like horses, will not jump a fence unless there’s enough room on the other side, which is why you see double fences around horse farms.

I’ve had some luck making the garden plots 10 feet wide with t-posts and wire down both long sides. The deer won’t walk in to the ends. I guess it’s too confining.

I wish there were a lot fewer deer though. 60 years ago there were very few deer in Kentucky and people around here had big gardens. Now there is 1 deer for every 3 people living in the state and they are a nuisance. Dead deer litter the sides of the highways.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

Deer (unless desperate) usually won’t touch pumpkin, eggplant, summer squash, okra, onions, so I generally grow those wherever I want to without any fencing. They will eat sunflowers but I’ve been able to grow lots of those without too much getting eaten.

 

[PILOON]

Deer simply love hostas, like desert to them.
On a gardener's advice we made sachets of shaved irish spring soap chips.
Seems there is something about the aroma that deters deer.
We've used that successfully for 3-4 years now.

Another no-no is wind chimes as deer being curious chimes attract them.
In some areas hunting is forbidden wherever lumbering activity occurs due to their curiosity nature.
I got rid of my chimes but the neighbor kept all his and he had all the deer and none for us.

 

[kenmbz]

Deer will eat pumpkins if they are open or rotted.
I have one area where deer won't eat tulips, I guess it follows the rule of they can't figure out how to jump and distance like the dual fences.
Use Deer out and that has worked well, but need to reapply after rain.
I try to just buy stuff that deer won't eat.
They love Hosta and most flowers and small trees, I have to cage the new trees when planting them or they become topless...

My dog bothers them, but not enough for them to go too far.

 

[Hay Dude]

I tried almost everything. Nothing would keep those freakin miserable mangy deer from eating my landscaping. I finally put up electric fence with solar chargers.
We shall see if it works.