Deer Fence

[jordanh]

Has anyone had success keeping deer out?

There is a plastic mesh fencing marketed for deer fencing but it seems spendy.

I need to fence in an acre that I plan to start an orchard upon.

 

[randy41]

i have been using the 3D fence as described on the Premier Fence website. i bought all the parts from them but I already had a fence charger. it has worked for 3 years now very well. i use it around my 2 acre vegetable market garden.
it dont keep groundhogs and rabbits and birds out though.
Premier1Supplies - Electric Fencing

 

[Robert_in_NY]

We use an 8' woven field fence to keep our deer in. It keeps ours in fine and we have never had a deer get thru it in either direction. The cost was around $400/330' for just the wire but we have not bought any recently and have plenty or rolls left in storage. You set the poles every 15' and brace the corners but for the most part the wire is self supporting with just a few staples as it has solid verticle stays. The hinge stayed wire folds up too easily and is a pain to work with so if you go this route look for solid verticle stays. Also, 6" stays are better then the 12" stays as it keeps a lot of the smaller critters out like fawns and dogs.

 

[PaulieD]

The local deer herd clobbered our garden for the first time two years ago. Last year we tried human hair, dog urine, Irish Spring soap, all to no avail (although the soap was effective for a week or two). This year my bride insisted I put up a fence of some kind, and I opted to go cheap. I bought plastic fencing a Tractor Supply. I think a 110' X 7' roll was approximately $20.00. I only fenced our 40' X 90' primary vegetable garden, protecting the tomatoes, lettuce, swiss chard, beans cukes and zukes. It worked well and was very inexpensive solution.

This winter will test the fencing material's durability. It may very well prove to be unable to endure the winter, but I'll find out next April. The larger corn and pumpkin garden went unprotected and the deer didn't seem too interested in the corn and pumpkins.

 

[Chuck52]

Jordanh,

I'm just north, outside Columbia, so I know how bad the deer can be in this area. The tall rats even ate walnut seedlings I put out my first year here. Are you starting a commercial sized orchard, or are we talking a personal orchard? I've been planting fruit and nut trees for a few years, and I've fenced each tree with a five foot circle of welded wire fencing. When the trees get tall enough so that the deer can't turn them into shrubs by nipping the terminal buds, I move the fence to a new tree. I only have twenty or so trees fenced right now, and it's doable at that scale, but for a commercial orchard it obviously wouldn't make sense. The only commercial orchard I'm familiar with around here is in Franklin, and it isn't fenced. I don't know if they protect the young trees somehow, but the mature trees can stand some browsing. On the other hand, it would be nice to be able to keep the deer completely out so you could use fallen fruit, at least for your own uses. The commercial orchards can't sell fallen fruit at any discount because of health regulations. In fact, they tell you not to pick it up even if it is as good or better than what's still on the trees. Last time we picked there the ground was covered with fine looking fruit, and since I'm into cider making it really hurt to see it going to waste.

Chuck

 

[jordanh]

chuck....I'm south of Columbia outside of Ashland. HOWDY!

Its commercial but very small scale. I only have an acre and will probably start with less than 50 trees and not exceed 150 trees eventually.

I've planted some walnuts but I'm bad about mowing them down....oops. I may utilize your idea and individually fence them. I've got some labs that seem to keep critters at bay....but then they are about as bad at tearing up and digging up stuff for me.