Invest in a Fence
All of the sources we have consulted agree: A fence is the
only way to provide serious long-term protection from deer
damage to crops and orchards. An 8- to 10-foot tall vertical
woven wire fence likely provides the best protection, but if
that type of fence is out of your price range, you might want
to consider a less expensive—and some say equally
effective—fence: a 4–5 foot high, 7-strand, high-tensile,
electrically-charged, slanted deer fence. This fence, though
short in height, spreads to approximately 6 feet horizontally,
with individual wires spaced 12 inches apart. It slants up and
away from the crop or orchard, an orientation that appears to
provide a psychological, as well as physical, deterrent for
deer. This fence can also exclude small animals such as
woodchucks if the bottom wire is placed only a few inches off
of the ground.
One drawback of a slanted fence, as opposed to a vertical
fence of the same dimensions (which may also be sufficient for
low to moderate deer pressure), is the greater difficulty in
controlling vegetation under the bottom strand of the fence;
vegetation near the bottom of the fence must be managed to
avoid shorting out the fence.
A variety of other lower cost fence designs have been
suggested that may be effective for low to moderate deer
pressure. One option is a double row of fencing, sometimes
called the three-dimensional fence: a two-wire outer fence and
a single-wire inner fence, separated by about three feet. The
distance between the two fences is wide enough that deer cannot
easily jump over but narrow enough that they cannot jump
between the two fences. All wires are electrified. Several
different variations on this theme (e.g., with varying numbers
and configurations of wires on each fence, and varying
distances between the two fences) have been suggested.
Repellents and Scare Devices
If you are experiencing only low to moderate deer pressure
or are simply not ready to invest in a fence, various
repellents and scare devices may provide temporary relief. The
simplest repellents include bars of deodorant soap (with
wrappers intact, hung from a string or in a nylon stocking) or
excrement from domestic dogs or cats (hung in cloth bags).
These simple repellents are supposedly effective out to about a
3-foot diameter, so are not practical for large crops or
fields. Other repellents can be purchased from commercial
suppliers.
Scare devices, such as pyrotechnics or objects that move in
the wind, are most effective when they are moved frequently and
are used in combination with other methods. Some scare devices
are motion-activated and, when activated, will play a loud
noise, spray water, or turn on a bright light to scare away
deer and other animals. When the device is triggered by the
deer's own movement—rather than randomly or at regular
intervals—the deer are less likely to become accustomed to the
noises and lights.
For a small garden plot or in areas with low and occasional
deer pressure, repellents and scare devices may be sufficient.
But you could also install a single strand of electric wire
around the plot and occasionally hang aluminum foil strips
baited with peanut butter from the wire, approximately every
three feet. The peanut butter bait will allow deer to get a
shock that should teach them to avoid the garden, otherwise
they will simply push through, over, or under the wire. It is
not necessary to keep the fence baited at all times;
periodically reinforcing the lesson should be sufficient.
However, please note that, in contrast to the slanted deer
fence or other options described above, the peanut butter fence
is not so much an exclusion fence as it is a mild aversive
stimulus that may alter deer behavior and cause them to avoid
the fenced area. If deer are hungry enough and your garden
looks tasty enough, the aversive stimulus may not be sufficient
to deter them and the peanut butter fence can be easily
breached at that point.
Again, if you're experiencing moderate to severe deer damage
over a fairly large area, think about investing in a fence such
as the slanted high-tensile deer fence, the double fence, or a
taller woven wire fence. Just be sure to post a warning sign if
you decide to install a new electrified fence.
For a list of products useful in non-lethal harassment and
exclusion of deer and other wildlife, please see our list of vendors and
products.
For information on the slanted deer fence in particular,
several cooperative extension offices have recommended
Gallagher Power Fence, Inc. For more information, see the
company's web site,
e-mail the company at info@gallagherusa.com, or
call 877-560-6308, ext. 151. Ask for Michael Barnaby, the
expert on the slanted deer fence.
For a variety of products and practical advice on double
fence designs and other non-lethal control of damage from deer
and other wildlife, visit electric-deer-fence.com
If you have questions, comments, or would like to suggest
additional non-lethal wildlife damage control techniques,
please call the Wildlife Section of The HSUS at 202-452-1100,
or send an e-mail to wildlife@hsus.org.
The above suggestions do not
constitute endorsement of any products or methods by The HSUS.
Local, state, and federal laws—such as any laws regulating the
use of repellents, electric fencing, noise-making devices,
etc.; or laws protecting migratory birds, threatened and
endangered species, or other wildlife—may affect the non-lethal
wildlife damage control methods available to you. It is your
responsibility to use repellents, electric fencing, or other
methods in a safe manner that is in compliance with applicable
local, state, and federal laws.
