Deer fencing

[Charger69]

I stopped putting a large garden in years ago because the deer would wipe it out. I saw a product which is a seven foot tall plastic mesh that is advertized to keep deer out. It runs about $90.00 for a 350 foot role.This is much cheaper than a welded wire enclosure. Has anybody else used this product? Thanks for your input.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Electric works great for me. It takes a couple nights to train them but they get the message.

 

[Don L C]

I use electric fence.....you only need to have it on about a week ,until they all get a touch......Don

 

[Mathias NY]

If the fence is installed before the food you will probably be fine. Once they learn that food is there, it will be difficult to retrain them.

We have never used the plastic mesh, but have had an 8' welded wire fence for about 10 years now to enclose 4 acres of apple and pear orchard. It works pretty good. Once every couple years a deer will get through, but its rare.

We tried electric fencing but the deer learned to push through it, even after running neutral wires between the hot wires.

 

[Madscotsman]

I Use a little trick i learned in the Army, take cheap shotgun shells like bird shot and empty the shot out,reseal the end with wax. Rig them up so a regular mouse trap can be set to a trip wire to pop off the shell when they bump the wire,the shell can be held in a small length of conduit or copper pipe pointed up for extra safety. scares hell out of them and lets you know when somethings going on. Keeps thieves wary also. Cost about $1.35 each.

 

[El Toro]

My former neighbor had that problem with his steers jumping the fence. He put elecrified barbed wire above the wood fence. Those steers never jumped out after that. Hal
PS: I think those deer will back off too.

 

[big hunter]

My neighbor has 20 acres of shrubs and small trees, bushes, whatever. year after year the deer were eating the tops off of everything. They put up a 8 foot high plastic net fence. The deer would crawl under it and jump over it. My son was taking a walk one day and saw some deer in there. He crawled under the fence to see how close he could get. The deer ran toward the fence, stopped just short, turned around got another run at it and jumped it and as they were flying over the top they had their legs out to the side, (kinda like they were laying down) if you know what I mean. They cleared it and kept on truckin.

 

[mo4xdadad]

I've been told to go to the local beauty shop and get all the hair you can and place it around the garden spot, they smell it and run.....Irish spring bar soap in some old socks works real well too. Thanks

 

[patiolant]

If you put up the fence, make sure you finish it all in one day. We put up an 8 foot wire fence around our large garden a few years ago and didn"t finish off one corner. By the morning, a herd of 8 deer had snuck into the enclosure through the opening, panicked when they saw me, and starting trying to crash through the fence. Snapped one post, tore apart about 20 feet of the fence by trying to force themselves through the openings that are smaller than they are, and one managed to jump, got caught on the top and tumbled over. Amazing how strong panicked deer can be. We now make sure all gates are closed every night on that enclosure. It does keep them out of the garden once it is up.

 

[MarkB_MI]

I have two strands of 50 lb test monofilament fishing line strung above the top of my 5 foot tall fence. One strand is about six feet high, the other is about seven feet up.

When I first built the fence, I made the corner posts extra high but left off the mono, just to see what would happen. The deer left the garden alone the first year, but the second year they were SLEEPING in the garden. I strung up the monofilament and have had no problem since then. I friend told me that this works because the deer can feel it but they can't see it. It spooks the deer and they leave the fence alone.

 

[John - OH]

I have used the plastic mesh in residential settings and have had really good luck. We have actually fenced entire customers yards to keep the deer from eating the landscaping. The price is right and the results are good.

 

[Larry59]

Mouth balls... spread around the outer area works well to keep mice away and other small animals. Might do the same on deer also.
Used this myself even around the chicken shed. Helps to keep not on small animals but snakes to. Something about the scent I have been told. Got this info long time ago from someone alot older then me. lol But it works. Any one else ever try it to??

 

[Wesley Stephens]

My neighbors and I have tried about everything to keep deer out. Hair, old shirts, ammonia, etc... works for a while but they will get used to it. A physical barrier like netting or an electric fence is the best, along with small pieces of lead at high velocities. Deer in our area (which is sparsely populated) will even nip the buds out of cotton and tobacco, and wild turkeys are just about as bad.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Using barbed wire is not the smart thing to do.

 

[jeff75781]

A good dog will take care of the problem.

 

[HeyPigFarmer]

I found that layout string, like what they use for putting up concrete forms and what not works pretty good. Stretch it real tight and set it a foot or a little more off the ground. They can't see it so when the step into it they feel like they are getting cut, and leave.