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Whitetail deer, mule deer, and black tail deer are smart, adaptable, have an excellent sense of smell, are curious, and they quickly figure out what will and will not harm them. Although deer are startled by some types of deterrent devices, they also may be momentarily startled by many things, such as a branch falling in the woods or a truck backfiring, and these events become everyday happenings to a deer.
In the United States alone, the cost of wildlife damage to human health and property is over $2 billion annually. Successful deer deterrence relies on understanding deer behavior and the effect of various deer control products and repellents.
Deer Control Options
Commercially available deer repellents include odor repellents to treat the area or contact repellents to make the plants taste bad. Many chemicals have been tried, such as thiram, as well as mixtures of chemicals with hot sauce, eggs, and glue. Also touted as deer repellents are:
Coyote urine
Lion and cat feces
Fermented blood
Shredded deodorant soap
Garlic
Feather meal
Moth balls
Bags of human hair
Although they may work to varying degrees, these deer repellents require constant reapplication, smell bad, and sometimes don't work at all. Deer quickly learn that these repellents are not dangerous and continue to graze and trample in other parts of a garden.
Ultrasonic deer repellents and other "scare" devices don't work because deer quickly learn that these devices are no threat to them.
Water-spraying devices activated by a motion sensor work in many situations, but they cover only a limited area and require a high-pressure water supply to operate. This type of device is not useful in sub-freezing temperatures, and it might result in an unplanned shower for the forgetful gardener. While this type of device startles the deer and they may retreat a short distance, it is not a sufficiently negative stimulus to drive the deer from the area and to teach them not to return.
Extension agencies rate landscape plants by deer resistance on a scale ranging from "rarely damaged" to "frequently severly damaged." No plant is deer proof: deer will try new things, their tastes change, and very hungry deer are not choosy. Many gardeners have been surprised when the deer have gobbled up their "deer resistant plants."
Deer repellent devices such as propane exploders, fireworks, and sirens have been tried to deter deer. These devices are not practical because flashing lights and noise making devices annoy nearby humans, especially at night when deer are most likely to be active. Deer will approach this type of device slowly, but they soon figure out that there is no danger, and eventually they learn to ignore these devices.
While visually unobtrusive, monofilament line is inconvenient and dangerous. Because it is difficult to see the line, it could cause injury or death to deer and other accidental victims when they become entangled in the line. Because of these dangers, monofilament fishing line should never be used to control deer.
Dogs can be quite effective against deer, but it requires an expensive fence and trained dogs. Who's going to protect the garden from the dogs? Someone has to train them, and clean up after them, and feed them, etc.
Tall fences are perhaps the ultimate barrier against deer, but tall fences can't be used in many applications because they are permanent, very expensive, unsightly, inconvenient, and violate some zoning ordinances and restrictive rules. Disastrous and inhumane results have been seen when deer became entrapped or entangled in fences and meshes.
Electric fences are problematic because they are expensive, unsightly, inconvenient, and somewhat permanent. Also, because they produce repeated, whole-body shocks with very high voltage and amperage, they are dangerous for an accidental victim. Even with recent safety requirements, as late as 2009 a human fatality has been caused by an electric fence. Very powerful electric fences can deliver 25 joules of energy every second.
Electric fences work well for cows and horses, but deer will usually jump an electric fence without ever coming into contact with it, so unless it is very tall, it is hardly more effective against deer than a regular fence. Some electric fences are powerful enough to burn off weeds that come into contact with the wire. As a result, these fences can be fire hazards.
Baited electric deer fencing and meshes, like the Wireless Deer Fence®, are much more effective against a deer problem than ordinary electric fences. Deer are curious animals with an excellent sense of smell. They use their noses to investigate, and when they encounter a baited electric fence, they touch it and are shocked. Deer have an excessive reaction when they have been shocked. They are very frightened by the shock, leave the entire area, and are reluctant to return. Fear is a more powerful motivator than hunger or curiosity, and deer immediately learn to avoid an area where they have been harmed. So, just by adding bait to an electric fence, it is transformed from a barrier that could be easily jumped and ignored into a highly effective deer repellent device that keeps deer away from the entire area. However, baited electric fences have the same problems as un-baited electric fences.
EasyThings.org - Methods of Deer Repelling
An overview of the problem with deer
Different deer fencing solutions
Information about deer resistant plants
Electric fencing as a deterrent
The Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
Deer Control options from Appropriate Technology
Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA.org)
Deer Population |
Deer Population Control
| Deer Problem
Electric Fence |
Garden Control |
Deer Pest |
Deer Repellent
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