Over 100,000 SOLD | Call Now > 866-GOT-DEER (866-468-3337)
Over 100,000 SOLD | Call Now > 866-GOT-DEER (866-468-3337)
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
Natural and chemical repellents
Natural and chemical deer repellents commercially available can be 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 feces, fermented blood, shredded deodorant soap, garlic, feather meal, cat feces, moth balls, creosote, and bags of human hair. Although they may work to varying degrees, these deer repellents require constant reapplication, smell bad, and some of them don't work at all. Deer quickly learn that these repellents are not very scary and they continue to happily graze and trample nearby on the rest of your garden.
Ultrasonic repellents
Ultrasonic deer repellents and other "scare" devices don't work because the deer quickly learn that these devices are no threat to them.
Water spraying devices
Water spraying devices activated by a motion sensor will work in many situations, but they cover only a limited area and they require a connection to 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.
Growing deer resistant plants
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 don't give much thought to what they are eating. Many gardeners have been surprised when the deer have gobbled up their "deer resistant plants."
Strobe lights and noise making devices
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 are very annoying to nearby humans, especially at night which is when the 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.
Stretching monofilament fishing line
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, stretching monofilament fishing line should never be used to control deer.
Dogs inside visible or invisible fences
Dogs can be quite effective against deer but keeping dogs is a problem because this solution requires an expensive fence and trained dogs. And who's going to protect the garden from the dogs? And, someone has to train them, and clean up after them, and feed them, etc, etc.
Perimeter fences and meshes 8-10 feet tall
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 covenants. Disastrous and inhumane results have been seen when deer became entrapped or entangled in fences and meshes.
Electrified Fences and Meshes
Electric fences are problematic because they are somewhat permanent, expensive, unsightly and very inconvenient. 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 fences and meshes
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 they are shocked. Deer have an excessive reaction when they have been shocked. They are very frightened by the shock, they 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.
Other Resources for Controlling Deer
Try the Wireless Deer Fence® for two years to see if it works for you.
