Keeping deer from eating our plants

Deer often come into our yard and munch on some of the garden plants. What can we do to prevent this? A neighbor said that human urine diluted and sprinkled near the plants the deer like to eat would work. Is it true? Are there any alternative repellants? Thanks for any advice/suggestions.

Reply to
tenplay
Loading thread data ...

Combination taste/odor repellants that you spray on work reasonably well, but have to be reapplied periodically. If the deer are really hungry, not much will keep them away for long, but the repellants will often make them move to your neighbors.

Any decent garden center will have them, or you can order from:

formatting link

Search for "deer off".

HTH,

Paul

Reply to
Paul Franklin

Sure, there must be thousands. Some work, some don't. I've HEARD that little mesh bags of freshly-cut human hair, when hung around the garden, work well. Ask your barber for some extras. One thing I've actually SEEN work well is bar soap - Dial, Irish Spring, whatever, more artificial scent is better. Some people drill a hole through the bar and hang it on a rope; I've also seen it put in a cheese grater and sprinkled around that way (should probably be re-applied more often). In my experience, it seems to be a trial&error thing with the deer in your particular area. Good luck, Andy

Reply to
aenewhouse

My neighbor has a large garden and I planted habeneros around the edge of it one year. No rabbits and no deer came into his garden. At the end of the second year, I had a 10 year supply of ground habenero. The rabbits and deer returned the third year. Now he plants Cayene, jalapenos, etc.

Dick

Reply to
Dick Adams

There are a lot of things you can try but deer are very persistant and will become accustomed to the repellent after a few weeks.

Some plants are deer "salad bars" others are "deer resistant" however a hungry deer will gladly eat stuff like holly and rose plants during a severe winter.

Did you want to own a dog.... dogs often keep deer away especially when housed outdoors.

Someone suggested human hair...and bar soap, this works for a while, but has to be replenished. You can place the hair or bar soap in nylon stockings (used) for ease of use.

Dried blood mixed with water and sprayed onto the plants works, but the smell is nauseating.

Coyote urine, but this needs to be re applied after every rain unless you use wicks and cover them under foam coffee cups.

You might wish to sprinkle "milorganite" which is an artificial low power fertilizer around the plants. The odor is repugnant to deer and it can be applied frequently. I've tried it, it seems to work.

For prized bushes, some big box hardware stores sell deer netting in 10' x 100' rolls. This is a pain to apply but it works. For several years, deer were completely devestating areas of my yard. I used the netting and shrubs actually had a chance to grow. The deer still eat them, but now the shrubs are large enough to survive.

The area where I live is suburban, and the local wildlife officials have "managed hunting". Much as I hate to see any critter killed needlessly, the damage and destruction done by ever increasing deer populations justifies these hunts as I've seen the deer literally destroy all vegetation in an area, then starve during the winter. The managed hunts have made it a little more bearable (no pun intended) this year.

hth

Reply to
Peter

I use a Ruger M77II in 30-06 with a hot hand load using a Nosler Balistic Tip bullet in 150grain. Glass on top is Nikon. Its very effective on Whitetail up to 300 yards. Shot placement is always key regardless of bullet and velocity.

See

formatting link
?p=3&bullet=1
formatting link
Be safe and legal.

Reply to
No

tenplay wrote in news:ytidnWmGF4QvkGDZnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

So buy a 12-pack and get to work!

Reply to
Al Bundy

subsonic .22lr, and let em die some where else? Why drop em in your own garden?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Because it saves on fertilizer, gives you something to put in the freezer, and serves as a warning to others. Not to mention that deer are big enough that a wounded one is dangerous.

Reply to
Goedjn

My sister has this problem. Solved it by hanging Irish Spring soap bars on strings attached to the plants. I suppose they don't like the smell! Don

Reply to
Donald Bauer bellsouth

Something like this

formatting link
on a smaller game unless you can get a good head shot from under

10 yards. Even then the bullet may not penetrate the skull. A heart shot may also be unlikely to kill as I would suspect penetration would be limited. I do not know for sure. I DO know these will tear up small game and are quiet as well.
Reply to
No

On Mon, 11 Sep 2006 11:34:05 -0400, with neither quill nor qualm, "Donald Bauer bellsouth" quickly quoth:

No, that's not it, Don.

It seems that the deer are simply TERRIFIED of Leprechauns.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.