A deer problem

[Batfink]

Apple trees in the garden - nice and trailed so they will, eventually, offer some protection and act as a wind break, as well as producing some lovely tasty apples. What a lovely thought.

Now the problem. Last year some deer got into the garden and gave the poor apple trees a damn good munching. Result? Hardly any leaves, and 1 apple - which didn't do particularly well as the tree was putting all it's energy into getting some leaves back on it!

To stop this happening again I've attached some old, crappy, freebie CD's to bit of string and have them dangling from the area surrounding the tree. I've also put some solar powered garden lamps around the bottom to try and increase the chances of getting some reflection off the CD's on dark cloudy nights.

A friend said that tieing human hair (with or without the human attached) to the branches may also work - although last year this resulted in some well insultated birds nests and no deer scaring.

Does anybody else have any suggestion without resorting to firearms (given that the deer are now out of season!)?

 

[gregorach]

According to The Beechgrove Garden, the smell of turpentine really scares them off. They suggested hanging film cannisters with holes drilled in the top from your trees, with a little turps in the bottom.

Failing that, the only other option I can think of is better fencing.

 

[Batfink]

Failing that, the only other option I can think of is better fencing.

I was hoping to avoid that at the moment - I've got so many other things to do, fencing really is at the bottom of my list But, if that's what it takes, take it I shall!

 

[weekend_warrior]

Have aread of this....

Deer plants

and this:

Repellents

 

[Batfink]

Nice one. Cheers!

 

[outdoorgirl]

Deer are not now out of season. Red, Sika, and Fallow males are all in season til the end of April. The Roe buck season started April 1st (no really), and Muntjac and CWD have no close season. It depends what's marauding your turnips - er, apple trees (sorry, in-joke for anyone who's been on the DSC course)

You need a sturdy 1.2m fence to stop Roe, and up to 2m for fallow, sika and red, and even then there's no guarantee.

Scenting will probably help - the classic one is to pee around your borders yourself...

Failing that, if you're not up for the firearms solution, give up, set up a hide and try taking photos instead...

ODG

 

[Carcajou Garou]

Try using some of your own urine to mark your territory, delivery method up you, or try a motion detector activated water valve aimed at the travel path. You could pre load the water hose with amonia as a kicker to jump start the deer's exit. A motion detector activated recording of a dog barking, wolf howl, any thing predatory that would cause the deer to rethink it's survival prospects in entering your trees.

 

[Stew]

Try using some of your own urine to mark your territory, .

Exactly what I was going to suggest. It won't last forever though...

 

[beowolf762]

The U.S. Forest Service used/uses a cheap and easy deer repelent: raw eggs mixed with water. Mix 1 raw egg with 4 cups water, until you fill a 2 gallon plastic garden sprinkling can (metal cans are hard to clean). Sprinkle on you tree and the deer wont touch it. I dont know why deer are put off by eggs, but it works for the U.S.F.S. who plant millions of trees annually.
Hope this helps.

P.S. this mix will tolerate a light rain, but incase of a heavy rain reapply after the storm.

 

[bushwacker bob]

Wolf or Lion poo from the local zoo.

 

[pierre girard]

Apple trees in the garden - nice and trailed so they will, eventually, offer some protection and act as a wind break, as well as producing some lovely tasty apples. What a lovely thought.

Now the problem. Last year some deer got into the garden and gave the poor apple trees a damn good munching. Result? Hardly any leaves, and 1 apple - which didn't do particularly well as the tree was putting all it's energy into getting some leaves back on it!

To stop this happening again I've attached some old, crappy, freebie CD's to bit of string and have them dangling from the area surrounding the tree. I've also put some solar powered garden lamps around the bottom to try and increase the chances of getting some reflection off the CD's on dark cloudy nights.

A friend said that tieing human hair (with or without the human attached) to the branches may also work - although last year this resulted in some well insultated birds nests and no deer scaring.

Does anybody else have any suggestion without resorting to firearms (given that the deer are now out of season!)?

I have the same problem, that and voles eating the bark off at ground level. For the voles, I put slit plastic sewer pipe around the base. For the deer - which are only a problem in winter when there is little else to eat - I make a tripod over the young tree and drape canvas for a tent. I've tried most of the other things mentioned. Nothing else has worked for me.

PG

 

[Keith_Beef]

Down in the south-west of france, I saw little plastic bags hanging from the neighbour's newly planted apple trees.

I asked his wife about them.

She fills them with human hair scrounged from the local hairdresser. The smell of people keeps the deer away.


K.

 

[redcollective]

You can get pelletised lion manure marketed in garden centres as a cat deterrent - called something like "Silent Roar" - I reckon that'd keep em away

or a Lion - yeh - that'd be better.

 

[bushwacker bob]

You can get pelletised lion manure marketed in garden centres as a cat deterrent - called something like "Silent Roar" - I reckon that'd keep em away

I'd heard the pelleted stuff was CRAP. nutkick:OK mods I beat you to it)

 

[david1]

not much help but.... I love to watch deer in the garden yes they do munch on some of the plants but not all

they dont eat this

http://shildon.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=981&sid=ad67b3e654e49e896bc8b172e53ab97a


others they just munch down to a stump

David

 

[Marts]

they dont eat this

http://shildon.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=981&sid=ad67b3e654e49e896bc8b172e53ab97a



David

What is the Shildon net forum about exactly? I couldn't get it

 

[david1]

What is the Shildon net forum about exactly? I couldn't get it

havent got a clue
I was looking for a nice picture of a ceatothis they come in all shades of blue

David