Deer

What they do:
The most common complaint voiced about deer is damage to trees and gardens.  The most deadly encounters with deer occur on roadways.  Each year in the US some 200 people are killed and more than 25,000 are injured in car deer collisions. The impact on nature is equally tragic, More than 500,000 deer die in these accidents.

What you can do:
To avoid hitting a deer:

• Always watch for wildlife especially at dawn, dusk and the first few hours of darkness.
• In the dark, watch for the reflection of your headlights in a deer’s eyes at the roadside
• Always glance to the side to check for movement.  If you see a deer at the roadside do not expect it to remain still—deer often jump out into oncoming traffic.
• If you see one deer there are likely more around, so reduce your speed.
• Be especially cautious during mid-to-late fall.
• If a deer freezes in your headlights try turning your lights off and then on again.

To Keep them off your property:
Fencing

• Perimeter boundary incorporating sturdy wooden, fiberglass, or metal posts
• Extend fencing 1ft below ground and 8-10 feet above ground
• Openings should be no more than 4 inches wide regardless of fencing material

Mesh Netting

• Rolls out over bushes , drapes over trees to protect individual plants
• Rolls back up when not needed
• Most effective when used for short periods during critical growth times (reduces browsing but might not eliminate it)

Landscape Options

• Line boundaries and borders with repellent or resistant plants
• Create a barrier of hedges to reduce the view of the garden
• Trim grass and underbrush and remove fallen fruit promptly
  • Deer Repellant plants:  Catnip, Chives, Garlic, Honeybush, Lavender, Onion, Sage,      Spearmint, thyme, and Yarrow.
  • Deer Resistant Flowers and Ground Cover: Black-eyed Susan, Chrysanthemum, Daffodil, Foxglove, Hyacinth, Iceland Poppy, Iris, Lavender, Lily of the Nile, Oriental Poppy, Snowflake and Zinnia.
  • Deer Resistant Trees and Shrubs:  Bottle Brush, Daphne, Douglas Fir, Euonymous, Hackberry, Holly, Jasmine, Juniper, Maple, Oleander, Limber Pine, Pinion Pine, Pomegranate, Rhododendron, Wild Lilac, Rockrose, Santolina, Scotch Broom and the Blue Spruce.

Scare Devices

• Put out strobe lights that rotate or flash
• Install motion lights or sensor lights that come on when deer approach
• String mylar tape that reflects and moves between trees
• Anchor helium balloons with monofilament line above ground
• Play a radio or recorded animal noises
• Hang aluminum pie pans that bang together
• Invest in an ultrasonic device that is intolerable to deer but inaudible to humans
• Set your sprinklers on motion detection, or rotate the timer so deer can’t learn the schedule

Chemical Repellents

• A variety of commercial repellents can make plants unpalatable or give off noxious odors.  They are available at hardware stores or nurseries.
• Make your own
  • 2 ounces of Red Pepper Sauce
  • 2 ounces of chopped garlic
  • Enough Water to make a quart
  • Strain
  • Apply with a garden sprayer
  • Makes enough to cover 16 bushes Blend 4 eggs

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