dang deer

[LA man]

got my garden last night, most of my pepper plants are not leafless and some of the sunflowers and most of my 12 inch tall green bean plants are gone. the night before a mole got some of our sugarsnap peas and 1 squash plant. something is gunna die soon in my yard.

 

[RUGER]

Sorry about that man.

 

[Nimrod777]

Grrrrrrrr !

 

[eightpointer]

Tough break Man. Plant again and put out some deer repellant an see what happens.

 

[FrickorFrack]

Try fencing with metal stakes (rebar works) at the corners & attaching a single strand of fish line or carpenter's string positioned 18" to 2' above ground to encircle the garden. Works good for deer & the only way we've found to keep them from eating ALL the green beans.

 

[bigtex]

I feel your pain. Checked the garden the other day and there were deer tracks everywhere and about a half a row of corn was eaten down to the ground.
My fault as I didn't get my electric fence up in time. I've found that the only sure fire way to keep the deer out is with two strands of electric fence around the entire garden. I put one strand about 2 1/2 feet high with the other strand about a foot lower.
As the summer progresses and the corn gets just about ready to pick the squirrells and coons start to raid it so I end up lowering both strands one just a few inches off the ground and the other about 1 1/2 feet high. Then to make sure that if they get through that I put a live trap between each row of corn. Coons know wnen the corn is just about ready and they can wipe out a corn crop in an evening or two.
I dont mind sharing but i'll be danged if i'll let them have the whole crop.

 

[catman529]

put up an electric fence and hook up the wires to a 110v outlet. Be sure to make it 20 or 30 feet high as deer can jump high.


Or if you won't be eating the greens or whatever, put ground cayenne on the leaves. Long as it won't get on the food you harvest it should work - they will learn quickly not to eat those plants.

 

[farmin68]

put up an electric fence and hook up the wires to a 110v outlet. Be sure to make it 20 or 30 feet high as deer can jump high.

You are kidding, right? There are several incidents of people, especially children, being killed by such homemade electric fences.

 

[bigtex]

You are kidding, right? There are several incidents of people, especially children, being killed by such homemade electric fences.

You are right!! A very, very dangerous thing to do. I couldn't imagine touching a 110v naked wire while standing on some wet grass.
A "good" electric fence charger will put out 10,000 volts, but as you and I both know it's not neccesarily the volts that will kill you it's the amps.

 

[catman529]

I was kidding about the 110 volts... thought mentioning 30 feet high would be a hint...

When I was turkey hunting a cattle farm last week I grabbed a fence and it shocked me through my glove - didn't stop to look and see it was an electric fence before grabbing it.

 

[farmin68]

I was kidding about the 110 volts... thought mentioning 30 feet high would be a hint...

Lol I knew the 30 ft part was a joke.

 

[FrickorFrack]

Coons hit last year just at harvest time, rigged a bright light to shine over the garden, didn't help, placed a radio turned up to full volume in the middle of the patch, still using the light. Coons had a party the first night! We provided light, music, & food -- what more could they possible need!!!!

 

[Mausermeister]

This year deer are damaging my garden, but not by eating it. Apparently a herd of 5 have decided to cross the road every evening right there and walk through the middle of my garden. They've stepped on several plants and even knocked over a couple of tomato stakes.