Up till now, I've never had any deer trouble. However, I expect some in the future. Last night, I was sitting in the garden sipping a beer. I watch the does graze evry night in my horse pasture. They approached knowing I was there. I waved my hands and shouted. They stood 10 feet from my fence and 60 feet from me. They looked at my and laughed!
My wife has banned me from hunting our own property since we moved in. That is about to change!!! I told her last night, If they go in the garden, they are freezer meat!
We have been here for 6 years with no trouble. This is a very rural area and we have over 8 acres surrounded by woodland. I like watching the wildlife also, but, when it snacks on my work, I will harvest them as well!!! Besides, my youngest is itching to learn the bow!!!
Rockfish, deep in the Sand Hills of North Carolina "Fail Carpathia"
Posts: 299 | Location: Zone 7b South Central, NC | Registered: January 16, 2003
Go for that deer meat! My deer will let me get within 10-15 feet of them before they bolt. They are "City deer" after all. I have to fence in most everything but the potatoes, herbs and swiss chard!
Posts: 3553 | Location: Zone 6, North East KY, near Ohio River | Registered: July 27, 2005
Deer are beautiful creatures, but can be very destructive. With population shifts, deer have adjusted better than some people to the moves. They can be fearless.
I am not from a hunting family; I married into one. Pat's family (immediate and extended) own substantial acreage in NW PA so I am getting a fast track education on wildlife and natural resource management. Every state's property and hunting laws differ, but I'm sure you didn't plant a garden for baiting. If you can legally do it, consider "trimming" the herd and provide your family with both veggies and fresh meat.
No doubt this will raise alot of ire, but most other deer solutions don't work unless you're very proactive before planting (eg. protective plant barriers, high fences). Good luck.
Posts: 226 | Location: Western PA | Registered: June 25, 2008
To keep the deer, wild turkeys, rabbits, and most anything else from eating my plants the planting beds are all fenced in with 4 foot tall, 2 x 4 mesh vinyl covered welded wire fence. Some is strung along the planting bed perimeter and some is stapled to a frame that fits around the 4 x 4 planting beds. Now all I need to do is figure out how to keep the chipmonks out. Shooting deer close to the house is not an option since, in Michigan anyway, it is illegal to discharge a firearm that close to a residence.
The sign of a good gardener is not a green thumb, it is brown knees.
Posts: 2124 | Location: Central Michigan along the Lakeshore | Registered: August 28, 2004
Hey Rocco, how ya been buddy? We miss ya around here.
__________________________ You can call me Hairy, Moose, or Knuckle. Knucklehead is ok too, as well as Anthony, Tony or perhaps if you prefer, an old Fudknucker.
It don't matter what you call me; as long as you call me in time for supper!
Anthony~anthonydotchaneyathotmaildotcom~
Posts: 1043 | Location: Texas Zone 8 | Registered: March 06, 2007
I too have a 4 foot fence around mine with a hot wire. This keeps my horses and goats out.
I've never seen a 4 foot fence stop a deer. While hunting I have personnaly witnessed a deer clear a 10 foot wall of thicket. Where I work they jump our 8 foot fence with a yawn!
I shoot around my house all the time. We have red and grey fox, coyote, bobcat, black bear and rare but very present mountain lions. Folks around call them pumas or panthers. Oh yes and the highest whitetail deer population in the US.
Topofthehill is right, though, that's why there are bows!
Rockfish, deep in the Sand Hills of North Carolina "Fail Carpathia"
Posts: 299 | Location: Zone 7b South Central, NC | Registered: January 16, 2003
