Released: February 14, 2003

Teach Deer to Go Elsewhere

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas gardeners with deer nearby may need to follow the old-time advice for new teachers: "Scare ‘em early, and you’ll have less trouble the rest of the year."

Deer start scouting for their year’s grazing territory in early spring. If they find a site is scary, noxious or difficult to reach, they may check it several times. After that, however, they’ll tend to avoid it for the remainder of the growing season, said Charles Lee, wildlife damage control specialist for Kansas State University Research and Extension.

"Of course, some deer are more curious than others. Some may even be slow learners. Or, deer may come under unusual pressure to find food," he said. "So, once deer have moved into the neighborhood, you’d do well to remain vigilant beyond springtime, too. In most cases, they’ll never be too far away."

In urban and rural areas alike, the best deer controls may not be practical, Lee said.

High-quality woven-wire fences 8- to 10-feet high are the ultimate barrier (so long as deer can’t crawl under). But they’re too expensive for large acreages and against code in many populated areas.

Dogs tend to be natural deer adversaries. But they need special training or controls before they’ll guard a particular orchard or field. Local leash laws and noise ordinances limit their usefulness in town.

Propane cannons, whistle bombs, shellcrackers, sirens, fireworks and gunfire can be effective short-term "scare tactics," particularly in early spring. But they have much the same limits as fencing and dogs – plus two more:

* You have to create the noise when the deer are present, which can mean your losing some sleep as well as bothering the neighbors.

* Deer quickly become accustomed to regular patterns, including a firing sequence, noise level or particular site for an exploder. So, even if you change things around every few days, you can’t really rely on such tactics for an entire growing season.

Lee said that’s why most Kansans try a mix of tactics, making their selections on the basis of the value of their plantings, tactic cost and local restrictions.

For example, something fairly new that some Kansans have found effective is a movement-activated water "blaster," which homeowners can stake out and hook up in their garden. "Blasters" are not the cheapest alternative, Lee said, and they may be hard to adjust for a narrow or small yard. The devices still aren’t available in all areas, either. But some national garden catalogs are offering them for sale, and "blasters" actually water the garden as they repel deer.

Deer control repellents already are available in most nurseries and garden supply stores.

"I personally haven’t had consistent success with them. But people have told me about instances of repellents’ working very well, especially if started while plants are still dormant," he said. "As you might expect, though, some seem to be more effective than others."

Among the "smell" repellents, a rotten egg odor probably works best, Lee said. But fungicide- and hot pepper-based "taste" repellents can work fairly well, too.

"Smell" repellents are applied near plants that need protection or in a border around an entire area. "Taste" repellents are applied directly on individual plants up to about 6 feet from ground level – which is about as far as white-tailed deer can reach to eat.

"Read the product label before buying either one, though,"Lee advised. "Some repellents are safe to use on fruit and vegetable crops, and some aren’t. Some don’t weather well – even with no rainfall."

Research with fruit trees suggests soap bars are a homemade "smell" repellent that works for some people, he said Any cheap or smelly soap will do, if drilled in the center, strung with twine or rope, and hung every few feet on a valuable tree or entire fenceline.

For areas such as a vegetable garden, an even better repelling device is a peanut-butter "baited" electric fence.

"It isn’t a physical barrier for deer, because they’re so good at jumping. But it can be an effective psychological barrier if you make sure the fence is easy to see and smells good enough to sniff or lick. The charge won’t hurt a person or even a cat, but it can frighten most wildlife into looking elsewhere for food," Lee said.

For home use, the damage control specialist recommends stainless steel-reinforced polyethylene fence netting, mounted on fiberglass posts (and perhaps wood corner posts). The stainless steel strands carry the charge from the energizer.

He also recommends stainless steel-reinforced polyethylene tape, to make the fence more visible.

"The brand of peanut butter you put on the fence to attract the deer is your-choice. You can even try peanut oil or apple flavoring," he said. "You just need to put it at intervals around the whole thing."

Lee suggests: 1) a perimeter of at least 2-foot-wide netting that’s mounted on posts, starting at ground level; 2) a ribbon-like row of shiny polyethylene tape, 6 inches above the top of the netting; 3) another tape row, 12 inches above the first one; and 4) bait on tapes and netting.

"This should discourage rabbits and raccoons, as well as scare away deer," he said, "all with everyday items you can find at your farm supply and grocery store."

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Kathleen Ward, Communications Specialist
kward@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News