Deer Fence

[HeatherAtHome]

Any advice on height, type etc?

I'm getting ready to fence in a pretty large garden space... 50x100'? 40x80? I have no idea how big the space is and exactly where our fence will go. Of course we'll figure this out before shopping. Just wanted to say, it's a big space!

We NEED the fence. We get deer around here regularly. I've always known people who "know people" and make their fence out of rough cedar posts that they "got from a guy who has cedar trees" etc. I don't know people so I think we're going to have to buy everything. I'm scared of the cost.

What type of materials should we use for posts and fencing? What are some cheaper shortcuts we can take? Any advice that has anything to do with deer fencing would be awesome. Thanks!

[DirtRoadMama]

I've not tried to keep deer out, but I've talked to people around here that have. I'm not sure that we have the same type of deer here that you have there, but around here, it's known that if your fence is less than over 6 feet, the deer can still jump over it. At a dead stop, meaning, standing still, and then leap over the thing.

I've also heard that angling the top part of the fence away from the garden may help make it un-jump-able.

I think a cheaper remedy will be to use a deer-repellent, rather than try to fence them out. A fence will be more certain, but will also cost quite a bit.

[HeatherAtHome]

I don't dare to try only a deer repellent. I'm putting too much of my heart and soul into this project. I see it as an investment and I'm willing to put some money into it.

[DirtRoadMama]

In that case, I'd go with 10 foot metal t-posts, with 8ft woven wire. If you think you will ever build more fences, then I'd buy the stuff to do it yourself. You'll need a post driver, fencing stretcher, and all the stuff to make your corner braces. You'll also need your entry gate to be 8-ft tall. Your fence is only as tall as it's shortest spot.

[lunarlady]

Deer fences have to be tall, and it helps to have a slanted top too (think like a jail, only facing out of the garden!) I've heard it helps if the fence is fairly solid too, as deer are less likely to jump over something if they can't see the landing area. I would vote for 8 ft. of fence, and you will need an 8 ft gate too. If you build it fairly solid at the bottom, it might help with keeping other garden critters out (I'm thinking rabbits and racoons). I think it will be pretty pricy though. It might help if it could share one side with the house, or a storage shed, that way you would only need to build it in on three sides, rather than four.

[HeatherAtHome]

I think it IS going to be pricey. I've already found deer poo in the backyard and we're surrounded by fields and forest with a fairly large deer population. I came home one day to find one in our front yard.

And 8 foot? That's going to be so ugly. I'm a little bit sad. I was thinking of having the bottom 6 feet or so solid mesh with strings of wire for the top 2 feet and yes, I'll angle it out. Thanks.

Maybe DH has some connections at work for metal poles? (He works in metal). I'm going to have him start asking around. He might know of someone.

[palmgal]

Last year we put up a 7 foot deer fence, metal poles with polyethylene black mesh just around our garden (Deer netting from home depot DH says it was about 50 dollars for the roll) . One deer got in last year and got freaked out but eventually made it out on its own. This year we put up 10 foot of fencing just around the garden area. It is fairly non-obtrusive, you can't really see it unless you are up close. This year DH retrofitted it so the netting is on a pole, but there is another hollow pole in the ground that the pole with netting goes into so that he can easily pull up the fence with pole and swing it open the fence to let the lawnmower in. So far so good, I watched about 5 deer yesterday morning muching in my neighbor's yard so I know they are around.

[BAU3]

We have a huge deer problem here, as in they'll follow you around the yard looking for hand-outs.. I have a small garden and use just four posts and a roll of wire fencing. very cheap.. I actuallly only wrap the fence around the garden..its not really secured..and I haven't had any problems with them getting in..(unless the gate is left open..)

So I don't think this has to be an expensive project.

Oh.. I also hang small wind chimes on each corner of the fence cuz I think the sound may help deter.

Another thing people here do include hanging small bits of deoderant soap in small peices of nylon and hang that around thier garden.

[Teenytoona]

I just read somewhere that bee balm (aka bergamot or Monarda) is a flower that is a deer repellent. Not sure how well it works, but it is pretty and couldn't hurt.

[mattemma04]

I have read that double fencing and/or slanting helps. The spacing between the fences is by a few feet. I have a 6 foot chain link around almost an acre,and so far so good.I did come across some deer poop in the front yard,so I know they are still coming around. My dogs patrol the back yard during the day,and sometimes the night.

Some people have used double fencing,but instead of deer netting or wire they just used bailing(sp) wire strung post to post.Sometimes just string or rope.Attached to the wire at intervals they added that plastic stuff surveyors use on their stakes.That is so the deer see it and don't run into the wire.

I have read that irish spring soap deters.My mom makes some stinky spray with eggs to spray on her plants.

[earthlovinmama]

We have an ample deer population, too, and...we're the folks with the cedar trees! lol! We took the slash leftover from building our house and used it to make the fence poles and then just put up a mixture of the netting and the most inexpensive fencing we could find. It is about 7-8 feet tall.

We prettied it up by using some upside-down tree trunks at the gates, so the root balls are on top, which we then weaved branches throughout the root balls and we ended up with some really cool-looking trellis-type gate areas.

Our garden is quite large and incorporates our chicken coop and we built the whole thing for a hundred dollars or so, it seems to me (was about 3 years ago).

We have NO problem with deer now, and we literally have the deer highway (should I admit that we DESIGNED it that way, as DH is a hunter?) running through our property, right next to the garden. In fact, we collect their droppings for fertilizer.


Where we live, there is NOTHING other than a fence to keep the deer out. Between us and our neighbors, we've tried just about everything from deterrents to plants that are grown to be unattractive to the deer...and the fence is all that any of us have found to be reliable.

[HeatherAtHome]

Originally Posted by Teenytoona

I just read somewhere that bee balm (aka bergamot or Monarda) is a flower that is a deer repellent. Not sure how well it works, but it is pretty and couldn't hurt.

I have a huge amount of bee balm at the corner of our house I was thinking of transplanting, great idea! I think I'll also hang some wind chimes just because I love them.

I've run into a problem with DH. His parents always had an unfenced garden but in the centre of an 8 acre lawn, near their house with a dog outside=not many dear around. He thinks that a six foot tall fence is overdoing it. And wants to put in 5 foot tops. We were in the middle of Reno Depot as we were having this 'discussion'. I told him I was only writing down prices at this point and to please do some research or ask his farmer friends.

His argument is that seeing we're surrounded by corn and hay fields, why would they bother jumping into our garden. I ended up using the same explanation I gave my 4 year old niece: because to them it's like McDonald's.

[Erinz]

No, NOT McDonalds! UGH! wAYYYYYYY better~!

Anyway.... we have a huge deer population here and 5 foot would be a walk in the park to our deer (surrounded by native groves of oaks and wild lettuce). Trust me, BUILD A GREAT F-ING FENCE. I've lost too many gardens to deer. They will devastate in one night or early morning, it gets that crazy. We have a 6' fence welded fence and they get over it. I have everything covered, every night, and my trees are surrounded. This year we will be stringing wire to go up to AT LEAST 8' to keep those bastards out. Deer are cute and all until they come destroy your garden and break your heart. It's awful. Don't go there! Build a good tall indesctructible fence (because they will paw at stuff to crush it as well.. btdt)

[Hippie Mama in MI]

We have a 50 x 100 ft garden in Northern Michigan (deer central). We had problems with the deer getting in until we devised this system:

use TALL cedar poles (trees about 12' high are excellent if you did know somebody)
or other tall poles

run your regular heavy 4ft high wire fencing (not chickenwire, the good stuff with the rectangles) around these posts

THEN hang barbed wire between the tops of the poles, way up high and leaving it with lots of slack to droop down almost to the fencing wire below. Our posts are 8' apart and besides the fencing itself, our barbed wire is the only defense against deer. We live on a farm that actually grows deer feed veggies, and deer don't bother our garden.

Hope this helps!

Kate