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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Deer Fencing

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  • From: Richard Stewart <rstewart AT zoomtown.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Deer Fencing
  • Date: Thu, 28 May 2009 08:01:14 -0400

I'd like to add...

Understanding how the deers move on your property is important as well.  Deers move in the path of least resistance many times and if you can avoid putting up fence directly in their path they are more likely to simply move around it.

Sent markers work as well and the best, though people might find it disgusting, is human and predatory urine.  Placed between the area that is fenced off and the path used for movement, scent, oftentimes will work better than fencing.  Keeping a dog around the garden area will work too.  The problem is that many times people fence of HUGE areas and expect the deer to avoid it completely.  The only time the deer will not violate this space is when an extensive fencing line is built (it may cost 1 dollar per linear foot to add a cheap secondary snow fence and t-posts, but that initial outer fence was expensive!  :)   ).

My vegetable garden is on a shelf at the base of a hill line.  I only fence off directly the produce and fruit area, the rest is open, including the 160 acres of corn and bean.  I also let 12 hunters do their thing in the fall and winter while I am worrying about other things which keep the doe population down to reasonable number...till those in the nearby park begin to over populated.  Then I start suggesting to the county park board that its culling time.

If done properly I'll argue that deer, especially, for smaller farmer/gardeners, should be a manageable problem that requires observation, numbers management (hunting), and simple deterrents with the understanding of deer needs during poor foraging periods.

Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm
North Bend, Ohio

An Ohio Century Farm Est. 1855

(513) 967-1106






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