permaculture

["Mitch Triplett" <mtriplett@bctonline.com>]

Hi Neil.

Deer - Was going to try the blood-based repellent, but it was clotted right
out of the bottle.  Might've given it another try, but the sound & sight of
the clots bursting out of the bottle when squeezed hit a little too close to
home, so we gave up on it altogether.  6' fence has kept them out of our
annual garden and food forest to date, coming up on 3 years now.  I know
they can get over up to 8' if they really want to, but we've got enough
other veg around for them that so far they haven't needed to get over badly
enough.  If you've got a few+ visitors and enough other food for them in the
area, try the 6'.  If you've got a large deer population and no other food
for them to eat in the lean months (especially winter when a snow pack will
effectively lower the height of your fence), go with the widely recommended
8' .  We tried electric one year.  It became useless in late-August when the
ground was dry (little-to-no grounding) and the only green things at browse
level & lower were our once-beautiful annual veg.  Any other scent-based
deterrents (soap bars, hair, etc.) will work for a while until a) the scent
wears off and/or b) the deer get used to it.  They are creatures of habit
and our experience has confirmed that un-pleasant novelty will throw them
off only for a while until they get used to the presence of whatever you put
out for them.

Voles - About to adopt a couple feral cats.  I've tried everything else but
poison to no avail.

Good luck!

Mitch Triplett
Tri-Pearl Family Forest
Member - CCFFA/OSWA & OTFS
Associate Member - FSC


-----Original Message-----
From: permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Neil Bertrando
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2011 1:57 PM
To: permaculture
Subject: [permaculture] deer protection

Has anyone used bone and blood meal as deer repellent successfully? for
other herbivores?

One concern I have is attracting bears which might just tear up a deer
fence.  Any experience with this?

Other experiences with deer and deer fencing/protection?

voles?

thanks,
Neil
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