Subject: Re: Keeping deer out of the garden

From: michael@helium (Michael Courtney)
Date: 4 Mar 1996 12:37:00 GMT

SKID Photography ([email-masked]) wrote:
: In article <[email-masked]>, David Penksa writes: 
:  
: >After two successful years of city gardening, I moved into an area that is
:  
: >frequented by deer quite regularly.  Would appreciate any info as far as  
: >keeping them out of the garden and vegetables they will not eat. Thanks 
: > 
: > 
: > 
: Dear David, 
:  
: Deer EAT EVERYTHING!!!!!  This subject has been discussed (and no doubt
: will continue to be discussed) at great length.  The concensus seems to be
: that the ONLY thing that really works reliably is a 10 foot tall fence,
: surrounding the entire property.......really. 
:  
:  
: zuffalig/SKID  zone 6  CT 

I just got a three year old doberman pinscer who I hope to station by the
garden.  He seems to have a taste for venison as evidenced by his turning
a 1.5" diameter deer bone into small bone fragments in a manner of minutes.
Serious power.  I don't think he will be able to catch an adult deer, but
do you think deer will approach a garden guarded by a doberman?

Has anyone tried this approach?

--
Michael Courtney     
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (John Woodworth)
Date: Tue, 05 Mar 1996 07:27:53 -0600

> Has anyone tried this approach?

It will work fine only if your dog is always there and is untethered. Otherwise 
the deer learn your dog is not really a danger to them.

I suggest encouraging wolves.

-- 

John

"Pro meo lingua graeca est!"

Opinions expressed herein are my own and may not represent those of 3M.

---

From: [email-masked] (Dennis Mathiasen)
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 01:20:02 GMT

For over 10 years I had two dogs running mostly unsupervised around my
property, and never ever saw a deer.  My neighbors about 2,000 feet
away across a deep ravine complained bitterly about the boldness and
damage the deer did, and finally put up an electrified fence.

Now the dogs have been gone for two years and the deer come up to the
front door.  They even strip yucca plants which are supposed to be
very deer resistant.

I suspect that they might figure out that a tethered dog is no threat
however.

DM
michael@helium (Michael Courtney) wrote:

>PATTIBELLE ([email-masked]) wrote:
>: PA> do you think deer will approach a garden guarded by a doberman?
>:  
>: Yes, at night when you keep the Doberman inside so its barking doesn't drive
>: your neighbors up the wall!
>:  
>: Pat

>Neighbors are far enough away not to hear.

---

From: martin kosiak <[email-masked]>
Date: 4 Mar 1996 16:30:54 GMT

Latest issue of field & stream says to put fishing line at the 4ft 5ft 
6ft level.

The deer will walk into the fishing line, but they WILL not jump over 
something they cannot see!!!

Which is why fencing is not really a solution because deer can see the 
fence.

Martin Kosiak

---

From: [email-masked] (Greg Schaem)
Date: 4 Mar 1996 18:42:04 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, martin kosiak
<[email-masked]> writes:
|> Latest issue of field & stream says to put fishing line at the 4ft 5ft 
|> 6ft level.
|> 
|> The deer will walk into the fishing line, but they WILL not jump over 
|> something they cannot see!!!
|> 
|> Which is why fencing is not really a solution because deer can see the 
|> fence.
|> 
|> Martin Kosiak
|> 
|> 

Last year I put up a fishing wire fence around my garden.  It kept the deer out
for almost a month.  It was only 5 1/2 feet high.  It always seems to come down
to an 8 ft. or taller fence, or maybe a slanted inward fence - everything else 
only works temporarily.

Greg