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Nov 3, 2015 7:41 AM CST
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Name: Treehugger
Hanover Twp, PA (Zone 6a)
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I noticed that some of you have a deer problem. I have solved mine. Some years ago I attended a wildlife conference. I have modified some of their info to solvemy visiting deer problem. There is a 4' fence around the wooded area next to county woodlands that border my property. I have placed broken branches, brush clippings and some leaves against the fence. The bear crawls over this with no problem. The turkeys fly over it, easy. The deer stand up against the fence and look in but never jump inside. They have poor eyesight and their only defense is to run. They are very careful to only jump when they know there is a good landing pad for them. (According to the wildlife expert) Anyway, instead of placing a row of shrubs 3' inside the fence (too expensive) I use the shrubs. Over time it has become invisible to my eye and it works. I still spray Liquid Fence once a month from October to April. This also discourages the new herds that form when the deer rut to stay away from my uninviting yard. Now I just need a good ground cover to hide the shrub from my visitors view.
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Nov 6, 2015 11:46 AM CST
Name: Ric Sanders
Dover, Pa. (Zone 6b)
And his children Are his flowers ..
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Glad you found a solution for your place. I've found a number of things can help. One of the easiest is using Milogranite fertilizer where I don't want the deer browsing our beds. They find the odor to their dislike. I also cage a few plants to be sure they don't get to them.
Ric of MAF @ DG
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Nov 6, 2015 2:33 PM CST
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Name: Catmint/Robin
PNW WA half hour south of Olym (Zone 8a)
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thanks for the tips, Treehugger and Ric! That's interesting that adding brush and branches around the fence work!
I know some people who don't like the milorganite smell, either! Big Grin
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Nov 29, 2015 5:00 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
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treehugger said: Anyway, instead of placing a row of shrubs 3' inside the fence (too expensive) I use the shrubs. Over time it has become invisible to my eye and it works. I still spray Liquid Fence once a month from October to April. This also discourages the new herds that form when the deer rut to stay away from my uninviting yard. Now I just need a good ground cover to hide the shrub from my visitors view.
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@treehugger

This is a fence that the county put up? Can you grow vines on it during the summer if you wanted? I think it is pretty neat that you live next to county woodlands that border your property. I can imagine the birds you see and get during the years. Do you feed the birds? On the other side of the fence, is that all county woodlands?

We feed the birds every day here, year 'round. Feeders and ground feeding.

What kind of shrubs are you referring to? I didn't notice them in your pics. How tall are they?

Nice photos.
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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Nov 29, 2015 5:20 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Catmint/Robin
PNW WA half hour south of Olym (Zone 8a)
Region: Pacific Northwest Region: Mid-Atlantic Region: Maryland Butterflies Bee Lover Native Plants and Wildflowers
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We're supposed to be living in a suburban area, but there is so much 'development' going on, I'm beginning to have a yearning to move further out, where I can see more trees and other green stuff... I love the convenience of being close to shopping areas, but I also perpetually long for more nature around me.
"One of the pleasures of being a gardener comes from the enjoyment you get looking at other people's yards”
― Thalassa Cruso
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Nov 29, 2015 5:44 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
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We live at the "edge" and towards the back of a subdivision on a stub street that is next to a 13 acre wooded lot (homeowner next to us has acreage with the home at the front). We hope he never sells the land behind his house that is next to us, as it was in the process of doing about a decade ago to build houses, but it fell through. We've been here since spring 1997 and when we built this house, we really liked wooded area next to us. There wasn't a lot of lots left to pick from, but we wanted this lot. We get a lot of leaves and tree seeds in the springs and falls in the gutters and downspouts, but we love not having homes on the other side of us.
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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Nov 29, 2015 5:49 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Catmint/Robin
PNW WA half hour south of Olym (Zone 8a)
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Sounds really nice--so glad that deal fell through!! Thumbs up
"One of the pleasures of being a gardener comes from the enjoyment you get looking at other people's yards”
― Thalassa Cruso
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Nov 29, 2015 6:12 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
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There are 3 wooded lots (3 different owners) next to us and our subdivision and on the other side is a very expensive (lots/homes) subdivision. The other subdivision was upset about new homes (inexpensive and smaller) being built next to them and they wanted the street out front to be widen to handle more traffic, etc....), anyway be the time the street was widen, new sidewalks along the street widen and two circles ("round-abouts) put in, the developer ran into money problems and nothing happened.

Originally, when and before we built here, the developer for our subdivision wanted to extend our subdivision, so that's why we live on a stub street and not a cul-de-sac. The connection would've been in front of our house and yard. Hope it never happens.
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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Nov 29, 2015 6:28 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Catmint/Robin
PNW WA half hour south of Olym (Zone 8a)
Region: Pacific Northwest Region: Mid-Atlantic Region: Maryland Butterflies Bee Lover Native Plants and Wildflowers
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It's amazing how much clout 'moneyed' neighborhoods can have. ;-)
They have been planning a development project that would have impacted a wealthy enclave where one of the County Council members lives. It's been ten years, and virtually nothing has happened. So, they decided a few months ago they would 'add on' to the development area ;-) and extend it into a working class neighborhood. We stopped at the Safeway there yesterday and were shocked to see 'store closing' signs everywhere! We asked around a bit, and were told it was being sold to 'build high rise condos' Glare --the guy put it perfectly, 'so they're going to move all these people in, but where are they going to go to buy groceries?' Apparently moderate income apartments across the street will also be torn down for the high-rise condos. Glare Makes me mad. There are fewer and fewer affordable places to live with conveniences nearby.
"One of the pleasures of being a gardener comes from the enjoyment you get looking at other people's yards”
― Thalassa Cruso
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Nov 30, 2015 8:59 AM CST
Name: Ric Sanders
Dover, Pa. (Zone 6b)
And his children Are his flowers ..
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Our official day for gardeners has begun in PA. It's practically a state holiday here, closing schools, and emptying businesses. Has anyone guessed yet? It's the first day of deer season. The cull last about 2 weeks, but today is the official day that thousands of modern hunter/gatherers take to the woods, hopeful to find targets not wearing blaze orange. I used to take part, but it got too crazy.
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Jan 4, 2016 9:04 AM CST
Name: Holly
South Central Pa
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We set up our Deer feeder a few weeks ago. I know, I know I shouldn't feed them but when they are coming into the yard to eat what they can from the bird feeders I figure the best thing to do is provide them with corn in a feeder slightly away from the yard, but not too far for me to get out there when there is snow on the ground.
Life is Great! Holly
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Jan 4, 2016 2:32 PM CST
Name: Ric Sanders
Dover, Pa. (Zone 6b)
And his children Are his flowers ..
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Lovey dubby Holly forgot to mention they browse on what's close by going in and out. Rolling on the floor laughing But by caging some plants in the winter and spreading milogranite once in a while helps.
Ric of MAF @ DG
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Jan 7, 2016 11:24 PM CST
Name: Lyn
Weaverville, California (Zone 8a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Level 1
HollyAnnS said:We set up our Deer feeder a few weeks ago. I know, I know I shouldn't feed them but when they are coming into the yard to eat what they can from the bird feeders I figure the best thing to do is provide them with corn in a feeder slightly away from the yard, but not too far for me to get out there when there is snow on the ground.


Holly ...

There is a deer trail at the top of my slope ... I am certain that's where the doe discovered my garden .... and while I was out getting wood, today, I saw a small herd of about 15 or 16 deer travel through. There is no way I would be able to afford to feed that many deer. I'll check my deer fencing up there more often after this year's experience.
I'd rather weed than dust ... the weeds stay gone longer.
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Jan 25, 2016 8:00 AM CST
Name: Yehudith
Silver Spring, MD (Zone 7a)
I hate those 4 legged secatures. Milorganite really works well from early spring til about Aug or Sept here. I was reading that it stops being affective in the fall because the smell decreases. I think its because its rutting season and they're trying to bulk up and will eat anything. I've just given up and wrap everything I want to save with deer/bird wrap. Looking in the backyard I feel really sorry for them. They're going to have a hard time with all this snow.
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Jan 25, 2016 8:34 AM CST
Name: Susan
Vienna, VA (Zone 7a)
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It's kind of you to feed the deer, Holly. As much as I don't like them nibbling on flower buds and some plants, I wouldn't want them to starve. I suppose there are a few twigs sticking above the snow in the woods, but like meiramalka said the snow makes it a lot harder for them. It's good to hear they can at least navigate through it.

meiramalka (Yehudith?) - welcome!!
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Jan 25, 2016 12:17 PM CST
Name: Lyn
Weaverville, California (Zone 8a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Level 1
Mudyy ...

I have come to think that feeding deer is not always kindness. In spite of having my garden close to being destroyed by one doe because of a break in my deer fence, I recognize she was doing just what deer do ... eat.

Up here, the town deer herd is just too large and will never be culled by hunting. Many of them have been born and raised in town and don't have the common deer sense of how to forage naturally. Nor do they really understand that there really are predators that think of them as FOOD.

Because they are easy prey, the big cats, cougars, do come to town.

I have seen starving deer, injured deer and even stopped to pull a dead deer off of the road where someone had hit it with their vehicle. During the worse years of the drought, there were reports of a lot of dead deer by those who live just out of town due to disease and lack of forage.

It's not like civilization is taking away their habitat. 75% of this county is owned by the Federal government and is totally undeveloped. In fact, there is very little development up here. It's just that the town deer don't have the deer skills to live in the back country. There are plenty of deer out there and that is where hunting is allowed.

There are no monetary resources to cull the town deer herd, so they are more of a problem than I would have never imagined would be possible.

Feeding the deer in town would just make the problem worse.

Yes, I do think they are beautiful animals, but I don't think it is always a kindness to feed the deer.
I'd rather weed than dust ... the weeds stay gone longer.
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Jan 25, 2016 12:52 PM CST
Name: Sally
central Maryland (Zone 7b)
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As you describe it, it sounds like our 'residential' Canada geese, that stay in lakes all year here and can make a mess. I hadn't thought of deer like that.
Plant it and they will come.
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Jan 25, 2016 1:49 PM CST
Name: Ric Sanders
Dover, Pa. (Zone 6b)
And his children Are his flowers ..
Birds Seed Starter Keeper of Poultry Ponds Region: Pennsylvania Greenhouse
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Lyn, I don't know the entire situation there, but when we have a localized problem the game comm. can authorize special hunt zones and even specify the weapons to be used to increase safety. This can effectively cull local populations without cutting into local budgets.
If the pop. is the right size there should be enough browse for deer, even if it snows. We have a small herd of 5-6 in the local woods, there should be adequate food there but they are opportunist and will raid feeders if not encouraged not to. While cleaning out a feeder they do what they do, they browse our plants. So to discourage their being in the yard we put a deer feeder near the woods, use the milogranite, and I've also been adding hot sauce to the bird feeders.
Ric of MAF @ DG
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Jan 25, 2016 2:15 PM CST
Name: Yehudith
Silver Spring, MD (Zone 7a)
RoseBlush1 said:Mudyy ...


It's not like civilization is taking away their habitat. 75% of this county is owned by the Federal government and is totally undeveloped. In fact, there is very little development up here. It's just that the town deer don't have the deer skills to live in the back country. There are plenty of deer out there and that is where hunting is allowed.

There are no monetary resources to cull the town deer herd, so they are more of a problem than I would have never imagined would be possible.

Feeding the deer in town would just make the problem worse.

Yes, I do think they are beautiful animals, but I don't think it is always a kindness to feed the deer.



I agree with you. Montgomery County is very wooded and the county actually gives rebates to people who plant 3 or more trees on their property. The deer are in the parks and all of the wooded common areas as well as our yards. Several years ago the county sponsored a deer culling. They were using police and national guard sharpshooters and were going to donate the meat to the food pantries etc. Can you believe the day of the hunt there were allsorts of people out protesting the hunt with signs and the whole works. From what I understand it wasn't the Montgomery County PETA people it was people from California. I couldn't believe it when I heard this. It was cruel to humanely kill them with a quick bullet through the heart but its alright to leave them scattered like leaves in the fall on the highway.
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Jan 25, 2016 2:41 PM CST
Name: Lyn
Weaverville, California (Zone 8a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Level 1
Ric ....

I really do wish that were possible up here. I remember your writing about that in another post.

There are no incorporated towns in the county, so the whole county is governed by the County Board of Supervisors and the have bigger issues to deal with than the town deer.

The gun club actually proposed an annual cull and offered to have the meat butchered for the local soup kitchens, but there was no facility large enough in town for the freezers that would be required.

Personally, I never really had a deer problem until the drought and my neighbor above me stopped watering his large lawn. The herd that lived up there tried to move down to my tiny lawn .... less than 400 sq ft. It was the only green spot on our slope because I was watering my maple tree ... Smiling I think of that tiny lawn as a cover crop for the roots of the maple tree.

I often found 8 or 10 deer out in front until I started scaring them off making my tiny front lawn hostile territory.

One would think they would prefer the large meadow across the road, but they were trained by their mamas to eat in gardens first. There are plenty of trees and lots of grass for them just across the road ... Smiling

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The only reason the doe got into my garden is that I had not checked my deer fence. The herd that lived on my neighbor's property passed along the deer fence up there regularly for years and never tried to jump the fence. To get to my front lawn, they had to go down through another neighbors property. It was green, so they came.

Then there are those in town fighting the fuel reduction efforts done to protect the town from wild fire which does take away a lot of the habitat for the town deer.

I don't see an easy solution.
I'd rather weed than dust ... the weeds stay gone longer.

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