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DEER Good Points Bad Points |
Favorite Foods
Generally, everything in sight. If its green—deer will eat it, including
fruits, flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs and evergreens. They can digest over
600 different species of plants. Acorns and carrots are among their favorites.
Damage
Deer damage trees and crops by feeding on leaves, shoots, buds and bark. As
they feed, they pull or twist the vegetation, leaving ragged or twisted twigs,
stubs and patches of bark. Males also cause damage as they rub their antlers on
the trunk and branches during rutting season.
CONTROLS
Chemical
There are several commercial applications available on the market including
Liquid Fence®, or the Electronic Deer Repellent. These repellents work on the
deer's keen sense of taste or smell, so you have to check and/or renew the
applications after every rainfall.
Non-Chemical
Deer are nervous animals, so try any or all of the following:
Get a big dog and give him/her the run of the yard. (But remember, dogs can provide a whole new list of problems!)
Feed them something that is more attractive than your plants—like corn and/or carrots.
Fence in your garden area with easy-to-install 7 ft. high Deer Net
Deer don't go where they can't see, so plant a perimeter of fast growing, thorny bushes like holly or barberry around your garden.
Dust your tender young trees with blood meal.
Protect your trees with wire mesh fencing or tree guards.
Plant narcissus bulbs; deer just don't like them.