Keeping deer out of an area can be more difficult than you think. Most people would assume that a standard residential fence would be enough of a deterrent. It works for dogs, right? Deer and homeowners often have to live in the same overlapping communities, but many homeowners would rather not find that the landscaping they paid hundreds of dollars for has been nibbled down to nubs overnight. When food is scarce, though, deer will attempt to eat almost anything in order to survive.
If you?re looking for fences that will keep deer out — and protect your property and landscaping within — here are a few things you should keep in mind.
1. Make Sure it is High Enough
Although it might seem hard to believe, a white tailed deer is capable of jumping nearly eight feet. While you may not need the fence to be that high in order to serve as a deterrent, it?s very possible that a standard four foot fence isn?t really going to the trick. A six foot fence, slanted outward, is a good idea — when fences are slanted outward the deer will meet resistance when it tries to walk under (its first instinct).
2. Fence Styles: The Less Visual, the Better
Deers aren?t dogs — their sense of smell might be better than ours, but it?s not very refined, and keeping bushes and other yummies visually out of sight can help to deter hungry deer. When food is out of sight, deer are also more wary because it means predators could be lurking out of sight as well. Wood fence designs often have no space in between their slats. Your other option is to have overlapping slats. Wrought iron fences, though pretty, are not ideal for deterring deer foraging for this reason.
3. Instead of Residential Fences, A Cheap Solution
If there aren?t many deer in your area, sometimes you can get away with using heavy-weight deer netting, or even monofilament line. You will still need posts throughout the yard to support this, but it can blend into the landscape a lot better than wood. In this case, the deer will bump into the wires and, startled by something they can?t actually see, will flee away from your yard. Keep in mind though: deer can?t see very well, period, and it could be a good idea to hang something like white streamers so that deer know not to run right through your wires — at full speed the deer will probably take them down.
What type of residential fences would you use to keep deer out? Let us know.
