On Sep 25, 12:27*pm, DaveS wrote:


On the Fencing thing. . . .

On my Western Wa apple trees I have to install a stout cage around
each tree, and prune off all lower branches until the trees are tall
enough so the deer have to rear up to reach the tender new growth on
the branches. When i don't do this, the deer manage the trees for
brouse. I use welded wire about 6', tied to a driven metal fence post.

Whether to cage individual trees or fence the whole orchard is a
numbers game. If you've got half a dozen trees, cage them. If you
you've got twenty acres of dense planting, fence the whole thing.

The bucks will also kill new trees by honing their horns on the stems
like an old fashioned razor stroup. *******s.

I've talked to someone recently who insists that for some reason the
bucks prefer butternut over all others. He theorizes that something
in the bark of these trees provides the deer with relief from
bleeding, itching, or who knows what. I remain skeptical. If they do
indeed prefer butternut to other trees, I'm inclined to think that
maybe they think it smells good or something. After all, what do the
deer do for styptics in areas where no butternut grows (which is
increasingly becoming just about everywhere)?

For gardens or diverting deer travel patterns, the most effective
fence Ive found is a 6' high, double fence line, about 5 to 8 foot
apart. The deer don't seem to want to jump into a confined space.

Make it couple of feet higher and they won't jump it.....even without
the inner layer. Cheaper, space saving, and just as effective.

This
also seems to apply to SOs rose garden, which is long and narrow with
welded stock panels used as fence. They brouse the fence line but
won't jump in.

The confined space is undoubtedly a factor, but so is food
preference. Give them something they like better than roses on the
outside and they've got no good reason to come inside.

Never had any luck with cayenne, coyote or cougar ****, etc.

I very much doubt that coyotes present enough of a threat to deer to
act as a deterent. They coexist in significant numbers around here
and pretty much everywhere else I've been. The cougar **** should be
very effective......if fresh. Which is to say that a resident cougar
would keep the deer away.....but they're going to catch on to stale,
bottled **** pretty quickly. I have no idea of what deer think of
cayenne, but I'm pretty sure there isn't enough of it in the world to
make it cheap enough to keep everything on a large plot of land
effectively dosed. Besides, fencing works.....and you don't have to
rebuild after every rainfall or breeze.

giles