We are reforesting about 10 acres of land. In PA we have a problem with deer. Has anyone had any experience with using electric fencing to keep out deer?
We are reforesting about 10 acres of land. In PA we have a problem with deer. Has anyone had any experience with using electric fencing to keep out deer?
"There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking."
The resident deer population sort of learns about an electric fence by literally running into it in the dark. You should flag it heavily with small strips of white cloth. Just a couple strands will not do the job. Deer can ruin an electric fence and or hurt themselves if they run into it.
Deer can jump a wide obstacle or a high obstacle but not both at the same time, hence the success of "deer fence" which has a horizontal component at the top. It still requires heavy flagging so the deer see it otherwise the fence and some deer will be damaged. The deer fence to which I refer is not electric and doesn't need to be as it wouldn't help. Once you have constructed an electric fence tall enough and wide enough to prevent deer from routinely jumping over it, you have constructed a deer fence that doesn't need to be electrified to be effective. Deer typically do not knowingly "engage" a fence in a destructive way as some cattle will.
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
What's the big deal with the deer. What are they doing wrong? When you reforest, the deer are going to come back... [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]
"I hate lucky people, unless I happen to be the lucky person."- Cody Rehberg
<font color="blue"> ( What's the big deal with the deer. What are they doing wrong? ) </font color>
They are eating the seedlings. Kind of hard to make a forest when the trees are all eaten.
:: D A V E
:: g a t o r b o y
Thanks for elaborating. Sorry for the stupid question, I just didn't understand. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
"I hate lucky people, unless I happen to be the lucky person."- Cody Rehberg
The system that I will be using when I install a couple of wind-breaks is to install electric fence around the perimeter and on the top section of wire (4' high) I will affix a series of either duct tape or aluminum foil strips (folded over) with peanut butter periodically applied to each. The deer will receive a "zap" when checking out the peanut butter and learn to avoid the area. It may sound somewhat unpleasant but doesn't do harm to the deer. I've been zapped a few times myself - never on my nose though. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
You better run more than 2 lines of wire...we have only 2 around the horse pastures and the deer have learned to step between the upper and lower lines. Horses have learned enough from those 2 and we don't really care about the deer..actually interesting to watch them mingle with the horses. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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