Re: Horizontal Deer Fencing

**"Marge Talt" m*@hort.net**

Well, in my experience of trying a section of hog wire 5' wide lifted
off the ground about a foot on logs, it's not going to work well for
several reasons:

1)  You'd have to use a width of more than 5' - deer can jump 5' with
no problem.  At a full run, they can clear 6 or 8' on the horizontal
if they put their minds to it.  Widths of wire over 5' get pretty
unwieldy to handle; not a job for one person, believe me.
2)  You would have to lift it off the ground on *very* sturdy frame
so it did not sag in spots and at least 18", otherwise they just step
on, through and over it.  
3)  Maintenance of such a fence is impossible.  You can't mow, trim
or weed it; after time, weeds and saplings grow up through it - makes
one melluvahess (voice of experience here).

I tried about everything in the book for maybe 10 years before giving
in and spending a year of hard labor putting up a 10' combination
wire and netting deer fence.  It works a treat (when tree branches
and dead trees don't fall on it).  Such a fence requires gates that
MUST remain shut when not in use (i.e. open the gate; go through it;
close it).  Deer have nothing to do with their time but patrol
fencing to look for weak spots; when they find one, they take
immediate advantage of it.

Rather than laying wire horizontally, go for electric or a vertical
fence at least 8' high.  Depending on terrain, a 6' solid board wood
fence will work as deer generally won't jump if they can't see a safe
landing place.  However, they can jump 6' and if they are in a panic
or they can see over it because of terrain, they will jump it...or,
if they know from before the fence that the ground is level on the
other side and there is safe landing, they will jump it.

If you must go horizontally, a barrier composed of cattle guard would
be more to the point, since it has been proven that deer will not
cross this type of  barrier...means digging a trench tho' that has to
be over 5' wide.

My experience with my fence, thus far, is that the deer walk the
perimeter continually, looking in but make no attempt to get into the
fenced in area EXCEPT during rutting season, when I have had them,
running in total panic, just go through the net (which won't hold a
hurtling deer).  A deer, in total panic, will go through plate glass
or anything.  I also found that the bottom of the fence has to be
secured to the ground because deer will roll under anything loose
just as fast as they can jump it.  I placed logs end to end on the
outside of my fence, the entire 900 feet - which seems to work.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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----------
> From: Suzanne Pierot <suzanne@hvi.net>
> 
> I would also like to know about fencing laid  flat to deter deer. 
Sounds
> like a great idea if it works.
> Suzanne Pierot
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <BrookBarb@aol.com>
> 
> 
> > A well known writer who doesn't spend much time on the web has
asked me to
> > help research the use of fencing laid flat to deter deer. The
idea is that
> > instead of erecting a fence, you lay the material on the ground.
Deer
> > supposedly won't walk across it.
> >
> > Does anybody know of any studies that have been done with this
technique?
> If
> > so, I'd like to know where I can find the results.
> >
> > Alternatively, if you've personally used this technique, or know
somebody
> who
> > has, would you contact me off-list at BrookBarb@aol.com?
> >
> > What I want to know is, if you've tried this, what were the
results? And
> I'd
> > like the details: how wide a fence row did you lay down?
Specifically what
> > kind of fencing did you use? Does the fencing need to be elevated
at all,
> or
> > does flat on the ground work? Did you frame the fencing so you
could lift
> it
> > easily? If not, how did you handle mowing and problems like that?
> >
> > I'd appreciate any other details you can provide.
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> >
> > Brook
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> 
> 
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