Re: Deer

In a message dated 98-01-07 18:07:31 EST, you write:

<< 
 We are planning to put up a fence this summer.  How high is your electric
 fence?  Did you bait it (with peanut butter?) when you first put it up?  Do
 you have any source recommendations for fencing materials?
 
 ---------
 Kathy Marble <cmarble@tiac.net >>
Kathy,

First I should say that we had so many deer so often I planned to move.  Ed
asked me what would change my mind and I said "get rid of the deer".  One
spring they ate about 50 hostas including the most expensive ones.  They ate
all fruit and ornamental trees necessitating 6 foot wire surrounds which drive
the lawn mower person crazy.  They literally destroyed my vegetable garden
crashing through some plastic netting put up to discourage them.  Daylilies
never bloomed. Lilium ditto.  Irises were mostly damaged early in the spring
when there was little else to eat.  If you paid more than $10.00 for a plant
or bulb they found it first.  In our area deer are so accustomed to human
activity there is no way to dissuade them short of a baseball bat.  I chase
them off and they go about 100 yards and grin.  I do not exaggerate.

On NPR a few  days ago there was a report of a wildlife meeting where the
explosion of the deer population was discussed.  The conclusions are 1) Hire
professional hunters and 2) learn to coexist.  NYS is is not about to hire
professional hunters, they have fired half the game wardens.  

My husband has this explanation.  It is all the fault of OPEC.  They, some
years back, caused an oil and gas crisis in this country.   People responded
by buying woodstoves and burning wood.  To supply all of these stoves a lot of
woodlots were cleared making ideal habitat for deer.  Therefore OPEC should
pay for all of these fences.

Ours is a four wire affair with the top three wires hot.  The bottom wire is
not hot as the cats hit it with their tails as they stroll about and it
unnerves them.  The  height is about five feet.  Five feet is enough as they
do not jump uphill or near trees and shrubs.  (I am planting shrubbery,
anything I can find, on the inner fence line to deter jumping).  In the rear
of my garden is a 3 acre field which provides the deer a run and 
jump opportunity.  At this part of the fence there are two rows about five
feet apart which stops entry.  Actually deer, particularly the cute babies,
can crawl under a fence wire.  That is the only intrusion I have has since
fencing.  We stopped that by having the lowest wire hot in the night when the
cats are in the house.

All of the parts were purchased at Central Tractor of Pittsfield, Mass. where
they put together wires and transformers and all that was needed.  We fence in
nearly 2 acres.  I think Agway or another farm store would be as good.

There are many designs including the "outrigger" design which is a nightmare
for mowing.   Attractive fences with 4x4 posts are nice to have but not
economical on two acres.  We found the posts at the farm store adequate
despite knowing deer can jump almost any fence.  They do not jump over our
fence although they often walk along the line to raise my blood pressure.  I
have a farm style metal swinging gate to enter the fenced area.  The
electricity is left on all of the time. It is controlled from the barn or from
the house.  It is important to construct pathways through your fence or you
cannot get out of your garden.  We did not bait the line with peanut butter.
Is that to draw them to the wire and "educate" them?

Ed has painted the bright yellow insulators and green posts black where he
thinks they detract from the gardens.  You hardly notice them.  One last
thing, a sign.  We have a sign with red letters stating electric fence in the
driveway.  One can never tell these days, I might get sued by a deer.

Claire Peplowski
East Nassau, NY
Zone 4 - still have snow!
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