CULT: Deer deterrents

Hi Laurie et al-
       After much plant loss from deer I finally succeeded in keeping them 
out (High Desert/Oregon).  First, bought 5" diam., 8' treated, round posts; 
had to hire a huge hole-digging machine due to so much rock; set the posts, 
then put up 5' wire fence - called "rabbit/poultry proof" - smaller at the 
bottom then graduates to larger rectanglular openings at the top - 100' 
rolls.  Or, the 2"X4" "no climb"  (6') is about the same price.  That worked 
really well for the deer's agility/high jump training!  Then my `light bulb' 
went off and I envisioned the prison fence in Salem, OR.  Bought a couple of 
bundles of 4' lath, cut them to 16" lengths, painted them, drilled 3 holes to 
run electric fence wire through, and nailed them at an angel (out) to top of 
posts.  That confused the deer through one fall, but due to lack of brousing 
feed they `stormed' the Kings Table, discovering a few well placed hooves 
could break the spindly lath & loosen the thin wire.  If one doesn't paint 
the lath, it makes good kindling for the wood stove.
       `Light bulb moment' again, & off we went to get 12' long, 3/4" 
lodgepoles; cut these into 4' lengths, then talked a neighbor into ruining a 
few saw blades on his table saw to cut them in half lengthwise.  About 3" 
from the top of each one I pounded in a large fence staple, then two more 
down the pole, about 12" apart; then securely nailed these to the fence posts 
(about a foot down on posts) which achieved an 8' height.  Then got out the 
role of electric fence wire and ran three strands through the 3 fence 
staples.
       My neighbor stood on his deck yelling at me about that #%&@#^!! fence 
going to China....."Yup!" - and he had a call in to put up a solid board 
fence so he couldn't see mine...."Whatever!"  (we have 2+ acre lots).   His 
wife (suburbanites) insisted the deer didn't jump her 4' chain link fence and 
I could have saved a lot of money by getting one like hers.  Gates can be 
made out of the small poles, (with chicken wire stapled to them for 
stability) or lightweight aluminum gates ($43.00); deer won't jump through 
something if they think they will hit their back or get feet tangled.  The 
Kings Table put up a "Closed" sign (I really think the deer can read!), and 
now they stand outside gazing in like a child wishing for that Christmas toy 
in the toyshop window.
       I finally had enough from the neighbor & told her the reason the deer 
didn't jump her 4' fence was because there was nothing in there to eat!  (she 
is NOT a gardener - they grow rocks and a lawn).  With the Kings Table 
closed, the deer are enjoying her lawn.
       Assuming you have a 4' fence Laurie, another trick is to simply get 
some 2X4's, put them at an angle from the top of your posts out, then roll 
out 3' chicken wire and staple it from the bottom of the 2X4 up on the studs. 
 The deer WILL NOT jump that as you have then created an 8' spread, and they 
are smart enough to know they could get their hooves caught between the 
chicken wire and the top of your 4' fence.
Many farmers do this here.
       Dog hair, pig hair...none of it helps....it has to be human 
hair....which beauty shops are more than happy to save for you.  That, 
sprinkled around under the chicken wire, is also a deterrent.
       The Fish & Game Dept. will give you some horrid stuff called "Hinder", 
along with all these little nifty tobacco sacks.  One is instructed to fill 
the sacks with sawdust, soak in the Hinder (a great all-in-the-family fun 
night), and hang the little bags on EVERY plant.  By the tiime you finish 
`decorating' your yard the sacks have dried out, you have just enough time to 
sweep up all the sawdust off your kitchen floor, and start dipping again.  I 
have decided this little game was devised by Fish & Game for employees to 
`look busy' when they have nothing else to do while eating up Taxpayer 
dollars; also a good project for Senior Citizen has-been's who are hired at 
minimum wage (regardless of prior skills) to build/erect bird houses in the 
forest!
       Then, of course, there is the whipped egg business that one must apply 
to a few leaves of EVERY plant via a little paintbrush (assuming one has 
nothing else to do).  This is a test of patience, is sheer delight to old men 
driving by if the `painter' is wearing a short skirt, and a prerequisite for 
those wishing to take Toll Painting; it is also only useful for those who 
have sinus problems and are oblivious to the odor of rotten eggs!  As a 
bonus, the exercise is akin to picking up golf balls - without having to 
leave home.
Len....smilin' at the deer outside the fence.   
       

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