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Deer Trouble

If you can't shoot'em:
	My house overlooks the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area and we
have huge herds of deer.  Right now there is a movment to start shooting
deer in the National Park.  The herds have grown so large so quickly they
are endangering people (highest deer / car accident rate in the US,) deer
ticks bite children, farmer's crops are being destroyed, gardens decimated,
local flora being wiped out, etc.  This past winter many yearlings died of
starvation.  It's feared desease will spread through the deer population,
etc. 
	As you can imagine the idea of shooting deer in a National Park is very
controversial.  Every other method of controlling the population and
preventing crop distruction is being considered, even birth control at $250
per doe. (Not much hope for that last option.)
	Two of the most succesful options small truck farmers and gardeners have
tried are as follows;

1.  Get a dog and allow it the run of your property, especially at day
break.  Obtain dog hair from your local dog clipper and spread it around
the perimeter of your garden.  This is what I do.  We have many deer visit
during the winter and very early spring.  Then I start letting my dog (a
large mix) spend more time outside and the local groomer is more than happy
to be rid of their bags of fur before garbage day.

2.  I've seen deer jump an 8 foot fence topped with barbed wire (an
electrical station of some kind)  standing perfectly still, then boom! 
they spring over the fence like it wasn't even there. It is real spooky how
they do that. 
	Instead of building an up-right fence, a few gardeners have started to lay
and stretch a chain link fence on the ground.  This seems to work like an
invisable 20 foot brick wall.  The deer will not step on the fence.  It has
something to do with some kind of fear for their hooves.  And it's as
though they can not judge how far this ground fence goes back so they do
not attempt to jump it.  When they panic, they run around the fence - I've
not heard a deer psychologist's explination of why.

	Of course, neither are fool proof, they are more preventative in nature.
If deer really want in your garden. . . if they are starving, etc. . . . 
well then?

So Marv - I'm not saying the new 7 foot fence you're building won't keep
the deer out, but prehaps you can use it to cage in that giant pumpkin,
keep it from running away and terrorizing downtown Altoona.  

Michael in Akron
mcohill@neo.lrun.com
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