|
|
Post by ferdzy on Jan 22, 2020 7:21:04 GMT -5
We got cattle fencing, which is 5? 6? (forget) feet high, and we put 2 rows of it up (so total height is 10' or 12') It was expensive, but it does the trick. The area fenced out is scrubby, though, so they can't get a good run at it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dewdrop on Jan 22, 2020 10:16:16 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by flowerbug on Jan 22, 2020 17:58:40 GMT -5
we have fences up here that were put in before they knew what they were doing. they sort of work, but are not foolproof for rabbits or groundhogs. the raccoons, etc. will climb over. the chipmunks will go through. because of the lay of the property we do not have deer fencing that encloses any other space, but i have some of it up to at least cut down on traffic. until i can fence off more space and enclose it i don't really want to put too much effort into it as the deer and other animals will get large parts of it for themselves. my goal if i stick it out here longer term is to change that. i can enclose about 3/4 of the site by only having to run about another 200-300ft of fence beyond what i have up now. i'm finding that as long as the deer don't have a clear shot at jumping they won't try to get over the 7ft fence we have used so far. you can fake them out a bit by using taller poles and running a wire across the top of the poles and then dangling some bits of fabric from them so they see them. a problem with putting up new wire fence is that they might not see it and try to run through it. i have some of that i will have to repair that i put up last year and they sure made a mess of it but i ran out of time on getting back to it. in the meantime i did pick up some taller poles so i will be able to use those on the more likely edges to be run up against. for rabbit and groundhog digging you pretty much want to lay down a few feet of fence on the ground so the creatures won't be able to figure out how to dig under the fence. yes, it costs more, but if you are trying to keep rabbits and groundhogs out it's worth it. i don't try to exclude raccoons or the rest as that would require a charging unit and an electric fence and i don't mind them around. i don't grow sweet corn so they're not a pest for anything else i grow or at least so far they've not been too much of a bother. i am ok in some ways since they come through and get some of the hornet/wasps nests from the rocks we have piled all over.
a problem i would like to get rid of is that we have some bushes/shrubs in the way that i'd like to remove that i can't. it will make maintenance a pain in the butt.
|
|
|
|
Post by stone on Feb 13, 2020 10:35:54 GMT -5
i'm finding that as long as the deer don't have a clear shot at jumping they won't try to get over the 7ft fence we have used so far. you can fake them out a bit by using taller poles and running a wire across the top of the poles and then dangling some bits of fabric from them so they see them. a problem i would like to get rid of is that we have some bushes/shrubs in the way that i'd like to remove that i can't. it will make maintenance a pain in the butt.
Agree about avoiding running a fence across an open area.... The bushes and shrubs in the way.... are very helpful! While the deer run into the wire when I first put up a fence.... repairing the fence a couple times usually is enough... eventually they learn to stay away from the fence they can't see. I'm a fan of running a 6 foot welded wire fence along the tree line... or through a shrub planting... If the fence is run across a meadow or mowed area... you will need another fence on top of the first... or a fence outside of the first! Of course.... it is going to matter how thick the numbers of deer are. When there are herds of deer in large numbers like you can count 30 or so hanging out together... It may not be possible to fence out the really desperately hungry ones... I once had a garden where the neighbor fed grain to the deer... there was even a 3 legged deer! Those deer were something else... Had to give up growing anything they grazed on... just grew poisonous stuff. |
|
|
|
Post by prairiegardens on Feb 13, 2020 22:27:23 GMT -5
someone on these forums some time ago said that if you planted something on the fence that grew high and thick enough that the deer couldn't see over the fence then they wouldn't jump it. I think he had either pole beans or indeterminate tomatoes or both, but not sure about that. I was thinking maybe hops as I can't imagine them eating those and it seems there are very few things they won't at least try, especially if winter is or has been a hard one.
|
|
|
|
Post by flowerbug on Feb 14, 2020 10:37:31 GMT -5
i don't want anything growing on the fence in some areas as i don't want to block the view beyond. stone by deer herds do you mean something like:  |
|
|
|
Post by steev on Feb 14, 2020 12:50:00 GMT -5
That looks like inadequate predation; time to import some cougars.
|
|
|
|
Post by flowerbug on Feb 14, 2020 13:19:57 GMT -5
steev i would love to have wolves back around here.
the deer are doing a number on the yard again this year. i don't have enough enclosed fencing up yet. they're digging through the snow to get to some red sedum and a few others, besides the usual munching on the cedar trees and some shrubs.
|
|
|
|
Post by reed on Feb 14, 2020 18:22:09 GMT -5
Just shoot the sons a bitches and be done with it. Works great as long as it's preemptive.
|
|
|
|
Post by steev on Feb 15, 2020 13:00:36 GMT -5
Here in the Bay Area you can't hunt for fifty miles; the deer are so used to people that they walk all through town eating whatever; they love rosebuds; once I was blowing leaves with a noisy backpack blower in a yard and saw a six-point buck twenty feet away paying no attention as it browsed.
|
|
|
|
Post by stone on Feb 16, 2020 11:18:28 GMT -5
i don't want anything growing on the fence in some areas as i don't want to block the view beyond. Sometimes.... you gotta make a choice between the view of the outside world and the view of the plants that you've invested so much time & effort & money on. I'd certainly call that a herd... I used to see herds that were more tightly grouped... but... yeah, those city deer get hungry when they get over-populated.... *** Re; backpack blower... exactly the kind of thing that eventually convinces people to FINALLY let me put up some fencing for them... |
|
|
|
Post by flowerbug on Feb 20, 2020 10:47:03 GMT -5
Re; backpack blower... exactly the kind of thing that eventually convinces people to FINALLY let me put up some fencing for them...
those things are on my list of items i'll never buy. i'm looking forward to the day when i can get rid of the lawn mower. almost there, but Mom wants to keep mowing.
we are out in the country, deer all over the place. some day i can get the fences put up i want and then i can get more actual return for my efforts. i don't really mind sharing some, but they do a bit too much damage when too many of them come around.
|
|
|
|
Post by stone on Feb 20, 2020 13:52:40 GMT -5
One of the little old ladies that I garden for... went out in the meadow banging a wooden spoon in a cooking pot.... Bambi just stood there.... looking her in the eye...
She started buying rolls of wire!
|
|
|
|
Post by prairiegardens on Feb 21, 2020 13:29:29 GMT -5
Last summer I went out and looked at five deer about 15 feet from the house and damned if one of them didn't stamp its feet and shake its head at me! We had a stare off for a few moments and then its nerve broke and they all trotted off into the trees.
|
|
|
|
Post by reed on Feb 21, 2020 16:33:00 GMT -5
Last summer I went out and looked at five deer about 15 feet from the house and damned if one of them didn't stamp its feet and shake its head at me! We had a stare off for a few moments and then its nerve broke and they all trotted off into the trees. Last time one did that to me and my poor little dog Ethel it scared the hell out of her. That pissed me off, so I shot it.  |
|
