Deer eating Fir Trees

[AndyMan]

For the past 2 weeks, the deer have been invading our yard, eating my fir trees. They leave the spruces alone, but are destroying the fir. Man, I wish it were hunting season.

 

[Harriet]

They have to be pretty hungry to eat the fir don't they? They generally don't like them I thought. The thing about deer is that they will eat things they don't prefer if the weather is bad enough. Do you have snow on the ground now? Snow makes it harder for them to find other food.

 

[jd335]

the deer may be gone now but if this is still going on just get you some ivory soap drill hole in them tie them in the tree's deer will not bother the tree's.

 

[KennyV]

the deer may be gone now but if this is still going on just get you some ivory soap drill hole in them tie them in the tree's deer will not bother the tree's.

That worked well with LifeBouy soap, the red kind, Deer, coons, opossums & skunks... but I have not seen it in years.
Good to know that Ivory will do the same... :smile:KennyV

 

[jcobo]

Using soap will only work for a while, the critters get used to the smell.

Other options prune the trees, to above where the deer can reach. You will have to this anyway, mostly to clean up the cosmetic damage.

Fencing is a hassle as deer can clear a five foot fence from a standing start.

As someone pointed out, deer, moose, etc, will eat anything when they can not get to their "natural" food.

If you are on an acreage, leave the grass around the edge of your property long, I.e. that is do not for the month or so before freeze up. Having said that there should be a fire break, cut grass, around the outer edge of the property then the tall grass then cut grass between buildings and the long grass. If you can neighbours on board that will be helpful.

If the snow is deep and you see ungulates, fancy name for deer etc, in your yard, blowing the snow off the long grass might stop them for chewing on the trees.

Depending on local, provincial/state laws you MIGHT be allowed to feed them hay or similar. I do not know if exposing a natural food source will be considered feeding.

In some jurisdictions feeding game animals is known as 'baiting' which is illegal. Baiting is about the same as setting decoys for hunting ducks etc.

I hope it helps
John C
(Forestry Tech)
In school you get an education; you get your learn' later.
:confused3:

 

[Rickpoolman]

I have had success with the Ivory soap and the deer haven't touched my trees in two years. I cut the legs off old panty hose and put one bar of Ivory soap in each leg. Then I tie the panty hose close to the center of the tree about four feet above the ground. Depending on the size of the tree, even a half bar of soap works.

Rick

 

[jcobo]

I have had success with the Ivory soap and the deer haven't touched my trees in two years. I cut the legs off old panty hose and put one bar of Ivory soap in each leg. Then I tie the panty hose close to the center of the tree about four feet above the ground. Depending on the size of the tree, even a half bar of soap works.

Rick

My experience with soap worked well for a while, there could be several reasons why it quit working:
used to smell, very hungry, loss of fear etc.

In a protected area, a park or game preserve, deer, elk and moose become familiar with people and will eat your flowers and sleep on your lawn. These are still wild animals, in the spring you have to check for fawns, in the fall you check for bucks before leaving the house.

There are numerous devices used for keeping animals away from airports, sewage ponds, out of your garbage and flower beds. These vary between motion activated sprinklers, propane cannons, loud speakers with a wide variety of sounds and decoys.

For a home or acreage owner the easiest and usually the cheapest ways are:
Deer == bars of soap, alternate food,
Bears, Racoons, Skunks == securing garbage
Pigeons == decoys, removing roosting areas
Squirrels == remove or reduce food source, yes they are cute animals until they get into your house and eat the insulation off of the wiring.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, "get the neighbours on board" there is no point in you trying to keep the critters at bay while the neighbours are feeding them.

We are told "DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS" for a reason. I am not trying to preach, but it is really hard to have to shoot an animal that has been 'tamed' and turned.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you, or Don't feed the mouth that bites you.

John
In school you get the lesson before the test; in life you get the test before the lesson.

 

[RTSB]

They ate my garden down to the ground. I put up an electric fence that worked for 2 weeks. The deer just learned to jump over it. I put a light out there so we could count how many we might have we kept seeing 3 deer never anymore. I call the DNR and told them to keep there deer out of my yard, you can guess what they told me. Well no more deer in my garden shot 2 one night and got the 3rd one 4 nights later. End of problem.

 

[jd335]

im sorry i forgot to mention that option

 

[DB LAWN ENFORCEMENT]

Sounds goofy but i have deer eating my trees and flowers so i just pee around the areas they like in my yard every couple weeks an the don't bother my yard any more but see them eating my neigjbors still