Deter deer from backyard dining

With fall and winter right on our heels, you're probably thinking you're out of the woods when it comes to deer damage in your backyard landscapes. Wrong! Actually, fall marks the beginning of the worst season for damage because deer will eat just about anything in the winter - their food supply is low and they can't be choosy.

The most important thing to understand about fighting deer is that it's easier to prevent damage than to react to it. Deer are creatures of habit - they establish feeding patterns and return to the same spot over and over again, even when it stops offering them enough food.

You can be sure deer have been munching on your landscapes if you see the following signs:

1. Rub marks on trees where bucks have rubbed their antlers to mark their territory.

Gardening

2. Any kind of torn vegetation, another telltale sign. Deer do not have incisor teeth, and therefore, they "rip" the vegetation when they bite into it.

3. Damage found up to 6 feet off the ground, allowing you to rule out small-animal damage.

4. Easily identifiable deer tracks. They are about 2 to 3 inches long and are shaped like broken hearts.

So what do you do to keep the deer out of your back yard? There are loads of home remedies that have been tried with varying results - human hair, soap, pepper spray, even a battery-operated radio, sealed in a plastic bag, tuned to a talk radio station, fooling deer to think humans are in the yard. These remedies might work sporadically, but they are not reliable deterrents for deer.

Then there's fencing. Properly built and maintained fencing can be an effective method for preventing deer damage. But deer can clear an 8-foot fence on level ground, and they can easily push and remove plastic netting. Installing a 6- to 8-foot fence can be an effective solution to some extent, but fencing is costly and can be quite unsightly.

Perhaps one of the most effective and easiest methods to deter deer is repellents. This season, Messina Wildlife Management (www.messinawildlife.com) offers Deer Stopper, a new, 100 percent organic repellent that works by both smell and taste. Deer Stopper is actually pleasant-smelling, but the deer find it unpleasant enough to stay away. The product dries clear and odor-free and is ideal for winter protection. If plants are covered by snow, it can be applied directly to the snow to prevent digging and foraging. As the snow melts, the product will bind to the plants and bulbs below the earth. Deer Stopper is listed for use by organic growers, meaning it is safe to use on any vegetation, including edibles. It offers a guarantee that deer will stop feeding on your prized gardens, shrubs and trees for 30 days per application.

Courtesy of ARAcontent