Deer Repellent – Spray vs.Mechanical Control
Have you ever seen anything as beautiful or as graceful as a doe grazing peacefully in a meadow? As majestic as a buck watching over his herd? Deer are amazing creatures, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, and also able to strip a garden in minutes flat. Having a deer problem is not only frustrating, it can be extremely dangerous as deer are large animals, capable of inflicting severe damage to cars, homes, and humans, especially when disturbed during rut. So, how do you deter these lovely devils in disguise?
The answer is it varies. A number of factors come into play when determining the best method for deterring nuisance deer. There are several methods that can be employed to keep deer away from your property with the most popular being sprays and mechanical means.
Sprays come in a variety of scents and flavors, all with one thing in mind, to make the deer feel a little less at home. These sprays are generally used on foliage that the deer are finding particularly delectable, making them unpalatable, and forcing the deer to look elsewhere for an easy meal. The pro’s for using sprays is that they are relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and do not harm the deer or the environment. To use a deer repellent spray, you simply spray the contents onto the leaves, stalks, flowers, and any other exposed plant material at a minimum of every other day, especially after a rain, for the first few weeks, then once a week or so for several months thereafter, or any time you see a deer checking out the menu. The drawbacks: Having to be extremely diligent in applying the product as the deer will quickly learn to avoid the area on the days you treat and will continue to come on the days you don’t. Secondly, a child or household pet could come in contact with the spray, and while they are generally not harmful, it could make for a very unpleasant experience.
Mechanical devices range anywhere from netting to fencing to motion detection sprinklers. These devices will physically bar a deer from a particular area. The pros: there are no chemicals to expose any “non-target” animals to and the diligence aspect is covered by regular inspections of the mechanical repellent to ensure that it hasn’t been damaged by determined deer or the elements. The drawbacks: mechanical repellents can be damaged by an angry or determined animal and can be somewhat expensive to install, operate, and maintain.
Both of these methods have been proven effective in reducing the number of deer in any particular area, so when choosing a method of repellent, keep your budgetary constraints, severity of your problem and the amount of effort you are willing to put into eradicating your nuisance deer in mind and make an informed decision.
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