|
Deer Control: Methods to Prevent Deer Danger and Damage
Do you live in North America? Do you drive? Are you a farmer? Do you like to garden? Are you the kind of person who takes pride in their yard? If any or all of these things apply to you, then you might have some concerns about the deer population. You may love Bambi or a venison roast, but in many areas of the country the deer population causes problems. You may be inclined to think that people only face these problems in the wooded rural areas, but herds of deer can move into more urban areas as well.
The problems caused by deer are many and varied. For all drivers across America, the risk of automobile accidents caused by animals is very real and frequent. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports that in Pennsylvania alone, “2,500 motorists collide with deer every year, causing millions of dollars in damage.” [1] For farmers, deer pose a very real threat to their livelihood. In Monroe county New York, some farmers have reported that deer have destroyed up to 80% of their crops. [2] Though these numbers seem staggering, but an adult deer can eat up to five pounds of food per day. Some estimations place the damage caused by deer at one hundred dollars per acre. [3] Deer also cause several problems in domestic areas. Trying to maintain a garden or beautiful landscape may be difficult with a large populace of deer. Whether you have shrubs or various kinds of plants and flowers, deer can cause considerable damage to your yard by what is called “deer browsing.” You can be confident that deer are causing the damage if the ends of the plants are ragged and the shoots are eaten. Deer can cause particular difficulties when trying to plant new grass or other plants as they will come and eat the seeds. Solutions for this problem are required from homes and gardens to parks and athletic fields. Deer are not merely bothersome to landscaping investments, but they can also transfer diseases. One of the most common health risks posed by deer populations is the notorious deer tick. As revealed in their name, these ticks can be present anywhere there is deer. Ticks are in fact second only to mosquitoes in transferring diseases to humans. Some of the most common diseases that deer ticks transmit are Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and equine encephalitis. Deer ticks also pose a threat to livestock and house pets that will be continually exposed to tick infested environments. Wikipedia cites the Rhode Island Department of Health saying, “Roughly 70% of people who develop Lyme disease in that part of North America catch it from ticks in their own yard.” [4] While no direct correlation is drawn between this statistic and deer populations, it may be inferred from the correlation between deer and ticks that a barrier against deer browsing in one’s yard may help prevent transmission of diseases from deer ticks. Regarding this risk of tick-born disease, parents should be careful where their children play. Deer ticks are especially prevalent in underbrush and heavily wooded areas. If children are playing in these areas, parents should check their children often for deer ticks in their hair or creases in the skin (knees, armpits, etc.) Similar checks may be performed with pets simply by attentively petting them. With the consequences of these diseases, any measures to prevent deer ticks from entering the yard are worth the effort. Some home-owners choose from large lists of plants and shrubs repel deer. While this is a more organic option, this approach does not always work. Several different forms of repellents have been utilized with varying degrees of success. Repellent techniques range from bars of soap, to human hair collected from barber shops, to sprays similar to mosquito repellent. It is important to note that not all of these techniques work uniformly in every situation. If one particular style does not work, do not be discouraged; multiple approaches are recommended. In more dramatic fashion, some people try scare tactics to frighten deer when they enter a certain undesired area. The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service records instances where people set up motion detectors to set off radios or other frightening sounds to scare deer away. [5] Other folks have tried sprinklers or strobe lights. While these methods may be initially effective, deer become accustomed to such antics after a few weeks. Unless you enjoy setting up props for a World War II film, these methods can obviously be bothersome for homeowners, especially if set up in the yard. Electric fencing is another option for preventing deer from destroying your yard. These fences are conceptually similar to livestock fences and can take different forms. Depending on the dimensions of the garden, this can be an economical choice. It requires little maintenance and will eliminate the need for using chemical pesticides on plants. The West Virginia Department of Natural Resources informs us that deer will attempt to pass under or through a fence rather than jump over it creating little need for high wires. They also recommend varying methods of fencing to keep out all animals, including deer.[6]
Plastic deer fence provides a superior method of deer control that is effective, cheap, harmless, and practically invisible. These fences are made of UV resistant material that will not corrode or rust. They are easy to install and come with heavy duty T-posts that can be 10-12 feet high preventing deer from jumping over them. This option can be applied in many different situations and is the best choice for gardens, yards and crop-fields. The fence is patterned in bi-oriented rectangular mesh that will not allow for deer to reach around or through to feed on the plants or shrubs. Americans spend at least fifty million dollars a year on repellents and fencing to control the deer population. You want to spend your money on this specialty deer fence because it is the superior method for deer control in any circumstance. It is always exciting to see deer close to home, but the realities of property damage and disease may require many of these steps to control deer around your property. As the deer are then funneled back to their more natural habitat and sustenance, both the deer and property owner benefit. Paul Galla, President
1 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07329/836648-85.stm 2 http://rochesterenvironment.com/deer_problem.htm 3 http://rochesterenvironment.com/deer_problem.htm 4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tick 5 http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/deercontrol.html#scadev 6 http://www.wvdnr.gov/Hunting/DeerConHomGar.shtm |
|||
