Best Deer Control

Deer have a reputation for not only being majestic and graceful creatures, but for having ravenous appetites for any type of plant. Although more common in rural areas, deer will frequently live in parks or venture into suburbs to find food in times of drought, or into neighborhoods abutting large parks or woodsy areas. As humans continue to develop previously wild land, deer have become more common sites walking down streets, or relaxing in front yards.

While it sounds pleasant at first, homeowners who have experience this will know that one deer can do extensive damage, eating flowers, trees, shrubs, and anything else green, trampling beds and grass, rubbing antlers on trees and breaking twigs, branches, and even small trees, not to mention the waste they leave behind. For these reasons, most homeowners with deer nearby and interested in the best deer control to protect their property from the nuisance animals.

The indisputable best deer control is to erect a fence or wall around the area that needs to be protected from deer. Deer are nimble, so the barrier should be five to six feet high. Farmers or ranchers with large areas to protect sometimes look into electrical fencing. Of course, a fence or wall is not always desirable, but if it is already under consideration due to children, pets, or privacy, it can do double duty for deer control.

For areas not suitable for fencing, the best deer control is usually an egg-based spray on repellent. And deer repellent can be made at home with only two ingredients and no more than a couple minutes. To make this recipe, break one raw egg in about one gallon of water and slowly mix them until they are blended. Some of the recent studies and experiments on the subject have suggested that using egg solid may be even more effective.

The mixture can be transferred to a spray bottle, or sprinkled right onto any plants that have been eaten by deer. This deer repellent needs to be reapplied after rain or after watering by sprinklers. Some experts suggest avoiding the spray on edible parts of plants, and instead spraying the leaves and stalks of vegetables, but not directly onto edible parts.

If sprayed on food plants, care should be taken to thoroughly wash any fruits or vegetables before eating. For food plants, a mixture of soap and water can be used in order to avoid getting egg onto one’s food. While considered less effective, it may be safer for food, and in combination with the other recipe, will provide the best deer control for a garden.

Some people claim that blood meal is one of the best deer control options. A byproduct of meat processing, blood meal, or powered blood, is sold in garden centers and through online retailers for the purpose of fertilizing. The smell of the blood also repels vegetarian deer, and so using this fertilizer helps your plants in two ways. Perhaps the best deer control of all is a combination of the above methods.