How to protect pecan trees from deer

How to protect pecan trees from deer

It has been reported that the population of deer in the United States has been growing for the past 3 decades. For this reason, farmers that grow commercial trees like pecan tree are finding it harder by the day to keep their real estate safe from deer.

Deer depend on not just leaves and fruits for their nutritional needs, but also bark of trees, hence their penchant for pecan trees. Deer, particularly the male deer, are in the habit of rubbing their antler on the trunks of trees. They do this to mark their territory, and to keep intruders out. While big trees like oak can stand this rubbing trees, small trees like pecan can’t, hence the need to keep them safe.

There are several techniques for deer-proofing a yard or farm filled with pecan trees. However, some of these techniques may not work in places where the population of deer is dense, or during times of severe food scarcity. As such, combining these tactics instead of using them on standalone basis would be a safer bet.

Repellent tactics to keep deer away from pecan tree

1. Wire Mesh:The idea here is to protect each individual pecan tree with a round-like wire mesh, as opposed to fencing which requires protecting the entire farm. Provided the mesh is well rooted to the ground and compact enough, deer won’t be able to make contact with the protected tree.
2. Loud noise:Noise, especially when it is loud and sudden can make deer quiver to their boots. A sudden bust of loud noise automatically activates the defense system, leaving no choice but to flee. Since you won’t be physically present on your farm all the time to yell at them, you sure do need help. The easiest way to scare away deer with noise is by installing outdoor address system at strategic positions on a farm. Your job is to ensure that the address system keeps, well, addressing –playing loud music around the clock would do.
3. Repellents: Deer depend on their nose to find food, sense the presence of a predator, and to find a mate. Their nose is more sensitive than that of the human in several folds. This makes it easy for bulb plants like garlic or onions, or flowers like lavender and marigold to be used as a deer repellent. If you lack confidence in odor based repellent, give taste based repellent a shot. Bitter stuffs force deer to seek alternative snacking bar.
4. Deer & Rabbit MACE: Admittedly, most commercial repellents out there are just gimmicks – they promise so much but deliver so little, so it’s important you do some background check before deciding on which repellent to settle for. But if you haven’t got the time, use Deer & Rabbit MACE. It not only effective, but last long and requires very little re-application. The ingredients in Deer and Rabbit MACE have been studied and proven to be the most effective at repelling deer.