Michigan State University Extension
Wildlife Database - 11209805
11/20/98
Woven wire fences must be at least 8 feet tall and as a result cost at least $4-6 per foot in materials alone. Because of this expense, these fences are not the most practical alternative for orchards and tree plantations. Woven wire fences are, however, the best way to exclude deer from high risk areas, such as airports, where it is absolutely necessary to exclude all deer. In these situations, woven wire fences should be 10 feet high, or 8 feet with additional 2 feet of 3 single strands of wire 8 inches apart.
Temporary fences can be single strands of woven plastic tape and electric wires (poly tape, turbo wire) and have proven to be effective in excluding deer for 1-4 months. The wire must be capable of conducting at least 4,000 volts and should be suspended from temporary posts or stakes 2 1/2 feet above ground level. Effectiveness rarely lasts for more then 1-4 months but that maybe sufficient for some crops. lf deer begin crossing the electric tape after l-2months the effectiveness of the effectiveness of the tape can be restored by putting bait on the fence, bait the fence, use 6' x 12' aluminum foil pieces smeared with a 1: 1 ratio of peanut butter and peanut oil spread. Fold and hang foil pieces on the charged wire and tape them closed. These foil flags serve as an attractive device to the deer. As an alternative, roll the peanut butter and peanut oil spread directly upon the charged turbo wire. These techniques should provide effective protection against deer damage through the growing season. The fence should be removed after the threat of deer damage has ceased.(Vis. 1)
Electronic pet barriers are useful at excluding deer in areas where damage occurs. Dogs fitted with electronic collars enclosed in an area by a wire that activates the collars have reduced deer damage dramatically. When using an electronic pet barrier, the following points are vital.
1) The wire that activates the shock collars does not have to be buried.
2) Herding breeds of dogs (e.g. border collies) have been more reliable than confirmed deer-chasing mongrels.
3) The dogs must be trained to the wire initially. Visual indicators of the position of the wire help train the dog.
4) Male dogs (2 or more) are better than female dogs.
5) The dogs must be housed and fed within the wire.
6) The number of dogs needed per unit of area is unknown. Two dogs may protect 15 acre research plots. Long term effectiveness is unknown.
Electric fences will effectively exclude most deer and efficiently control deer damage if built and maintained according to the specifications described below. Improperly built and/or maintained electric fences are not effective. The most efficient configurations are the vertical 7-wire and slant 7-wire fences (Vis. 2). (Vis. 3) Material cost for these fences are approximately $1.00 and $2.00 per foot. When installed by commercial builders, costs range from $1.50 per foot to $3.00 per foot. All costs vary according to length of fence installed and variation in terrain.
In most places in Michigan, the vertical 7-wire fence will (Vis. 2) provide the most efficient protection. In areas of high deer density, the slant 7-wire configuration should be used. (Vis. 3) In uneven terrain however, the slant 7-wire configuration is more expensive to build and the wide herbicide strip is subject to erosion. In northern Michigan, the slanted fence must be charged in winter or else the snow may pull it down.
Electric Deer Fence Specifications
Use high tensile strength 12 1/2 ga. steel wire stretched to 200-250 lbs. Use in-line wire strainers and an indicator spring to achieve proper tension. Spacing between wires and ground must be indicated at all points.
Join wires with crimping sleeves - no knots or ties.
End posts, corner posts and brace posts should be 4-5 inch diameter pressure treated wooden posts sunk 3-5 feet into the ground.
Run wire outside corners. Use sleeve indicators.
Use a Gallagher New Zealand Style energizer (high voltage, low impedance) or its equivalent. The fence charger must maintain a charge of at least 4,000 volts over the entire length of the fence.
Wires are alternately charged and make sure all chargers are properly grounded.
Make as long and straight a fence as possible. Line posts 3 inches in diameter may be spaced as much as 150 feet apart if spacing posts are used in between. Over uneven terrain, spacing posts are essential and should be spaced no more than 50 feet apart or closer when necessary to maintain the proper spacing of wires. Fiberglass line posts and spacers may also be used. Double brace end and corner posts on runs 500 feet or longer.
When erecting an electric fence, string the wires and charge them in as short a time as possible. Deer seem to learn to jump fences erected piecemeal.
Clear all vegetation away from the fence and use herbicides to keep vegetation off the fence Vegetation touching the wires can reduce voltage enough to make the fence ineffective.
Check fence regularly to make that voltage is sufficient. Inspect fence regularly for weeds, fallen limbs and broken fence parts. Maintenance is essential!!!
Obtain a kill permit from the local DNR Field Office and immediately shoot any deer that learn to jump or step through the fence (i.e. any deer found inside the fence).
When lower wire or wires become buried in the snow, disconnect them. Otherwise, the charge on the fence is reduced.
Keep the fence charged throughout the year. Uncharged fences seem to be broken and/or ignored by deer, making them less effective when charged.
When the fence crosses traditional deer trails, add 3 extra top wires 10-12 inches apart for 10 yards on either side of the trail. The 3 extra top wires do not need to be under tension or charged. In areas of high deer density (40 or more per sq. mile), 3 extra top wires should be added to all vertical electric fences where deer are likely to jump the fence. Extra top wires are rarely necessary on sides adjacent to buildings, busy highways, ditches, etc. An electric fence should be built at least 8-10 feet inside an existing fence, if the existing fence is to remain in place. If the electric fence replaces an existing fence, the entire length of original fence should be completely taken out before the electric fence is installed.
Successful Modifications
1) Two MSU experiment stations reports excellent deer exclusion with a vertical fence where the spacing is 6 inches between the wires after the first wire, which is 1O inches above the ground. These fences may have 9 or 10 wires charged and additional uncharged wires spaced 12 inches apart above the 9th or 10th wire, if necessary to prevent jumping.
2) A charged trip wire can be attached to the posts of the slant electric fence to increase its effectiveness... The wire should be attached to the posts at a height of 2 1/2 feet.
Common Mistakes Made with Electric Fencing for Deer Damage Control
1) Failure to maintain an adequate charge (more than 4.000 volts) over the entire length of fencing and failure to use bi-polar charging.
2) Use of wooden posts where plastic or fiber glass spacers or posts are adequate.
3) Failure to maintain proper spacing between wires.
Manufactures and Builders
Reed City Power Line Supply Co. 420 Roth Street Reed City, MI 49677-0205 (616) 832-2297
Techfence Advanced Farm Systems, Inc. Rd. 1 Box 364 Bradford, MA 04410
The Wright Place 5051 Fowler Rd. Reading, MI 49274 (517) 283-2645
| Visual title - Visual size | Visual title - Visual size |
|---|---|
| Deer Fence type 1 - 22K | Deer Fence type 2 - 39K |
| Deer Fence type 3 - 42K |
