Michigan State University Extension
Wildlife Database - 11209806
11/20/98
When deer browse woody trees and shrubs in winter, the buds, leaves and stems that they eat may be quickly regrown by the plant in spring. If the plant suffers no loss of form, growth and production because of this regrowth, then no control is needed. If, however the injury caused by deer browsing produces a plant that is either less attractive, productive, or valuable, then damage control is necessary. The following methods can be used as damage control:
1. Cultural: Where possible, select plant species that deer rarely browse. In Michigan there are certain species of plants that deer seldom damage:
Woody plants rarely damaged may include:
Berberis spp. (Barberry) Buxus sempervirens (Common boxwood) Elaeagnus augustifolia (Russian olive) Picea pungens (Colorado blue spruce) Forsythia spp. (Forsythia)
Herbaceous plants & perennial flowers that are rarely damaged may include:
Allium spp. (Allium) Dicentra spp. (Bleeding heart) Dendranthema spp. (Chrysanthemum) Aquilegia spp. (Columbine) Coreopsis spp. (Coreopsis) Linum perenne (Flax) Digitalis spp. (Foxglove) Liatris spicata (Gay-feather) Iris spp. (Iris) Lavandula anustifolia (Lavender) Convallaria majalis (Lily-of-the-valley) Lupinus polyphyllus (Lupine) Narcissus spp. (Narcissus) Lychnis (campion) Salvia spp. (Sage) Achillea spp. (Yarrow)
Other plants that are seldom damaged may include:
Cornus sericea (Red osier dogwood) Calastrus scandens (American bittersweet) Fagus (Beech) Gleditsia triacanthos (Honey locust) Juniperus chinensis (Chinese junipers) Syringa vulgaris (Common lilac) Juniperus virginiana (E. red cedar) Pinus resinosa (Red pine)
These plant names are on lists that also include Pinus resinosa (Red pine), Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine), Cornus florida (Flowering dogwood), Picea abies (Norway spruce), and Tulipa spp. (Tulip), as seldom damaged by deer. However, these species are consumed vigorously by deer in Michigan especially in winter. Therefore, beware of any list indicating plants seldom damaged by deer. Deer, especially hungry deer, will browse on almost any plant that is well fertilized, watered, and mulched.
2. Exclusion: Small individual plants in yards and gardens are best protected by encircling them with welded wire no larger than 2 X 4 inch mesh. Use smaller mesh to also exclude rabbits (1/2" mesh) and mice (1/4" mesh). Encirclements of less than 18 inches in diameter need little or no extra support. Larger encirclements of plants or group of plants need stakes for support and may not be practical because of the difficulties of construction, takedown and storage. Encircling wire should be at least 5 feet high.
Another type of exclusion is a visual barrier (Vis. 1) about 6 feet in height. Deer will not be able to see the garden vegetation and thus will not be attracted to it. A light fabric or plastic (i.e. burlap, cotton woven plastic, plastic sheets, or plastic clothes) will provide the visual barrier to keep deer away. Vertical edges of the plastic or fabric must be fastened together without gaps, and bottom edges must be weighted down.
3. Repellents: An excellent repellent in late summer and winter is Deer-Away which will provide almost 100% protection from 3 weeks to 3 months, depending on the number of deer, their hunger and their alternative food choices. Re-application renews effectiveness. Lightly spray or dust all parts of the plants to be protected. The liquid spray must be used when temperatures are above freezing and the dust must be applied when the plant is moist with rain, dew or frost. Apply 1 tablespoon or less to each tree. Do not use on shrubs or trees when the leaves or needles are young, growing, and succulent. Because of the limited effectiveness, Deer-Away is best used where deer damage problems are of short duration e.g. spring sprout browsing, fall antler rubbing.
Hinder can be used to repel deer from all garden vegetables, flowers, and Christmas trees. Although very effective, it must be reapplied every 2 weeks or after every rain. Mix according to label directions. Apply to the vegetation to be protected and all nearby surrounding vegetation. Again, because of the limited time of effectiveness, Hinder is economically feasible only when deer damage problems are of short duration.
Other repellents such as feather meal, meat meal, soap, etc. may provide close to 100% protection for 30-90 days during the warm months (April-October) if sprinkled lightly around and on the garden vegetation; re-apply weekly. Small cloth bags of these repellents and small bars of soap when hung from trees and shrubs will repel deer from eating the trees and shrubs during the warm months. Hang these repellents from the outer branches on both sides of the plant. Renew every 90 days or more. (Vis. T2)
Other repellents which may prove helpful include garlic (Plant-Pro Tee) and denatonum bengoata (Tree Guard). (Vis. T1)
Sources of Repellents
Deer-Away County Mart 144 Hall St. Traverse City, MI 49684 (616) 946-5836 cost:$.05-.10/tree
Hinder Leffingwell-Uniroyal Chem. 111 S. Berry St. P.O. Box 1880 Brea, CA 92621
Middle Chem.Co. Middlebury,CT 06749 (203) 573-3411
or most Growers Service Stores
$20-$30/acre.
Meat Meal Bags: (bags, powder of meat meal)
Green Screen Lakeshore Enterprises 2804 Benzie Hwy. Benzonia, MI 49616 (616) 882-9601 cost: $.34/tree
4. Temporary fences: These fences are single strands of woven plastic tape and electric wires (poly tape, turbo wire) and have proven to be effective in excluding deer for 1 or more 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 2-4 months but that may be sufficient for some crops. To renew effectiveness, bait the fence with 3'X4" foil pieces smeared with a 1:1 ratio of peanut butter and peanut oil spread. Hang the folded foil pieces on the charged wire and tape them closed. These foil flags serve as an attractive device to the deer, and 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 must be removed after the threat of deer damage has ceased.
5. Electronic pet barriers: Dogs fitted with electronic shock collars and 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) Herding breeds of dogs (e.g. border collies) have been more reliable than confirmed deer-chasing mongrels, and two male dogs are more effective than females or a single dog.
2) The dogs must be trained to the wire initially, and housed and fed within the wire.
3) The wire that activates the shock collars does not have to be buried.
4) The number of dogs needed per unit of area is unknown. Two dogs have protected up to 150 acres of orchard. Long term effectiveness is unknown.
6. Electric fences: Fences effectively exclude most deer and efficiently control deer damage if built and maintained according to the specifications described below. However, this is not usually suitable for yard damage control, except in extreme cases. Improperly built and/or maintained electric fences are not effective. The most efficient configurations are the vertical 7-wire and slant 7-wire fences. Material costs 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 provide the most efficient protection. In areas of high deer density, the slant 7-wire configuration should be used. 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 to consider are:
1) Clearing 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.
2) 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 properly maintained at all points.
3) Join wires with crimping sleeves - no knots or ties.
4) End posts, comer posts and brace posts should be 4-5 inch diameter pressure treated wooden posts sunk 3-5 feet into the ground.
5) Run wire outside comers. Use sleeve insulators.
6) 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.
7) Wires are alternately charged and make sure all chargers are properly grounded.
8) Make the fence as long and straight as possible. Line posts 3 inches in diameter may be spaced as much as 150 feet apart if fiberglass or plastic spacing posts are used in between. Double brace end and corner posts on runs 500 feet or longer.
9) Check fence regularly to make certain that voltage is sufficient. Inspect fence regularly for weeds, fallen limbs and broken fence parts. Maintenance is essential!!!
10) When lower wire or wires become buried in the snow, disconnect them. Otherwise, the charge on the fence is reduced.
11) Keep the fence charged throughout the year. Uncharged fences seem to be broken and/or ignored by deer, making them less effective when charged.
12) 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.
Recent Successful Modifications
Two MSU experiment stations report excellent deer exclusion with a vertical fence where the spacing is 6 inches between the wires after the first wire, which is 10 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.
Manufacturers and Builders
Reed City Power Line Supply Co. 420 Roth Street Reed City, MI 49677-0205 (616) 832-2297
The Wright Place 5051 Fowler Rd. Reading, MI 49274 (517) 283-2645
Techfence Advanced Farm Systems, Inc. Rd. 1 Box 364 Bradford, MA 04410
Invisible Fencing PO Box 344 Leland, MI 49654-9986
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.
Recent Successful Modifications
1) Two MSU experiment stations report excellent deer exclusion with a vertical fence where the spacing is 6 inches between the wires after the first wire, which is l0 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.
Garden Plants-Severely Damaged
Common name Botanical name Beans Phaseolus spp. Broccoli Brassica oleracea italica Cabbage Brassica oleracea capitata Carrot Daucus carota sativa Cauliflower Brassica oleracea botrytis Kohlrabi Brassica oleracea Lettuce Lactuca sativa Peas Pisum sativum Spinach Spinacia oleracea Turnip Brassica rapa
Garden Plants-Frequently Damaged
Common name Botanical name Beets Beta vulgaris Corn, sweet Zea mays Potatoes, sweet Ipomoea batatas Strawberries Fragaria spp
Garden Plants-Occasionally Damaged
Common name Botanical name Asparagus Asparagus officinalis Okra Abelmoschus esculentus Potatoes, Irish Solanum tuberosum Radish Raphanus sativus Squash Cucurbita pepo
Garden Plants-Rarely Damaged
Common name Botanical name Cantaloupe Cucumis melo cantalupensis Cucumber Cucumis sativus Eggplant Solanum melongena Hot peppers Capsicum annuum Onion Allium spp. Sweet peppers Capsicum frutescens Tomato Lycopersicon esculentum Watermelon Citrulus lanatus
Herbaceous Plants-Annual Flowers Rarely Damaged
Common name Botanical name Ageratum Ageratum houstonianum Amaranth Amaranthus tricolor Castor bean Ricinus communis Cosmos Cosmos bipinnatus Chinese forget-me-not Cynoglossum amabile Cupflower Nierembergia hippomanica Dusty Miller Senecio cineraria Globe Amaranth Gomphrena globosa French Marigold Tagetes patula Lantana Lantana spp. Ornamental pepper Capsicum annuum Periwinkle Catharanthus roseus Polygonum Polygonum capitatum Salvia Salvia viridis Sanvitalia Sanvitalia procumbens Signet marigold Tagetes tenuifolia Snapdragon Antirrhinum majus Snow-on-the-Mountain Euphorbia marginata Spider flower Cleome hasslerana Stock Matthiola incana Sweet alyssum Lobularia maritima Wax begonia Begonia semperflorens Zinnia Zinnia angustifolia Zinnia Zinnia elegans
Woody Plants-Occasionally Damaged
Common name Botanical name
Basswood Tilia spp.
American Basswood Tilia americana
Greenspire Linden Tilia cordata 'Greenspire'
Border Forsythia Forsythis x intermedia
'Lynwood'
Common Witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana
Cotoneaster Cotoneaster spp.
Cranberry Cotoneaster Cotoneaster apiculatus
Rockspray Cotoneaster Cotoneaster horizontalis
Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Eastern White Pine Pinus strobus
Firethorn Pyracantha coccinea
Goldflame Honeysuckle Lonicera x heckrottii
Hollies Ilex spp.
Japanese Holly Ilex crenata
China Boy Holly Ilex x meserveae'China Boy'
China Girl Holly Ilex x meserveae'China Girl'
Hydrangeas
Smooth Hydrangea Hydrangea aborescens
Climbing Hydrangea Hydrangea anomala petiolaris
Paniculated
Hydrangea Hydrangea paniculata
Japanese Cedar Cryptomeria japonica
Japanese Flowering Quince Chaenomeles japonica
Lilacs Syringa spp.
Japanese Tree Lilac Syringa x reticulata
Late Lilac Syringa villosa
Persian Lilac Syringa x persica
Maples
Paperbark Maple Acer griseum
Red Maple Acer rubrum
Silver Maple Acer saccharinum
Sugar Maple Acer saccharum
Panicled Dogwood Cornus racemosa
Pears Pyrus spp.
Bradford Pear Pyrus calleryana'Bradford'
Common Pear Pyrus communis
Privet Ligustrum spp.
Rhododendrons
Deciduous Azaleas Rhododendron spp.
Carolina Rhododendron Rhododendron carolinianum
Rosebay Rhododendron Rhododendron maximum
Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus
Roses Rosa spp.
Multiflora Rose Rosa multiflora
Rugosa Rose Rosa rugosa
Saucer Magnolia Magnolia x soulangiana
Serviceberries
Downy Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea
Allegheny Serviceberry Amelanchier laevis
Smokebush Cotinus coggygria
Oaks Quercus spp.
Northern Red Oak Quercus rubra
White Oak Quercus alba
Spiraea
Anthony Waterer Spiraea Spiraea x bumalda
'Anthony Waterer'
Bridalwreath Spiraea Spiraea prunifolia
Staghom Sumac Rhus typhina
Sweet Cherry Prunus avium
Sweet Mock Orange Philadelphus coronarius
Trumpet Creeper Campsis radicans
Viburnums
Judd Viburnum Viburnum x juddi
Leather leaf Viburnum Viburnum rhytidophyllum
Doublefile Viburnum Viburnum plicatum
tomentosum
Koreanspice Viburnum Viburnum carlesii
Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Weigela Weigela florida
White Fir Abies concolor
Willows Salix spp.
Woody Plants - Frequently Damaged
Common name Botanical Name Apples Malus spp. American Arborvitae Thuja occidentalis Cherries Prunus spp. Clematis Clematis spp. Cornelian Dogwood Cornus mas Eastern Redbud Cercis canadensis English Ivy Hedera helix Hybrid Tea Rose Rosa x hybrida Norway Maple Acer platanoides Peaches Prunus persica Plums Prunus spp. Rhododendrons Rhododendrons spp. Catawba Rhododendrons Rhododendron catawbiense Evergreen Azaleas Rhododendron spp. Winged Euonymus Euonymus alatus Wintercreeper Euonymus fortunei radicans Yews Taxus spp. English Yew Taxus baccata Western Yew Taxus brevifolia Japanese Yew Taxus cuspidata English/Japanese Hybrid Yew Taxus x media
Herbaceous Plants-Perennial Flowers Rarely Damaged
Common name Botanical name
Allium Allium spp.
Amsonia Amsonia tabemaemontana
Baby's-breath Gypsophila paniculata
Bleeding-heart Dicentra eximia
Bleeding-heart Dicentra spectabilis
Butterfly weed Asclepias tuberosa
Chrysanthemum Dendranthema spp.
Columbine Aquilegia spp.
Coralbells Heuchera sanguinea
Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata
Coreopsis Coreopsis verticilla
Flax Linum perenne
Foxglove Digitalis grandiflora
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea
Gas Plant Dictamnus albus
Gay-feather Liatris spicata
Globe thistle Echinops exaltatus
Golden marguente Anthemis tinctoria
Grasses many genera and species
Iris Iris spp.
Lamb's ears Stachys byzantia
Lavender Lavandula angustifolia
Lavender cotton Santolina chamaecyparissus
Lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis
Lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
Narcissus Narcissus spp.
Oriental poppy Papaver orientale
Rose campion Lychnis coronaria
Sage Salvia farinacea
Sage Salvia officinalis
Sage Salvia sclarea
Sage Salvia splendens
Speedwell Veronica spp.
Wormwood Artemisia species
Yarrow
'Coronation Gold' Achillea filipendulina
'C.G.'
Herbaceous Plants-Perennial Flowers Frequently Damaged
Common name Botanical name Tulip Tulipa spp.
Woody Plants-Rarely Damaged
Common name Botanical name American Holly Ilex opaca Barberry Berberis spp. Common Barberry Berberis vulgaris Colorado Blue Spruce Picea pungens glauca Common Boxwood Buxus sempervirens Loblolly Pine Pinus taeda Shortleaf Pine Pinus echinata Paper Birch Betula papyrifera Russian Olive Elaeagnus angustifolia
Woody Plants-Seldom Damaged
Common name Botanical name
American Bittersweet Celastrus scandens
Beautybush Kolkwitzia amabilis
Chinese Junipers Juniperus chinensis
(green) 'Pfitzerana'
Chinese Junipers Juniperus chinensis
(blue) 'Hetzi'
Common Sassafras Sassafras albidum
Common Lilac Syringa vulgaris
Corkscrew Willow Salix matsudana'Tortuosa'
Dogwoods
Chinese Kousa
Red Osier Dogwood Cornus sericea
Flowering Dogwood Cornus Florida
Chinese Kousa Dogwood Comus kousa
Eastern Red Cedar Junipenis virginiana
'Canaertii'
English Hawthorn Crataegus laevigata
Forsythia Forsythia spp.
Hollies
Chinese Holly Ilex cornuta
Inkberry Ilex galbra
Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos
Japanese Flowering Cherry Prunus serrulata
Japanese Wisteria Wisteria floribunda
Norway Spruce Picea abies
Pines
Austrian Pine Pinus nigra
Mugo Pine Pinus mugo
Red Pine Pinus resinosa
Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris
| Visual title - Visual size | Visual title - Visual size |
|---|---|
| Visual Barrier - 18K | Table 1 of Repellants - 75K |
| Table 2 of Repellants - 62K |
