No matter where deer are found in North America, the survival of white-tailed, black-tailed and mule deer through winter depends a lot upon how well the deer prepares for winter’s “drought” of foods. Their winter survival tactics will soon be evident in gardens and yards as fall arrives! Woodland mast crops – such as acorns, sumac peas, beechnuts and locust pods – are now growing scarce, and prized ornamental shrubs, trees and cold-weather vegetables represent cold-season cold-cuts for deer.
Wherever foraging deer damage shrubs, gardens and trees during the warm months of the year, rest assured deer will return those sites in the fall months with little hesitation. In most cases, suburban homeowners are no threat to deer. Deer often won’t run unless chased. They learn the limits of controlled dogs, and they even learn the noises associated with those who feed deer. Preventing damage by foraging deer is easier than breaking the pattern of deer foraging after it starts.
How do you begin a winter-season plan to protect valuable flowers, shrubs, and trees from foraging deer? Initiate a plan to help your clients get rid of deer in the fall season!
1. Learn where deer eat. Deer prefer to feed in open areas near cover. Clear-cuts, parks and suburban neighborhoods and gardens are the perfect habitat, where rich mixtures of vegetation produce abundant food and cover.
2. Identify the damage. You can distinguish the damage caused to plants by feeding deer by the ragged, broken ends of branches of plants and trees that have been browsed by deer, which do not have incisor teeth.
3. Assault their sense of security. While deer are herd animals, bucks are rarely seen with does. Does, fawns and yearlings, however, are very social, congregational, even predictable animals. Disrupt their sense of security and you’ve achieved the primary factor for turning deer away from valuable plants, gardens, shrubs and trees.
Deer are creatures of habit. At no other time of year are deer most likely to return to yards, gardens and grain fields to feed than during the winter. That’s why it’s important now to break their feeding pattern in the fall (if not year ‘round). Once deer adapt to a garden or landscape, one deer expert says, they adopt it. Act now and the chances this winter are good for protecting your clients’ prized trees, shrubs and gardens from foraging deer.
Perhaps no deer barrier is more effective than a fence, but deer can easily clear fences as high as 6 feet. That’s an expensive fence, no matter the material it’s made of, and the cost of building that fence is compounded by the length of the barrier. Imagine building a fence 6 feet high to encompass a yard just 2 acres in size!
Deer Scram Professional – America's Finest™ granular deer repellent – is all-natural, biodegradable, environmentally safe, non-offensive to people and won’t harm animals. Blended from selected organic components, Deer Scram works because it convinces deer through their uncanny sense of smell that harm is nearby. Deer Scram change deer behavior and protects prized gardens, shrubs and trees.
Apply Deer Scram Professional any time of year as a protective perimeter strip to stop deer browsing, change the paths the deer have grown accustomed to using through yards and guard gardens, trees and shrubs. Deer Scram Professional will shield flowers, shrubs, trees, ornamentals, vegetable gardens, forests, vineyards, orchards, field crops and nursery stock when used as directed.
Condensed from the complete Wintertime's Triple Threat for American Gardeners, compiled by the makers of all-natural Deer Scram – America’s Finest™ granular deer repellent.