Deer don’t just make their homes in the forest. In many areas of the country they often encroach on urban environments. As long as they feel safe, they’ll contentedly live out their lives in areas containing only a few trees and lots of shrubs. And nearby gardens are also interesting to them. The only way to keep deer out of your yard is with a good deer fence.
Deer will eat an assortment of plants, flowers, bushes, and tree branches. Because so many people enjoying watching the deer, they’ll offer them additional goodies in feeders stocked with corn, seeds, and apples. But deer don’t understand boundaries. If your garden features a certain type of flower, they’ll help themselves. If they consider one of your shrubs to be tasty, it can disappear in a very short time. Your options are to either choose your plants with deer preferences in mind, or put up a good deer fence.
A deer fence involves different considerations than a standard residential fence. What constitutes a good deer fence? The main prerequisite is that it’s tall enough to discourage deer from leaping it in order to nibble on your garden. It should also be sufficiently sturdy so they won’t be tempted to push through it. And it needs to be located far enough away from your plants that the deer can’t lean over it for a quick bite. Shrubs that are located close to the fence won’t be safe. Maintain a distance of at least a foot or two between the fence and any plants that deer are attracted to.
A deer fence doesn’t need to be as high as deer can jump. If a deer becomes frightened or is very hungry, it can generally make it over a 5 foot fence. But it’s not really necessary to build it that high. A 2-1/2 foot fence is enough to discourage them from grazing on plants they are attracted to, particularly if you’ve provided other options in an easily accessible feeder.
Chain link is a strong and reasonably priced choice for a deer fence. However, make sure the fence you build doesn’t feature any sharp spikes along the top. They’re dangerous both to people and to deer that jump over and become injured by the pointy objects. An injured deer can destroy vegetation, harm people in their path, and draw predators. Make sure your fence is safe for people and animals to avoid any unpleasant situations.
Wood is another good choice for a deer fence. Just make sure that the slats are positioned close enough together so that a small deer can’t slip through. You should be safe with a gap that’s under a foot. It will also have to be sturdy enough to stand firm against a pushing deer. A hungry deer that spots something edible on the other side will lean into it or try to push their head through the slats. Make sure the fence posts are securely sunk and the slats are properly braced.