Deer are eating my day lillies: What keeps them away?

[Maven]

Although I saw a black bear yesterday at our range and a dead red fox and a live deer while riding my bike this AM, the real problem is deer damage. Although I live in a small city, my house is in a hilly, wooded area and deer abound there. They aren't shy about walking almost to my front or back door to eat tulips and day lillies in my flower beds, usually when they're about to blossom! Indeed, I'd bet serious money that if I placed day lillies inside my house and left the front door open, they'd come right in for a quick bite. Other than replacing the day lillies with deer-resistant plants, what can I do* to keep those miserable critters away from my flowers? I guess I should add that the deer are active in the pre-dawn hours so I'm not likely to be lurking with pellet pistol in hand to shoot them in their sorry butts.


*I've already tried urine (not very effective), a coomerical (read "expensive") spray, which wasn't very effective on deer, but it made my wallet lighter! and generic Tabasco sauce. The latter may work if I apply it every other day

[versifier]

Maven,
I think I can help them to develop a severe allergy to lead, (or broadheads if necessary) to the point they'll need to hide in my freezer for relief. [smilie=1:
You're over in Maine, aren't you? Can you get a permit to take them as nuisance critters? I don't know what the law is over there now nor the attitude of your local game warden, but in the 80's we used to be able to help a friend in Oxford County "control" the deer that were damaging his apple orchard. If it isn't too much of a drive from here and can be done legally, I would be happy to come over with a friend or two and help you solve your problem. Now or come fall, doesn't matter to me. My sister in PA has similar troubles and has been after me for several years to come and help out, but it's a 12hour drive....

[BOOM BOOM]

Hi,
An Old Trick For Young Fruit Trees Was A Bar Of Soap Hung On Them. Don't Know How You Could Use That On Flowers Unless You Sprayed/ Smeared Liquid Soap On The Plants.

[Maven]

Boom Boom, If the pepper sauce doesn't work, I'll try bars of soap on a dowel. People claim Irish Spring will do the trick, but I'm a doubting Thomas.

Versifier, You'd better believe that I've wanted to ventilate those misbegotten pests for along time, but that would be illegal. (The mayor of my fair city lives right across the street, but seems not to have heard the illegal fireworks on the 4th and the other night!) Btw, I'm in upstate N.Y., but will be traveling to ME in Sept.

[Slowpoke]

Although I saw a black bear yesterday at our range and a dead red fox and a live deer while riding my bike this AM, the real problem is deer damage. Although I live in a small city, my house is in a hilly, wooded area and deer abound there. They aren't shy about walking almost to my front or back door to eat tulips and day lillies in my flower beds, usually when they're about to blossom! Indeed, I'd bet serious money that if I placed day lillies inside my house and left the front door open, they'd come right in for a quick bite. Other than replacing the day lillies with deer-resistant plants, what can I do* to keep those miserable critters away from my flowers? I guess I should add that the deer are active in the pre-dawn hours so I'm not likely to be lurking with pellet pistol in hand to shoot them in their sorry butts.


*I've already tried urine (not very effective), a coomerical (read "expensive") spray, which wasn't very effective on deer, but it made my wallet lighter! and generic Tabasco sauce. The latter may work if I apply it every other day


Dog,--- electric fence,--- real fence, --- motion detector rigged to make noise not just light,-- killem,-- forget the flowers,-- move. And or sacrifice a few hours sleep get a real air rifle and give them something else to think about besides food,

Myself I just take em out quick and quite like and be done with it for a few months.

Good luck

[waksupi]

Irish Spring has worked well on my fruit trees, for many years. I can't see putting that stinky stuff on my body, so keeping deer away is a good deal.

[bisley45]

some one told me that you can get tiger dropings and that will work do a google and see if you can find any not many tigers in my area

[redneckdan]

Best deer repelent in the world is hot lead at about 1600fps.

[versifier]

Arrows are quiet. Likewise crossbow bolts. Is it thickly settled?

[dk17hmr]

I personally would let them eat the plants until season opens. By that time you would have some nice fat deer and the way it sounds you could set up on your porch and not even have to go into the woods.

But seriously I have heard that human hair from a barber shop will work. I guess you just spread it around the perimeter.

When I was still in grade school (college freshman now) we planted a garden for something to keep my brother and myself busy during the summer months. I remember one summer my brother and I build some scare crows out of plywood and some of our old cloths, we never didnt have a crow problem but the deer stayed away.

Side Note:
Now that everyone has full time jobs and works anywhere from 40-60 hours a week we dont have much of a garden. I built my mom some raise flower beds for Mothers Day two years ago and got dirt from my buddies Dairy farm. We had the best turn out with the garden now. Just small enough to get fresh veggies for dinner and big enough to keep mom busy in the evening, not that she doesnt have enough going on already.

DK

[six_gun]

If you put them in the freezer, the only time you will see them again is when they come to dinner to sit on the plate next to the mashed potatoes.

Sixgun

[KCSO]

I don't think it has so much to do with what yo use as it does how familiar is it to the deer. Hair will work for a little while and as soon as they don't asscoiate it with dange it won't work any more. We have the same problem here with coons and I have used soap, hair, cat blood (don't ask) dog poo and other substances. All work until they get use to them. The only thing that works all the time every time is to put out a radio tuned to rock and roll. That is fine for a patch outside town, but could upset your neighbors some.

[felix]

Guaranteed, that will drive me away also. Denton Cooley, the heart surgeon of note in Houston requires loud rock and roll, the nasty acid metal stuff, in his operating rooms at Texas Children. He found that was necessary for him and his students to do heart work on little infants. It seemed too many folks got attatched to the little ones, and the noise quickly killed those feelings. ... felix

[Slowpoke]

I don't think it has so much to do with what yo use as it does how familiar is it to the deer. Hair will work for a little while and as soon as they don't asscoiate it with dange it won't work any more. We have the same problem here with coons and I have used soap, hair, cat blood (don't ask) dog poo and other substances. All work until they get use to them. The only thing that works all the time every time is to put out a radio tuned to rock and roll. That is fine for a patch outside town, but could upset your neighbors some.

When I lived in AZ , I had a radio that played for eight years straight, the only break it got was when the power went out, except mine was on a sports channel, lots of loud talk and yelling, it was the only thing that would keep the coyotes out of the poultry yard , and I kept a blinking light on also at night to keep the owls a way.

good luck

[Ranch Dog]

Hell, I will feed a deer anything they want to eat... I like having them around me 24 hours a day! It is surprising what you will learn from them. Others wonder why I kill three large bucks every year... it's because I observe deer around the clock. The deer out in the far reaches of the pasture behave just like the deer walking around my house.

I feed 18,000# of corn a year on my ranch and plant acres in warm and cold season food plots. If they want my wife's potted flowers here at the house, they can have them too!

I have heard that human hair works best but I would doubt it. When a deer sets it's mind to do something it is going to do it. I've seen them go over a high fence and I've even seen does jump through the wire "squares" of a game fence. This year I tried the PlotSaver system around a developing food plot. This system uses one or more ribbons suspended above the ground with a chemical applied to them. My deer crossed it without hesitation. Those plants represented the only moisture they get during their day and there is nothing, save a bullet, that will stop them.

I've now got a feral hog hanging out at the house once night fall comes. He is about 300#+. Hope to keep working with him so that he will stay and start coming into the yard before dark. Most of my hog hunters have never seen a hog in the wild when they arrive... I would like to greet them and say... "let me introduce you to Razor"!!! [smilie=1:

[fourarmed]

Maven, there is a product called "Deer Fencing" or similar. It is very fine-strand material, similar to monofilament but black, woven into about 1" mesh. It is 6' wide, I forget how long the roll is. It takes almost no substructure to hold it up, in fact you can simply drape it over shrubs, etc. Deer will not mess with it. It saved my grapes. I have strong doubts about the repellants, but this will keep them out.

[StarMetal]

I have two stealth (all black) German Shepherds. They keep EVERYTHING out of the yard and well, property.

Joe

[Ranch Dog]

You are right about that Joe. My Sheila dog kept everything in order before her passing.