The Fence Post

Safety Risks and Slow Motion

The deer population has been an ongoing concern for several reasons. They’re a safety risk near roadways and a nuisance in urban areas. Do you remember the movie “Bambi?” That’s the term commonly used when referring to deer. My first encounter with a deer was at age nine. I remember riding in a car one fall morning along a country road lined with flat open fields and barbed wire fencing. Suddenly, my eyes fixed on a brown object moving at an unbelievable speed towards the road. A deer suddenly leapt over the fence in front of the car. Everything moved in slow motion as the deer slid onto the hood and smashed through the windshield where its long neck and head came to rest between the driver and me. Fortunately, no one was injured. The deer was not so lucky. True story!

Deer Control 

The Northeast and other areas have seen damage from white-tailed deer on crops, orchards, and residential landscaping. Community developments in rural areas have forced deer to look for new food sources in gardens, and even lawns. Destruction of vegetation in communities has generated awareness for new methods of deer control in conjunction with deer fencing materials: polypropylene, vinyl-coated hex netting, and high tensile deer fence.

Integrated Pest Management

The EPA definition - Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.

The IPM approach can be applied to both agricultural and non-agricultural settings, such as the home, garden, and workplace. IPM takes advantage of all appropriate pest management options including, but not limited to, the judicious use of pesticides.

An Integrated Pest Management approach is a strategic approach to dealing with deer. The University of Rhode Island landscape horticulture program lists a fact sheet online with an (IPM) control plan that lists effective methods to control deer.

Making Progress: Three Steps

Before instituting an effective IPM method it’s important to take the following three steps:

1. Define your objectives by identifying your short and long-term goals.
2. Analyze the site by noting the damage done, plants eaten, and size of the deer herd if possible.
3. Develop a plan by having a budget and deciding what tactics to employ. You can put all this together in an IPM approach to your deer control problem with greater success.

A Deer Fence that Delivers Results

Deer fence is one of the ways of implementing an IPM for deer control. Three types of mesh fences are available: 2" x 1-3/4" extruded black polypropylene, 1" black vinyl coated hexagonal mesh, and 12½ gauge high tensile woven wire. All are available in extra tall sizes. The type you choose can be determined by the steps listed above. Which is best suited to your needs?

Integrated Pest Management Strategy

Deer prefer to eat plants with soft leaves and fruit. It is not unusual for a deer to go through 5 to 10 pounds of plant matter a day. Some of their food sources include fruit trees, rhododendrons, maples, and oak. Once deer establish a pattern of behavior it is very hard to break. However, this scenario might have been avoided using an Integrated Pest Management strategy. For instance, some of the methods for reducing deer damage are population control which involves hunting, trapping, and introducing contraception to reduce the herd. Hunting is less expensive. But most areas have communities that are more tolerant of deer and the damage they cause and are against hunting them.

Reducing Damage

Education is vital for preventing and managing deer problems. Understanding the biology and ecology of the species of deer in your area is important in finding alternatives that could reduce the damage caused by deer. You should be aware of the areas they gather in and the times as well as the size of the herd. Learn the identity of the plants and vegetation that they prefer. This information can prove helpful in selecting a method for controlling damage. Before selecting your method, try to have a goal in mind of what you want to accomplish.

Height vs. Electricity

Repellents can be used on plants to discourage deer from eating them. They work by affecting the smell or taste and making it difficult for deer to eat. Sometimes, deer will still eat the plants if they are hungry enough.

Scare devices or noise-making devices that are produced using gas exploders, dogs, blank gunfire, and fireworks.

Fences are the most popular control method. Fences are usually limited to small areas such as orchards, gardens, high-value crops, or areas where deer are particularly abundant.  There are two general categories: passive and active exclusion.

• Passive exclusion fences are woven wire fences that are too tall for deer to jump. They are at least eight feet high since deer can normally jump anything less than eight feet. A well-designed and effective fence will consist of 12-foot posts placed at 40-foot intervals and set to a depth of 4-feet, with woven wire attached to the posts. The bottom of the fence should be at ground level.
• Two 4-foot widths of wire fencing joined one on top of the other and attached to the posts can be used to keep deer out. You can also use an 8-foot tall deer fence. If a taller fence is desire, a strand of high tensile electrical wire can be strung above the woven wire.
• A fence that slants away from the area to be protected is a very effective design as well. These particular structures are often permanent and can protect an area year-round and should last at least twenty years. This method is recommended for areas that have recurring problems with deer damaging crops.

• Active exclusion fences use electricity to keep deer out of an area. The smell or appearance of the fence attracts the deer but when they touch the fence with their noses, they receive an electrical shock. This conditions the deer to avoid the fenced area. These fences are less expensive to construct than exclusion fences but are sometimes less effective because hungry deer can learn to jump over them. These fences also require more maintenance.

When you have the right fencing system in place to protect your orchards or plants, you can be sure the “buck” stops here!

A Physical Barrier That Deer Cannot Jump Over

Crawl Under

or Crawl Through

Be Exclusive

Damage done to vineyards by deer can be both extensive and expensive. Several types of fence materials are available that can help reduce and possibly eliminate the deer problem in the vineyard. There are lightweight fences made from extruded plastic mesh. Fences that are made with single strand wires, and woven wire mesh are also available. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.

Plastic Fence Materials

Made from black, UV stabilized polypropylene, this extruded fence material has a mesh opening size of 2" x 1-3/4". The size of the rolls is 7-1/2' high x 164' long. The black color makes this deer fence virtually invisible when installed. Lightweight rolls are easy to work with. Although this fence can be torn and ripped if a deer charges through it or becomes entangled, the repair is fairly easy.

Easy to Use--Single Strand Wire

The fence material used for these fences is 12-1/2 gauge high tensile wire. There are two finishes available: Class 3 galvanized and zinc/aluminum with a black painted finish. Both have superior resistance to rust and corrosion and will last for years. Single strand wire fences for vineyards can be either vertical or slanted. Seven strands of wire are often used. The angled fence takes up more space. You can watch a video showing one installation. These fences are fairly inexpensive and easy to set up. 

A Fence that Endures

Woven wire fence materials for vineyards are available in a variety of heights, from 4' up to 10'. Woven from 12-1/2 gauge high tensile wires with heavy Class 3 galvanizing, these fences will last for years. Some specifications are available with a high rust and corrosion-resistant zinc/aluminum finish that is painted black. More attractive than bright galvanized wire, the black color becomes virtually invisible against the background. Woven fences are very strong and will not unravel. They are the most expensive and the hardest to install. Still, if you are a vintner, the security of knowing that your vines and grapes are safe is well worth this investment of time and resources.

Have you used any of these fence materials to address the deer problem?  Do you prefer one type over another?                                   

What Kind of Garden Fence Do You Need?

Will you build a new garden fence this year?

Are you wondering what kind of fences will work well in your garden?

There are several different types of fences available that are excellent for gardens.

Welded Wire

These fences offer the most choices. They're available in a wide variety of:

• gauges - 16, 14 and 12½
• mesh sizes - ½" x ½", ½" x 1", 1" x 1", 1" x 2", 2" x 2" and 2" x 4"
• finishes - galvanized before weld (GBW), galvanized after weld (GAW) and vinyl coated (VC)

In addition to the standard specifications listed above, there are other styles of fences that are designed for use in and around the garden. Some of these have smaller mesh openings at the bottom of the fence to keep out small animals.

Black Vinyl-Coated Hexagonal Netting - Effective, Long-Lasting

Lighter in weight than welded wire products.

• gauges - 20 and 18 gauges
• mesh sizes - 1" and 2"
• finishes - GBW, GAW, and VC

• gauges - 14.5 and 12½
• mesh sizes - 1" x 6" through 7" x 12"
• finishes - galvanized, zinc/aluminum, and black-painted

Apron Fence - A Very Strategic Barrier

These fences have a 12" apron at the bottom of the roll. Lay this on top of the ground to form a barrier. Animals cannot dig under the fence and enter your garden.

• gauge - 17
• mesh size - 1½"
• finishes - GBW and VC

These fences are labor savers. There is no need to dig a trench and bury the wire. Vegetation grows up through the apron, securely attaching it to the ground. The animals trying to dig into your garden will not realize that they must start their digging 12" away from the fence.

Hardware cloth - Strong and Durable

• Vinyl-coated 19 gauge wire welded into ½" x ½" mesh will discourage the smallest animals
• The vinyl coating extends the lifetime of the fence
• Rolls are 100' in length
• Three heights are available: 24", 36" and 48"

What kinds of fences have you used to protect your garden?  Are you considering all the different types of fences that are available before making your choice?  Do you prefer one type over another?

They're so Quiet, Beautiful, and Unmanaged

As deer become overabundant in some areas of the country, there are some unfortunate results:                 

• The diversity of the forest understory is reduced
• Native species of flora must increasingly compete with non-natives
• New growth and seedlings are damaged or eaten
• Smaller trees are damaged by deer rubbing against them
• With less diversity comes fewer songbirds as intermediate forest vegetation is lost

The presence of deer is becoming obvious. The intensity of the assault on your trees and shrubs seems to increase every year. In their search for fodder, your plantings become a readily available supply of food, replacing what is available during the warmer growing months.

Pruning That You Don't Want

Are you frustrated as you watch the deer eat and destroy the greenery on your property?

And are you discouraged by the sight of the trees you planted being nibbled and stripped?

Addressing the problem is next, but how to proceed? Some answers:

Your Plants and Trees Protected

Deer fencing can protect your trees and shrubs. You can use it to surround individual plantings. Deer fence can also be used as a protective perimeter fence around your entire property. In both cases, you prevent deer from having access to what you want to protect.

Three types of deer fence available:

1. Galvanized high-tensile woven wire fence, also known as deer and wildlife fence, is heavy, very strong, and highly effective. 330' rolls are available in different heights from 48" through 120", these fences offer the best protection. Some sizes are available with wire that is painted black. The black color enables the wire to blend with the background making the fence virtually invisible. The horizontal and vertical wires are securely locked together by a third wire in a "fixed knot" construction.
                                                                                                                                                                   
2. Black vinyl-coated woven wire deer fence is made from 20 gauge, 1" hexagonal mesh. Basically chicken or poultry wire that has been coated with a thick layer of black PVC, this lighter weight fence can be used as an effective barrier. Lighter and easier to work with than the deer and wildlife fence, the underlying wire is protected from rust and corrosion. Rolls are 150' long and up to 84" tall. 90" height is available in 100' rolls.
                                           
3. Black polypropylene deer fence with a 2" x 1.75" extruded mesh is the easiest to work with and install. Particularly effective in protecting individual trees and shrubs, this versatile fence can also be used to secure larger areas. 7.5' x 164' rolls are lightweight. The black color makes this fence unobtrusive.

Which fencing solution would you choose or have you chosen?

Would you consider a fence, or do you have a different solution to the problem?