Now that spring is here and the earth has dried up enough for workplace to be done , I ’m quick to harness the construction of a big ( and hopefully bring down ) fence to protectthe unseasoned orchard that I planted last summerfrom being softly consumed by thirsty deer .
In preparation for the undertaking , I ’ve done a lot of inquiry about the type of fence I ’ll need . How high should it be ? How strong should it be ? Are there any special considerations to keep in mind ?
at last , I ’ve sink on make an eight - foot barrier made from black charge plate deer fencing , but along the style I ’ve learned a lot of helpful tip that I ’ll put to utilize . If you ’re considering building a similar fence to keep deer out of yourorchardorgarden , let me deliver you some enquiry and partake these five insights that I ’ve learned .
1. Make the Deer Fence Tall
Deer are remarkably athletic animal , capable of jumping extraordinary superlative . The ecumenical consensus is that a single , erect fencing must be at least eight foot tall to prevent them from bound over it .
2. If the Fence Isn’t Tall, Make It Deep
An alternative to a tall fence is the construction of two shorter fences , one inside the other , with a gap of five or six feet between them . cervid can jump high , and they can pass over a recollective distance , but they ca n’t do both at once . They also have poor eyesight , and a double barrier — even if neither one is particularly tall — is an obstacle too imposing for them to jump . you’re able to achieve a similar effect by slanting a grandiloquent fence outwards so that it looms as a wider and seemingly risky roadblock , at least in the minds of the deer .
3. Make Sure the Bottom Is Secure
If they ca n’t jump over it , they ’ll seek to go under it . For charge plate and weld wire fences , check that the bottom of the fencing is secured to the terra firma in between posts — otherwise , persistent deer will nose around the base and quite peradventure crawl underneath . I design to use average alloy tent interest to pin down my fencing every six feet or so .
4. Limit Space Between Posts
cervid can exert a lot of press on fencing , so avoid spreading the posts too far apart , which place more pressure on the fence itself ( the decrepit link ) rather than on the hardy stake . It also increases the likeliness that the fence will sag in between posts and encourage deer to jump over . Eight to 12 groundwork between posts is an ideal length .
5. Attach Warning Ribbons
Black plastic and welded wire fence can be unmanageable for deer to see , and the last affair you want is for a cervid to run headlong into a fence and break through . you may remedy this to some extent by tying brightly colored ribbons in between military post . These serve as a optical marker to admonish the deer that a barrier survive . Just do n’t connect the medal to the top of the fencing , give the deer a clearer picture of how high the fence stands — tie them about four feet above the primer instead .
Good luck keeping the deer at bay !
