Deer can cause extensive damage to landscapes by eating plants and trampling gardens. If you have deer frequently wandering onto your property, there are several effective deer deterrents you can use to help keep them away and protect your landscape. Following some key tips can help you safely and humanely discourage deer from treating your yard as an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Evaluate Your Landscape and Identify Vulnerable Areas
Take a walk around your property to identify potential deer entry points and any plants or areas that seem particularly vulnerable to deer grazing. Make note of any deer trails and signs of heavy deer traffic to get an idea of their common routes and favorite feeding areas. This will help you focus deterrents where they are needed most.
Particularly tempting landscapes for deer include:
- Flower and vegetable gardens
- Newly planted areas and seedlings
- Ornamental trees and shrubs
- Gardens along wooded edges
Plants deer tend to favor include:
- Hostas
- Roses
- Tulips
- Petunias
- Impatiens
- Daylilies
- Hydrangeas
Remove Deer Attractants
Eliminate anything in your yard that purposefully or inadvertently draws in deer. This includes:
- Fallen fruit from trees and shrubs
- Bird feeders – seeds attract deer as well as birds
- Compost piles – deer are attracted to the smell
- Trash cans or piles of garden clippings – may provide tasty scraps
Keeping your yard free of potential deer food sources helps remove a major attractant.
Use Physical Barriers
Install fencing or other enclosures around the most vulnerable parts of your landscape. A fence should be at least 8 feet tall to effectively deter deer, who can easily jump over shorter obstacles.
For smaller areas, individual plant cages or netting can protect specific plants. Just be sure the netting or cage materials have small enough openings that deer cannot get their noses or antlers through.
Inexpensive options like plastic garden fencing, chicken wire, or row covers can provide quick, simple barriers as well. Though less durable than metal or wood fencing, they still hamper deer ability to access plants.
Apply Repellents
Deer repellents create annoying or unpleasant sensations that prompt deer to avoid treated areas. They can be sprayed directly on landscape plants.
Popular types of repellents include:
- Soap-based sprays – Made from fatty acids and smell unpleasant to deer.
- Garlic or rotten egg sprays – Strong odors deter deer from browsing.
- Hot pepper sprays – Derived from peppers, they irritate deer senses.
- Predator urine – Simulates the presence of predators like wolves.
Look for repellents approved for use on edible gardens since some have ingredients that should not be used on food plants.
Reapply repellents every 1-2 weeks and after periods of heavy rain or watering which can dissipate the active ingredients. Focus on vulnerable plants and high deer traffic areas.
Use Motion-Activated Deterrents
Devices like sprinklers, lights, or noisemakers that are triggered by deer motion can give deer an unpleasant surprise and convince them to move on. Just be sure they are not so startling they become a nuisance to neighbors.
Position them along frequented deer trails and feeding hotspots. Use multiple devices for better coverage rather than just one in a small area. Deer can become desensitized if the deterrent is focused in too small a zone.
Apply Taste-Based Repellents
Substances with unpleasant tastes can be sprayed or painted directly onto surfaces deer browse on, like tree trunks and garden fixtures. The bad taste helps convince deer it’s not worth eating those items. Some common taste repellents are:
- Ammonia or vinegar diluted with water
- Bitter apple spray
- Hot sauce mixture
Reapply these frequently, as rainfall and new plant growth will wash away or cover the repellent.
Focus on items deer seem most attracted to, like the tender tips of tree branches within their reach. Never use anything toxic or harmful to deer with taste-based repellents. The goal is just to make them avoid treated items, not cause harm.
Use Scare Tactics
Motion-activated devices designed to startle deer with sounds or sights can be highly effective repellents, especially if moved around periodically so deer don’t become accustomed to them:
- Sprinklers triggered by deer motion
- Flashing lights
- Sounds from radios or other noisemaking devices
- Scarecrows moved frequently to new positions
- Pie pans, aluminum cans, or other items that clatter when moved by wind or rain
- Solar-powered ultrasonic devices that emit high-frequency sound waves only deer can hear
The key is placing these in areas of repeated deer activity and changing locations regularly to keep deer uncertain. Use multiple scare devices together for best results.
Consider Livestock Protection Dogs
For large properties with recurring problems, livestock protection dogs specially bred to repel predators and pests can also deter deer. Breeds like Great Pyrenees, Akbash, and Anatolian Shepherds have strong territorial instincts that make them aggressively chase deer and other intruders away from the land they guard.
If you install fencing around a significant portion of your property, a livestock guard dog can patrol the interior space and be quite effective at scaring off would-be deer invaders. But they do require special training and ample room to roam and play.
Apply Deer Repellents in Fall to Deter Browsing
Deer browsing tends to peak in late fall and winter when fewer natural food sources are available. Applying repellents during peak fall browse seasons can help deter deer before they form damaging browsing habits.
Focus repellent use on vulnerable plants and known deer trails to proactively protect your landscape before browsing peaks. Reapply frequently as the effects wear off.
Work With Neighbors for Community Deer Deterrence
Since deer freely roam throughout neighborhoods, working with surrounding households to implement deterrents can multiply effectiveness. Discuss with neighbors to select mutually agreeable options.
Coordinated deterrent use over a wider area leaves deer confused and unable to find refuge by simply moving next door. Just take care that any devices used don’t create problems for neighbors.
Be Persistent and Use Multiple Deterrents
Deer can be stubborn, so persistence is key when trying to retrain them to avoid your yard. Using a variety of different repellents and scare tactics together works better than a single measure alone.
Keep applying repellents frequently, move scare devices to new locations, and try different motions-activated deterrents over time. With consistent efforts on your part, deer will eventually learn your landscape is not a deer-friendly zone.
When All Else Fails, Call In Professionals
For severe deer infestations unresponsive to homeowner efforts, professional deer control services may be warranted. They have access to commercial-grade deterrents not available to average homeowners.
Options like high fence installation, trapping and removing deer, or culling programs to thin urban deer populations may be feasible if the deer nuisance is extensive enough.
Though expensive, such professional deer removal services can succeed where DIY efforts have repeatedly failed. Before taking this route, discuss options and local regulations with services to find a lawful, humane solution.
Frequently Asked Questions About Deer Deterrents
How long do deer repellents last?
Most repellents will be effective 5-30 days after application, or until washed away by rain or irrigation. Reapply every 1-2 weeks for best results.
Are dogs an effective deer deterrent?
Dogs confined by homes rarely keep deer fully away, but livestock guardian dogs roaming larger properties can deter deer. Their scent and barking triggers deer’s innate fear of predators.
Do deer deterrent lights work?
Motion-activated flashing lights can help startle deer away. But deer may become accustomed to them if used in just one location repeatedly. Move lights periodically to remain effective.
What scent repels deer the most?
Deer dislike the strong odors of predator urine, garlic, rotten eggs, ammonia, and vinegar. Sprays using these scents can deter deer from yards and gardens.
What home remedy keeps deer away?
A spray of garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and dish soap mixed with water can be an inexpensive but effective homebrew deer repellent. Reapply it frequently for best results.
What is the best deer repellent for flower beds?
Liquid fence sprays made from garlic, rotten eggs, or pepper derivatives tend to work well for flower beds without harming plants. Look for repellents specifically approved for ornamentals.
Will moth balls keep deer away?
No, moth balls are not an effective or safe deer repellent. Their fumes can bother other wildlife and pets. Use proven commercial repellents instead.
Conclusion
Deer can definitely be a nuisance, but with persistent efforts to make your landscape unappealing using various deterrents, you can train them to stop invading your yard and damaging plants. Pay attention to their entry points and feeding patterns, remove attractants, and focus multiple deterrent types in affected areas. With time, deer will seek greener pastures beyond your property line. Just be patient and consistent in hazing them whenever they appear. Follow these tips, and you can reclaim your yard and garden for yourself and your plants!