Deterring Deer and Other Critters
Original Presentation by Bob Nixon
Presented by
Kent Phillips Howard County MG
kent.a.phillips@gmail.com
College of
Agriculture and
Natural Resources
2
Deterring Deer and Other Critters
• This presentation can be found on the Howard
County Master Gardener website
– https://extension.umd.edu/mg
– Click on MG Contacts tab
– Click on Howard County Master Gardeners
– Click on Grow It! Eat It!
– Click on GIEI Howard County Presentations
How to Garden Successfully
in Deer Country
Suggestions to help you grow vegetables, flowers, &
other plants where deer eat just about everything
What we’re going to discuss
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Facts about deer
Publications about deer & gardening
Deer, vegetables & small fruits
Recipes for venison
Deer & flowers (perennials)
Deer & shrubs & trees
7-point summary
Other Critters
Deer, love'em or …
Maryland deer history
• 1634: Fr. Andrew White, priest & journalist, wrote that
deer were so plentiful “that they are rather an annoyance
than an advantage.” Native Americans and colonists used
deer for food & clothing, with increasing exports of
venison & hides to Europe.
• 1729: Legislature prohibited deer hunting between
January 15 and July 31. Fine: 400 lbs. of tobacco for each
infraction.
• 17th through 19th Centuries: Forests of eastern and
central counties cleared for agriculture. Natural
predators—wolves, mountain lions, bears—exterminated.
No limits on deer killed.
Deer in the 20th Century
• 1902: So few deer remained in Maryland that hunting
was prohibited
• 1910 deer population (est.)
– U.S.A., 500,000
– Maryland, <2000, nearly all in 4 western counties (Garrett, Allegany,
Washington, & Frederick)
– Howard County, zero to <100
• 1910s through 1930s: Deer imported from Michigan
and Pennsylvania. Then the increasing local herds used to
establish new herds around state.
• 1927: Deer hunting resumes in Allegany County, with
five bucks killed.
Deer now
• 2011 to 2012 Maryland hunting season
– 98,029 killed statewide
– 2,999 killed in Howard County
– Ratio of 2.5 to 1 antlerless to antlered
• Current deer population (est.)
–
–
–
–
U.S.: >20 million
Maryland: <230,000
Howard County: >10,000 or <40/square mile
Sustainable: 15 to 20/square mile
Howard County parks & lands
• FLIR technology used for annual survey (2009)
• Low concentration: Schooley Mill, 17.2/square
mile
– 5/0.29 square mile
• High concentration: Belmont, 450/square mile
– 90/0.2 square mile
• Average of 16 areas: 46.1/square mile
– 772/16.73 square miles
• Feeding pressure is very high because of
overpopulation
Detailed information
• Maryland White-tailed Deer Plan 2009-2018,
83 pp:
http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/hunt_trap/pdfs
/2009-2018marylandwtdeerplan.pdf
• Howard County Comprehensive Deer
Management Plan
www.howardcountymd.gov
Search for “deer management plan”
Deer diet
• January to March: Coniferous browse, deciduous
bark & dry leaves, acorns and other nuts, winter
fruits such as rose hips, sumac, & poison ivy (4 to 5
lbs/day).
• April to June: Herbaceous plants & grasses
followed by buds & shoots of shrubs & trees (7 to
10 lbs/day).
• July & August: Herbaceous vegetation, young
leaves, new growth of shrubs and trees, gardens.
• September to December: Soft (fruits) & hard
(nuts) mast. Acorns make up to 50% of diet.
Bramble leaves, mushrooms, gardens.
Typical diet, but …
“Deer will attempt to eat almost anything if their
population is high and they are running out of
food. That happens most often in times of
drought or near the end of a colder-than-normal
winter.” Scott Aker, horticulturist, U.S. National
Arboretum, in his “Digging In” column,
Washington Post
Why do deer
prefer tender
grasses and
herbaceous
plants, buds,
leaves, and new
growth of
shrubs and
trees?
They have incisors only on the bottom, so they
pull/pinch rather than cut their forage. Their
bottom incisors impact on upper pad of cartilage.
Bob’s favorite book
Chapter 1: Deer (56 pages)
Chapter 21: Research on
Deer (5 pages)
Chapter 22: Deer-Resistant
Plants (37 pp., with list of
1,000+ plants in
categories)
Chapter 23: Profiles of DeerResistant Plants (65
pages)
935.0496S All 6 HoCo Libraries
Other books
Rhonda Hart, Deer Proofing Your Yard & Garden (1997)
635.0496H (5 HoCo Libraries)
Bill Adler, Jr., Outwitting Deer (1999)
635.0496A (All 6 HoCo Libraries)
Vincent Drzewucki, Jr., Gardening in Deer Country (1998)
635.0496D (4 HoCo Libraries)
Favorite Websites & Publications
• https://extension.umd.edu/woodland/yourwoodland/publications-library-wildlife-and-insectdamage
• Fact sheet 635 & 635a – Resistance of Woody
Ornamentals to Deer Damage
– Fact Sheet 810 – Repellents
• http://njaes.rutgers.edu/deerresistance/
– Landscape Plants rated by Deer Resistance
– Searchable and color coded
– Website contains information on trees, shrubs, vines,
annuals, perennials, & bulbs that are
•
•
•
•
Rarely damaged
Seldom severely damaged
Occasionally severely damaged &
Frequently severely damaged
Favorite Websites (cont.)
• https://extension.umd.edu/woodland/yourwoodland/workshop-resources-library
– Bulletin 354c – Managing Deer Damage in Maryland
– Extensive information on
• Vegetation management – planting vegetation less preferred by
deer
• Deer repellents including costs
– Most are for use on non-edible plants
• Fencing including costs
– Electric
– Plastic
– Metal
• Management by population reduction
Vegetables & Small Fruits Deer Don’t eat
1. “Can’t think of one”
2. Onions and Garlic
3. Some herbs, such as rosemary, parsley,
fennel, mints, sages
Keeping Deer Out
of the Vegetable Garden
• Recommendation – fencing is best
• See Extension Bulletin 354c
– Seven and a half to eight feet a must
• Plastic is cheapest
– Electric – works best if baited
– Contained dogs
– Repellent sprays
Lake Elkhorn Community Gardens
Electric Fence
Seven and a half foot plastic
Herding dog with “Invisible Fence”
works well
Taunting Gromit
Gromit
Photos: Cindy M.
Repellent sprays
• Evaluate repellent sprays by their active ingredient not
their name.
• Repellents may eventually fail, if so, rotate.
• Best results obtained if used prior to spring feeding
patterns being established.
• Repellent sprays for edibles must be labeled as such.
Always wash fresh fruits & vegetables before preparing
& eating them.
• Read label carefully and follow manufacturer
directions.
• Reapplication is necessary, especially after rains or
when plants are putting out new growth.
Repellents
HGIC Fact Sheet 810
• Repellents are generally more effective when the following
conditions exist:
–
–
–
–
–
Low to moderate deer pressure;
Light to moderate feeding damage;
Small acreage;
Repellents are not being used on adjacent properties, and
Alternative food sources are available.
• If any of the above conditions are not typical of your situation,
then you should compare the cost of using repellents to fencing
systems or other available deer management practices.
• Must be reapplied as new foliage appears
• Longer effectiveness on dormant plants
Deterring Deer From Eating The Landscape
What a wonderful cafeteria!
Recommendations for
Protecting Flowers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Plant resistant varieties (27 suggestions)
Have a good fence—or a deer-chasing dog
Plant in container on deck
Use repellent sprays
Learn to live with them
N.B./Nota Bene/Please Note
• This is not a definitive list. It is based on the
experience of 28 local gardeners.
• Deer diets differ from area to area.
• So please use these lists as a starting point for
your personal experimentation.
• Study other lists cited previously.
• Ask other neighborhood gardeners about
what works for them.
27 Deer-resistant Flowers
1. Daffodil 2. Bleeding Heart 3. Peony
4. Lily-of-the-Valley 5. Moss Phlox 6. Hardy Orchid
7. Garden Pinks 8. Stella d’Oro Daylily
9. Siberian Iris 10. Red Hot Poker 11. Lavender
12. Salvia 13. Beardtongue 14. Rose Campion
15. Daisy 16. Allium 17. Butterfly Weed
18. Blazingstar 19. Threadleaf Coreopsis
20. Blanket Flower 21. Lamb’s Ear 22. Yarrow
23. Russian Sage 24. Goldenrod 25. Spotted Mint
26. Sweet Autumn Clematis 27. Ornamental Grasses
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
“Deer-resistant Dozen,” by Michelle Leise
Gardening How-To Magazine, Feb. 2010
Bee balm (Monarda didyma)
Boxwood (Buxus spp.)
Daffodil (Narcissus spp.)
Hellebore (Helleborus spp.)
Lambs’ ears (Stachys byzantina)
Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
Ornamental grasses
Peony (Paeonia spp.)
Prostrate (or creeping) speedwell (Veronica prostrata)
Sage (Salvia spp.)
Siberian iris (Iris sibirica)
Spotted deadnettle (Lamium maculatum)
“Plants Deer Don’t Eat", Joel Lerner’s
Green Scene column, Post, April 20, 2010, E5
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Viburnums
Magnolias
Thorny hollies
Hellebores
Rohdeas
Foxgloves
Irises
Daffodils
Catmints
Recommendations for Protecting
Shrubs and Trees
1. Plant resistant varieties
2. Protect shrubs and tree
trunks against “rubbing”
3. Protect trees below
“browse line”
Deer-resistant Shrubs & Trees
S1.
S2.
S3.
S4.
Boxwood
Lilac
Heather
Butterfly Bush
T1. Junipers
T2. Spruces
Protect Shrubs & Trunks of Young Trees
from Fall “Rubbing”
Bucks remove dead
“velvet” and polish
their new antlers in
October and November
by using trunks of
young trees and
branches of shrubs
If the buck rubs through
the bark all around a
trunk, the tree may die
Howard County Recreation & Parks/Stream ReLeaf
program
More examples of rubbing
Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)
Redosier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)
Gifts from Howard County Recreation & Parks/Stream ReLeaf program
Protect trees below “browse line,” about 5’
from ground to lower limbs
Black gum (Tupelo) with trunk protector
and with cage to browse line
Use welded wire (2”x3”), not
plastic mesh or chicken
wire, plus two stakes, both
preferably iron to protect to
browse line. Hang wire
high enough for your
mower to clear.
Trunk protector can be
hardware cloth, plastic,
even plastic stake or rebar.
Howard County Recreation &
Parks/Stream ReLeaf program
Summary of suggestions for successful
gardening in deer country
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Install a fence
Plant resistant varieties
Buy a dog to chase deer out of your yard
Be a persistent sprayer
Protect shrubs & young trees up to the “browse line”
(about 5’+)
Remember that deer don’t read “don’t eat” lists and in
tough times will eat about anything
Plant enough so you won’t mind sharing some
Keep reading and comparing notes with other gardeners
Relax! Deer are part of the environment!”
Bob’s blog…
www.ancientgardenerblog.blogspot.com
“Deer Country” series includes small
segments from this PowerPoint program. Find
a posting in the series, click on “Label:
DeerCountry” at the end of the posting, and
you’ll get a list of all the “Deer Country”
postings, including most of the photographs.
Other Nuisance Wildlife
•
•
•
•
•
Woodchucks
Squirrels
Raccoons
Skunks
Voles
Information on Nuisance Wildlife
• Nuisance Wildlife Information Line (NWIL)
– 1-877-463-6497 8 am to noon and 1 to 5 pm.
– Maintains a list of Nuisance Wildlife Control
Cooperators.
• www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife
• Home and Garden Information Center
– https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/informationlibrary/home-and-garden-information-centerpublications#wildlife
– HG 90 Dealing with Nuisance Wildlife
– Wildlife Tips
Woodchucks
Gardener’s Enemy No. 2
Woodchuck Control
• Fencing — woodchucks can climb
– Metal wire fence 4 feet tall with strand of electrified fence on top
– Same fence with top foot slanted outward at 45⁰ or leave top lose to fall
outward
– Bury fence a foot under ground or
– make an one foot L shape away from garden and bury several inches under
ground
•
Trapping — no permit required
– Live trap using Havahart style trap
• Bait with apple or cantaloupe
• Relocation — need a permit to relocate
– Euthanize — use a body trap or take animal to animal control
• No repellents registered for control
• Best removed in
– early spring when young are in the burrow or
– late fall prior to hibernation
Squirrels
• Squirrels are protected
– Must obtain a permit from NWIL if trapping and releasing.
Permission must be obtained from landowner to release
on property
• Fencing — same as for woodchuck
• Live trapping same as woodchuck, different bait
• Some registered repellents but they have a limited
success rate
• Squirrels love to take a bite out of tomatoes
– Cover tomatoes with paper bag to discourage
• Plant bulbs under wire that extends a foot beyond bulb
bed
Raccoons
•
•
•
•
•
Raccoons like corn and cantaloupe
No repellents registered
Fencing — must be electrified
Trapping — NWIL raccoon must be euthanized
Trash cans
– Buy ones with latches
– Bunge cord lid down tight
• Remove all outside food sources like bird feed
and dog food
Skunks
• Most homeowners hire a licensed nuisance
wildlife control cooperator to remove skunks
• Remove outside food sources like bird food
and dog food
Rabbits
• Most effective control is fencing
– S/B two feet tall and buried several inches in the
ground
Voles
• Can be destructive to root crops and tree or
shrub bark
• Use snap traps
– baited with apple or peanut butter
– baited with cotton balls — nesting material
• Modify habitat
–
–
–
–
Mulch s/b no more than an inch deep
Don’t use landscape fabrics
Mow weedy or overgrown areas
Increase plant spacing to reduce cover
Additional Wildlife Info
•
•
•
•
NWIL 1-877-463-6497
http://plantdiagnostics.bugwood.org/
click on wildlife tab
Publications from Internet Center for Wildlife
Damage Management
– http://icwdm.org/
The End
This program was brought to you by
Maryland Master Garden Program
Howard County
University of Maryland Extension