Corn School Question?

I get out there with my little Fergy, plow disc, planter, cultivator.

I plant my sweet corn patch.

not 100 away, the next door farmer has 50 ac+ of beautiful turbo charged field corn that looks great.

but the deer, coons, whatever, come up at night and decimate my little corn patch and leave the field corn standing tall.

how do I stop them without having to set out there each night with my rifle?

any thoughts as this crop is gone, between large rains every other day and animals, the corn was a total bust. last year was a total bust due to dry weather.

guess I will try another year, but need some help with the animal issue.

thanks.

Hang a few old CD's on monofilament fishing line around the area. They will move in the slightest breeze, and reflect almost no light. Unnerves the boldest of deer.

Human hair from your loacal barber shop scattered throughout the garden... I have used blood meal (sold as rose food) to keep 'em out of my garden beans. Have to renew application regularly, especially after rain/sprinkling.I use a plastic spice dispenser with large holes in cover, walk down rows, shaking it on plants. Heard today, thet llama droppings keep deer at bay... Since I have a couple llamas, gonna try that next!

Electric fence is about all that will work around here. One strand as low as possible, second strand about 5-6 inches above first strand, and third strand on top of post (which is about three feet or so off the ground). I use fiberglass step in posts with the hooks for hanging wire allready on them - old leftovers from temporary fenceing my brother had for his sheep years ago.

I have the same problem with the deer/bear/coons in my sweet corn. The deer are going to prefer your sweet corn rather than your the next door farmers feed corn. An old farmer told me he plants his field feed corn on the outside and keeps his sweet corn in the middle of his corn patch. Don't know how good it works but might be worth a shot.

Kirk

Thanks to all for your comments:

will try the electric wire next year.
blood meal trick,

But a bear, if a bear is getting my sweet corn then he can just have it, will not tangle with him, his mama might be lurking back in the woods.

I do grow (honey select) its a triple sweet brand sweet corn and have been told it's very good.

maybe that is why the varmint’s are so after it.

thanks again for your input.

will keep the thrown out cd's I pick up along the road on my walks and save them to hang on next years corn crop.

The cd's work. Have not had a coon or deer problem since I started hanging them about 4 years ago a small light on my shop at 200 to 300 feet away gives enough light to scare them off.Richard in NWSC

DVD's with hunting videos will work better. LOL

Old market gardener in madison, wisconsin area used to keep his field safe by going to the zoo for lion and tiger scat (sh*t) and spreading it at edge of fields. Deer got close enough to smell it and left quick. a similar sort of drill used by hound pack owner who got road kill deer to feed to the pack and used the clean up bags as field boundry markers- the smell of carnivor"s droppings- especially one that has been eating deer-repels the prey species as simple survivla instinct. SO, if you can find a accomidating zoo with large cats needing some floor cleanup disposal, might try the natural repellant. Carnivor scat is not recommended for composting so the cat keeper would prefer to not pay to put it into garbage dumpster at $20.00+ a load to dispoase of, what the zoo noted at the time of article was usual alternative to giving it to the farmer. A crossbow with a night scope may be "legal" compared to .300 Whisper with Maxin or Worbell silencer for deer control as noted to be used by Dane County for the north side of Madison deer that are a traffic threat. The SSS method should be slightly modified to SS and then rock lined barbecue pit wood fire started, wrap corn nibbler pieces in aluminum foil or large covered pot then cover for 8 hours with light layer of dirt. Teasing Alert! RN

I have been very lucky. I have not lost any sweet corn to raccoons. The deer get a few stalks of field corn but the raccoons never. Rabbits and beans are another story.

Larry

Don't try the SSS on that bear. He's wearing a locator collar.