deer

Article in September Progressive Farmer: Deer problems discussed, Wisconsin used as an example. Deer harvest in 2015 was 310,000 animals, down from about 500,0in 2006. The best year on record was 2000 when they took 615,000. Wisconsin's deer population is 1.4 million. It is estimated that the deer population works out to be 9.3 per square mile, but in some areas the density is more than 50 per square mile. Farmers claim $2 million in crop damages per year but unreported crop damage may approach $30 million. One problem is fewer hunters. Another is lack of communication between hunters, land owners, and the state. One expert pushes for longer hunting seasons and more anterless deer hunting opportunities.

Wisconsin, of course, is not alone. 70 years ago the total US deer population numbered less than Wisconsin's present day annual harvest. The experts estimate that today the US has 30 million deer. In 1930 we had 300,000.

Fencing is an expensive way to keep deer out. The article shows a 8 foot high electric fence with 6 to 9 wires. Based on my garden experience a single wire chest high has a good chance of keeping deer out, but I also have 2 wires close to the ground to keep raccoons out. They also suggest a 10 foot woven wire fence which is too expensive for any but very valuable crops. This is basically the kind of fence I have seen on game farms.

KEH

I was 14 years old before I saw my first deer, now uncommon not to see one every day

Five years ago in my neighborhood of Eastern Nebraska, you couldn't walk out of the house without stumbling over a couple of deer.

Then they got a fever of some sort. Wasn't dangerous to humans, but deer died off by the dozens. The fever caused them to crave water, and a buddy of my found a stack of 22 dead by a creek. They're kinda scarce around here right now, but the herd is recovering.

It seems to be situational. A hundred miles from here they didn't seem to be effected.

In 1900 in the state of Nebraska they estimate there were less than 100 deer in the entire state. In 2015 they estimate there was about 490,000. This is what no natural predators does.

Agreed, Jim.

I was 18 before seeing my first deer and that was in the Jefferson Proving Ground near Madison, IN. These days it is a rare day indeed when I do not see several.

The population explosion is largely due to the failure of nearly all of the productive small farms that once were kept clear. After WWII, such small farms became non viable sources of full time livelihood, and nearly all are no longer well maintained. As a result, once clear pastures for small dairy and beef herds have reverted to wilderness providing necessary cover for increased populations of deer.

I gave up gardening over 20 years ago due largely to deer. No I do not have a dog and do not want one.

Dean

I never saw deer on this land or anywhere in the town, vicinity or elsewhere for my 1st 15 years as well. It's true about the small farms and land associated, the aerial photography of this location in '52 tells it all, no trees in most areas, fence lines everywhere, with some wood lots. No deer, no deer flies, no ticks, no gnats or blackflies to speak of. Its amazing to look back, no geese either !

Damage to a garden because of deer, can be easily thwarted with deer repellent spray you can get at TSC. I planted a 50 x 70 patch of sweet corn a few years ago, sprayed it as needed and there was little damage. My smaller garden is next to the house and has a cyclone fence around it, just spray the vicinity and they hate the odor of that. Neighbors flower garden decimated by deer, used that spray, no damage at all.

Society fails or its armageddon, all those deer will be gone in a hurry. They are thick around here now, but with the hunting license and permits, there's a large freezer full of good healthy red meat to have if you want to do the work. I've done it for years and always keep quite a bit of it on hand from season to season.

I read that article.....they also mentioned a study that 2 bucks & 4 does can grow into a herd of 160 in 6 yrs. Also, herds can double in size in one yr.

KEH, for your garden, try this. The Mo. Department of Conservation claims 2 wires, one at 3-4 feet, the other at 6-7 feet. The top wire is offset about 3 or 4 feet closer to the garden than the bottom wire. This messes up their depth perception, and they won't try to jump it. Tie on some orange ribbon strips for their viewing pleasure.

We put a 10 foot woven fence around our garden to keep the deer, elk, and moose out. Finished all but a narrow gate and put a pallet in front of it overnight. Five deer found their way inside the fence that night. I tried (unsuccessfully) the impossible task of herding 5 deer towards the narrow gate opening and back out of the garden. Two of the deer actually jumped the 10 foot fence to get back out once I showed up (caught their hind legs a bit on the way over but survived the tumble). The other three found a way to jump and squeeze through one of the wider rectangles in the woven wire fence, stretching it apart. Amazing what they can do when when their adrenaline starts pumping.

In the wisdom of Wi DNR they have come up with so many different kinds of hunting that a lot of the gun hunters don't even bother anymore. We have a youth hunt and bow hunt and probably a few more before the rifle season. By the time the rifle season comes about the deer have been so spooked that the gun hunter has less of a chance of seeing a deer. A rifle hunter stands a better chance of killing a deer than the youth hunter or bow hunter.

I have deer on my property every day. Come rifle season (always over Thanksgiving week) I'll be out there, but I won't be shooting any does. I'm not a trophy hunter. Never tasted any antlers that I wanted to eat so size doesn't matter.

2 years ago after neighbor got his corn out of 1 probably 60-80 acre field I counted 360 deer in the field munching on the leftovers. On my 40 acre patch of hay it is nothing to see 40-70 deer in there munching on alalafa. No use even attempting to reseed it, they destroy it as soon as it comes up. Grand son and I put out a acre of sweet corn this year--money to be used for his college. put up the electric fence, got nothing of it, deer went over 7' tall electric fence, turkeys went between the lower wires. Why are we as land owners being forced to feed something that we should have 100% control over? I am going to suggest the DNR install a 15' tall electrified fence around the gov's mansion and turn in a couple of hundred deer. If we have to feed them, the gov ought to do his share too. YOU guys planting food plots don't know the problems you are facing. I can take a tractor to the field and they will be within 15-20 feet of me, stand there and just watch me go by.

I keep the deer out of my garden with one thin strand of steel wire mounted about 18-inches off the ground. They tear down a few times each year, but stay away after that. Put used coffee grounds around your flowers to keep the deer from eating them. You have to keep adding fresh grounds, though. Another benefit, the grounds are also around 2% nitrogen.

We call them land carp. There were 19 in my back yard a while back. They keep fences torn down and there is at least one a month hit on the highway along my place. The DNR lengthened the season and increased the limit but so many of the weekend Dan'l Boone types are only after antlers.

My post should have said, a single strand of "electric" fence wire.