Deer Damage

[tree md]

I was just watching a discovery channel episode on most dangerous animals in US to humans.

#1 was deer. Had three jump in front of the vehicles last year alone, all avoided but were within a couple feet. Thanks to peripheral view, gut feelings, and some good brakes. If you see one slow down since they usually more.

What many don't understand that if the population is not controlled mother nature will control the #'s. Starvation/famine are much worse for the animal to suffer through. Seen many carcases in the woods after a long bad winter with little nut production.

Maine has been going through mother nature controlling the population the past couple of years. With the high snow amounts the coyotes were using the logging roads to herd and trap them.

Yes, mother nature will most certainly take care of her own. Deer are not unlike rabbits very much when left unchecked. Rabbits are a good model because it is well known of their breeding and life cycle. Rabbits reproduce very fast and reach a point where their habitat will no longer support the exploding population. The population then crashes and the whole cycle starts over again.

Deer do the same thing but on a much larger scale when left unchecked. Not only do they destroy their own habitat when they get to the point of making browse lines, they destroy it for most other animals where the rabbit does not. Left unchecked to the point where they are making browse lines they are reaching critical mass and the population is about to crash (in a forest setting). Once they have done the damage to the ecosystem it can take more than a decade for the habitat to rebound to the point where it will support a good herd of deer or anything else. That is why hunting is the best tool to keep deer in check and maintain healthy herd numbers for the sake of the deer and all other animal populations.

 

[isaaccarlson]

get an Air Force Condor and a 9mm barrel.......

would do a number on a deer without doing much/any collateral damage.

 

[indiansprings]

We had a herd of 18 or 19 that would be on our alfalfa field every evening, about three or four years ago, we had losts of Laotian's move into our area from Michigan and Minnesota to take part in a 2% government loan guarantee program on poultry farms to the Lao's. My lord if you see a deer now it's a miracle, they see a vehicle stop and their in high gear. Between them and the illegal immigrants that work in the chicken plants wildlife has taken a beating in our area. You ought to see them fish, string nets across the creeks, rivers and get a bunch of beaters walking downstream. It's hurt the small mouth fishing in our area.

 

[deer slayer]

I bow hunted 2 properties in Montgomery co MD. The deer came through like a train. After taking 9 of them (all does), they got a little skittish..It was nothing to see 20 to 40 deer in an afternoon. I donated some but filled 3 chest freezers first. As far as trophy hunting, not in my game plan either. I've never tried to eat antlers don't think I ever will....If they present me a shot first, It gets whacked...These owners invested in the fencing prior to allowing hunters, they pawed through it like it was butter....

 

[deer slayer]

About the neighbors, MD bow season comes in pretty early. September 15, lots a foliage on trees still. What they don't see wont hurt them!!!

 

[Treecutr]

Yeah Rob, she just has to make sure she doesn't live by a PETA member (People Eating Tasty Animals), or she may get a hassle.

By the way, if God didn't want us eating Deer, why did he make them out of meat ?

I love Deer................................................right next to my mashed potatoes!!!

 

[Wishie22]

get an Air Force Condor and a 9mm barrel.......would do a number on a deer without doing much/any collateral damage.

You got me to do some research.
But that pellet gun currently does not have a 9mm option (might drop like a rock, its just a larger caliper).
Offered in .177 (4.5mm), .20 (5.0mm), .22 (5.5mm)
Typical Groups in 1" at 75 yards

For that price I would get a Ruger 10/22 target
1/2" group at 50 yards.
Allot more fun and you can mod these as much as your heart desires
Ever see what one will do when set up to shoot stingers properly. I would favor this over the condor, but still not for deer...you have to be one excellent marksmen for that.

If 9mm is your choice, I seen a few Beretta rifles. Just not recommended for hunting as one may typically think, more like an assault.

I can recall tracking them for several hundred yards after being shot with 12 gauge slugs.

 

[mndlawn]

DeerPro

We have had great luck with DeerPro Winter Formula.

 

[Dale]

You ought to see them fish, string nets across the creeks, rivers and get a bunch of beaters walking downstream. It's hurt the small mouth fishing in our area.

IndianSprings, don't you have wildife/fish agents down there ? Wardens. PA does a fair job at weeding out consistent poachers. Maybe all you residents can form some sort of action committee to try and get them caught. Probably sly little Devil's eh ? Black outfits and work under the cover of darkness.

 

[purplewg]

The electric fence charger is what we used a few times. If you want to find them in the morning, run a bare 115VAC line and hang those pie plates from them. Your breakfast will be waiting for you in the morning right where they stood.

We have a huge hog problem here. Tearing up pastures, sod fields, hay fields, crops, you name it.

 

[pdqdl]

A practically fool proof barrier for deer is TWO fences, set about 3' apart. They can jump one, but they won't try two.

 

[tree md]

I have heard that Moth balls will keep them away but I've never tried it myself.

 

[poulson01]

I hate to say it but unless you get the whole neighborhood (maybe even the whole town) on board, you don't stand a chance. I've tried everything I can think of.
Netting, they get wise to it and rip it to pieces.
Electric fences, you can bait them and they'll work. You have to walk the fence twice a day to keep it baited and to make sure a deer hasn't walked through it. Eventually, it'll fail and the deer will get wise and ignore it.
Scents and repellents work for a while, until the deer get used to it and ignore it. Some plants, deer are supposed to hate. I've seen deer eat Geraniums and rip out Lavender.
Hunting, you'd have to hunt every day for ever to keep them under control.

This is my old diesel Golf beater about a week after I fitted it with a pieced together cow catcher.
Better believe every one of my trucks has one!

Edit: I'll try that one again!

 

[Ljute]

We live in the suburbs between MD and DC and have a deer problem. Now that we are currently under tons of snow, the deer are eating my pine trees - OK, they are destroying them. There is nothing (believe me, we have tried everything!!!!) to deter the deer. How can I save my trees? I am worried about them. There are probably 10 or so that we fear we will lose. I know people say fences work - we have seen them stand on the hind legs to reach the leaves. I have never seen anything like it. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Pruning tips, etc. We just want to save them - can't afford new trees!

thanks.

k

What good are pine trees? Everybody knows they cause chimney fires! :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[pdqdl]

Try two fences.

It's quite a bit of bother and expense, but it will keep them out. You could try just a small area, then see the results.

 

[poulson01]

They would have to be chain link or something. $$$$$$
Deer netting isn't strong enough. If they get caught in it (or inside the fenced in area) they tear it to pieces.
If anyone finds the answer, let me know!

If deer were worth money, I'd be a millionaire!
That should me my sig!

 

[purplewg]

Well, you could tie a dog out there. They won't come around. At least our little scrawny deer here won't.

 

[poulson01]

If you tied a dog in my yard, it'd just bark its self to death. Also, barking dogs will get you a $500 fine here.
I have three dogs. The deer just wait for them to leave. Deer run faster then dogs and they just toy with them and tire them out. Or, the big bucks chase the dogs.:monkey:
I tried chasing them with my truck. They just wait in the tree line 'till I go away. I've had bucks threaten me a couple times. It's hard not to lose it and go on a killing spree. They're some cocky little bastrds I'll tell ya!

 

[Walt41]

My gallon jug of "deer off" arrived today. I will post results in a few days, right now I estimate my deer damage this year to be at least $10,000.

 

[Dale]

$10,000.... Whoa !!!