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Where Do They Live
The habitat for deer will vary depending on the type of deer, but it’s not uncommon for them to live in parks, woods, swamps, mountains, open land and forests. Because they are able to blend in with the trees and foliage in some areas, it offers them a sense of comfort. Not to mention, these areas contain an abundant source of food for them.
What Do They Eat
A deer is considered an herbivore who can eat up to 5 lbs of food a day such as twigs, bark, clover, green leaves, grass, vegetation, shoots, woody shrubs, fruits and nuts.
Deer Nuisances
Deer can cause a lot of damage. Not only is their population increasing forcing them to look for food sources outside of their habitat, but they cause damage to crops and landscaping plants as well as cause collisions between themselves and vehicles. Many of them carry diseases such as the Lyme disease.
How to Get Rid of Them
A homeowner may find deer in their yard because they are forced to look for food in other places, considering their homes are often overpopulated. However, there are many methods that people can try to get rid of deer but these methods should not be harmful to the deer in any way. While most of them can be effective, they are only temporary solutions. Someone who wants to get deer off their property for good can only get guaranteed results by consulting with a qualified expert.
Do Repellants Work
There are different types of repellants used for deer such as electronic repellants, area repellants and contact repellants. An electronic repellant is normally attached to a tree where deer activity has been recorded. This device is supposed to produce a sound that scares the deer off.
Contact deer repellants are purchased in the form of a liquid spray that homeowners can spray onto their plants and other areas in their yard where they don’t want deer to eat. The spray supposedly delivers a bad taste that sends the deer looking elsewhere for food.
Area repellants are similar to contact repellants but can be bought in powder form to put around the perimeter of your yard. This powder supposedly delivers a smell that the deer just can’t handle.
It’s true that all of these things can be effective but only for a certain period of time. Not to mention, you have to keep using these products for them to continuously keep deer out and that can seriously deplete your pockets over time.
Fences
In order for a fence to be effective, you will need to have a fence installed in your yard that is 10 feet high and one foot beneath the ground. People have used regular fences as well as electric fences. If deer can do damage to your car, they can certainly do damage to a fence. Electric fences are dangerous not only to the deer, but to other animals, pets and humans as well and are not recommended.
Traps/Netting
While there are many ways to trap a deer, the most effective way is through the use of nets. You may choose to use drop nets in your backyard that are tied to trees that are at least 50 feet apart. These nets will have limbs that sit away from the ground about 30 feet. A rope is then stretched along the limbs consisting of a pulley that hangs over the bait. Through the pulley into a hole where the blind is, another rope is tied to another tree behind it. The net has corners that are then pulled so that they don’t drape too closely to the bait using a release connector. When the deer moves in for the bait, he tugs the pulley which activates the release connector dropping the net onto the deer.
This method can capture several deer but people who have used these are professionals and knew what they were doing. Trying to do this on your own can get you hurt considering deer can be very aggressive animals.
