Original Presentation by Bob Nixon Presented by Kent Phillips Howard County MG kentaphillipsgmailcom 2 College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Deterring Deer and Other Critters This presentation can be found on the Howard County Master Gardener website ID: 807055
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Deterring Deer and Other Critters
Original Presentation by Bob NixonPresented byKent Phillips Howard County MG kent.a.phillips@gmail.com
Slide22
College of
Agriculture and
Natural Resources
Slide3Deterring Deer and Other Critters
This presentation can be found on the Howard County Master Gardener websitehttps://extension.umd.edu/mgClick on “Find an MG Program”Click on Howard County Master GardenersClick on Grow It! Eat It!Click on “GIEI Howard County Presentations”
Slide4Slide5Slide6How to Garden Successfully
in Deer Country
Suggestions to help you grow vegetables, flowers, & other plants where deer eat just about everything
Slide7What we’re going to discuss
Facts about deerPublications about deer & gardeningDeer, vegetables & small fruitsRecipes for venisonDeer & flowers (perennials)Deer & shrubs & trees7-point summaryOther Critters
Slide8Deer, love
'em or …
Slide9Maryland 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.
Slide10Deer in the 20
th Century1902: So few deer remained in Maryland that hunting was prohibited1910 deer population (est.)U.S.A., 500,000Maryland, <2000, nearly all in 4 western counties (Garrett, Allegany, Washington, & Frederick)
Howard County, zero to <1001910s 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.
Slide11Deer now
2015 to 2016 Maryland hunting season84,022 killed statewide2,334 killed in Howard CountyRatio of 2.4 to 1 antlerless to
antlered1,617 killed by vehicles 2015Current deer population (est.)U.S.: >20 millionMaryland: <214,000
Howard County: >10,000 or <40/square mile
Sustainable: 15 to 20/square mile
Slide12Howard County parks & lands
FLIR technology used for annual survey (2009) Low concentration: Schooley Mill, 17.2/square mile5/0.29 square mileHigh concentration: Belmont, 450/square mile90/0.2 square mileAverage of 16 areas: 46.1/square mile
772/16.73 square milesFeeding pressure is very high because of overpopulation
Slide13Detailed information
Maryland White-tailed Deer Plan 2009-2018, 83 pp:http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/hunttrap/pdfs/2009-2018marylandwtdeerplan.pdfHoward County Comprehensive Deer Management Plan www.howardcountymd.gov
Search for “deer management plan”
Slide14Deer 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.
Slide15Typical diet, but …
Anything if,Population is high andRunning out of foodHappens in times of drought,End
of hard winters
Slide16Why 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.
Slide17Bob’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 Deer-Resistant Plants (65 pages)935.0496S All 6 HoCo Libraries
Slide18Other 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)
Slide19Favorite Websites & Publications
University of Maryland’s “Woodland Stewardship”Scroll down to “Wildlife and Insect Damage”Rutgers University Landscape Plants rated by
Deer Resistance
Slide20Vegetables &
Small Fruits Deer Don’t eat“Can’t think of one”Onions and Garlic
Some herbs, such as rosemary, parsley, fennel, mints, sages
Slide21Keeping Deer Out
of the Vegetable GardenRecommendation – f
encing is bestSee Extension Bulletin 354cSeven and a half to eight feet a mustPlastic is cheapestElectric – works best if baitedContained dogsRepellent sprays
Slide22Lake Elkhorn Community Gardens
Slide23Electric Fence
Slide24Seven and a half foot plastic
Slide25Herding dog with “Invisible Fence”
works wellGromit Photos: Cindy M.
Taunting Gromit
Slide26Repellent 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.
Slide27RepellentsHGIC 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, andAlternative 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 appearsLonger effectiveness on dormant plants
Slide28Recommendations for
Protecting FlowersPlant resistant varieties (27 suggestions)Have a good fence—or a deer-chasing dog
Plant in container on deckUse repellent spraysLearn to live with them
Slide2927 Deer-resistant F
lowers1. Daffodil 2. Bleeding Heart 3. Peony4. Lily-of-the-Valley 5. Moss Phlox 6. Hardy Orchid7. Garden Pinks 8. Stella d’Oro Daylily9. Siberian Iris 10. Red Hot Poker 11. Lavender
12. Salvia 13. Beardtongue 14. Rose Campion15. Daisy 16. Allium 17. Butterfly Weed18. Blazingstar 19. Threadleaf Coreopsis20. Blanket Flower 21. Lamb’s Ear 22. Yarrow23. Russian Sage 24. Goldenrod 25. Spotted Mint26. Sweet Autumn Clematis 27. Ornamental Grasses
Slide30“Deer-resistant Dozen,” by Michelle Leise
Gardening How-To Magazine, Feb. 2010Bee 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)
Slide31“Plants D
eer Don’t Eat", Joel Lerner’sGreen Scene column, Post, April 20, 2010, E5ViburnumsMagnoliasThorny holliesHellebores
RohdeasFoxglovesIrisesDaffodilsCatmints
Slide32Deer-resistant Shrubs & Trees
S1. BoxwoodS2. LilacS3. HeatherS4. Butterfly BushT1. JunipersT2. Spruces
Slide33Recommendations for Protecting
Shrubs and Trees1. Plant resistant varieties2. Protect shrubs and tree trunks against “rubbing”
3. Protect trees below “browse line”
Slide34Protect trees below “browse line,” about 5’ from ground to lower limbs
Slide35Black gum (Tupelo) with trunk protector
and with cage to browse lineUse 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
Slide36Summary of suggestions for successful gardening in deer
countryInstall a fencePlant resistant varietiesBuy a dog to chase deer out of your yard
Be a persistent sprayerProtect 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 anythingPlant enough so you won’t mind sharing some
Keep reading and comparing notes with other gardeners
Relax! Deer are part of the environment!”
Slide37Other Nuisance Wildlife
WoodchucksSquirrelsRaccoonsSkunksVoles
Slide38Information 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 CenterHG 90 Dealing with Nuisance Wildlife
Slide39WoodchucksGardener’s
Enemy No. 2
Slide40Woodchuck Control
Fencing — woodchucks can climb Metal wire fence 4 feet tall with strand of electrified fence on topSame 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 requiredLive trap using Havahart style trapBait with apple or cantaloupe
Relocation — need a permit to relocateEuthanize — use a body trap or take animal to animal controlNo repellents registered for controlBest removed inearly spring when young are in the burrow orlate fall prior to hibernation
Slide41Squirrels
Squirrels are protectedMust obtain a permit from NWIL if trapping and releasing. Permission must be obtained from landowner to release on propertyFencing — same as for woodchuckLive trapping same as woodchuck, different baitSome registered repellents but they have a limited success rateSquirrels love to take a bite out of tomatoesCover tomatoes with paper bag to discouragePlant bulbs under wire that extends a foot beyond bulb bed
Slide42Raccoons
Raccoons like corn and cantaloupe No repellents registeredFencing — must be electrifiedTrapping — NWIL raccoon must be euthanizedTrash cansBuy ones with latchesBunge cord lid down tightRemove all outside food sources like bird feed and dog food
Slide43Skunks
Most homeowners hire a licensed nuisance wildlife control cooperator to remove skunksRemove outside food sources like bird food and dog food
Slide44Rabbits
Most effective control is fencingS/B two feet tall and buried several inches in the ground
Slide45Voles
Can be destructive to root crops and tree or shrub barkUse snap traps baited with apple or peanut butter baited with cotton balls — nesting materialModify habitatMulch s/b no more than an inch deepDon’t use landscape fabricsMow weedy or overgrown areasIncrease plant spacing to reduce cover
Slide46Additional Wildlife Info
NWIL 1-877-463-6497http://plantdiagnostics.bugwood.org/#Click on Wildlife then “Animal Profiles”Large MammalsRodents/Small Animals
Publications from Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
Slide47The End
Slide48Slide49This program was brought to you by
Maryland Master Garden ProgramHoward CountyUniversity of Maryland Extension