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They topped all my sunflowers, about 30 bean seedlings, mowed down one of my full-grown bush beans, and over-pruned one of my watermelon vines in a single night. I saw some spots where they nibbled at my potatoes as well. These suburban deer are a menace. With as many dogs as we have running around here, you'd think they'd stay away, but no, they don't care
I'm gonna have to build a fence next season
You grew some nice food and they enjoyed it, we all share the space, it’s annoying but they are not your enemy
Op grew nice food, the deer enjoyed it, makes sense because they are now nice food too
Get a deer chaser sprinkler. They're cheap and easy to set up.
I was tilling my garden a month or two ago and got to one end, turned around, and casually strolling right through the middle of the plot, literally 10 feet in front of me and a very loud tiller, was a young buck. Completely unafraid of me or the tiller.
On another day, I was using a chainsaw to cut down some buckthorn and that same buck was within 5 feet of me eating the leaves on the trees I just cut down. Again completely unafraid.
I put up a small net around the perimeter a few days before I put my plants in and they knocked it over, tore the net, and bent the poles. There wasn't even anything in the garden! And to top it all off, there were several fresh piles of poop.
So I put in 8 ft. T poles every 4 feet around the perimeter, doubled up the net, secured it at the top and the bottom, and they haven't gotten in yet (although I watched one of them biting at it). Unfortunately the neighbors are feeding these deer, so they have almost no fear of people.
I had a cousin get thrashed by a buck in rut once. They have all the necessary bits to really do some damage
Feeding deer is illegal in some places. In Pennsylvania it's illegal because of the wasting disease that is going through the population. You'd be doing the deer a favor if you called the game warden and reported if it is illegal in your area.
Maybe grow some stuff they like to eat around the perimeter.
I usually do stuff like marigolds and coneflower among stuff to keep them out, but I got lazy this year and they've been pretty merciful until the night before last
The scallywags, that's unfortunate
Those little furry fuckers. They ate my begonia :(
That’s rough! I’ve been putting off my critter guards, and the birds are digging through them and the neighbors cat or something dug a part up. So mines gonna be sooner than later now. Was hoping to just need to have it done end of season for frost, but life likes being interesting.
Next weekend hopefully I’ll be 50% again and can get some stuff going. Steroid shots next week then can hopefully hit stuff again with a better pacing.
What’s in the top right picture? Top left is the sunflowers?
Well, I might have spoken too soon. I neen on vacation this week and just saw the second most haggard groundhog I've ever seen strolling through my beds without a care in the world. I bet you anything that's my critter
Hell yeah! That's been a long time coming. I bet it's gonna feel fuckin fantastic, but also don't think you gotta rush yourself. That'll get your hurt going for sure
The sunflowers are the top right. Top left was one half of my black beans. Some kind of pole bean that was given to me
The deer in my area ate my rhubarb!!! My neighbor literally had to lightly electrify their fence because of the deer.
Thank you for being a good steward of nature and providing for the wildlife that have been displaced