I’m getting to the point where I’m tired of fighting the deer. I’m wanting to put up a fence and got my wife to agree on the condition that it looks nice. My electric fence works okay but once they figure out how to jump then it’s game over.
I’ve done some searching online and past posts but I’m wondering if anyone here has some good ideas or pictures? Ideally I’d like wood/wire so that it can be easily repaired or modified if needed.
14 ft.
Some folks here though have gotten by with less by placing obstacles on the inside of the fence that the deer don’t want to land on.
I have raised beds made of 2x8s. There are three of those in a line and the whole arrangement makes a rough square about 16 feet each way. I bought stock panels to set atop the wood, and used 1/2" square steel to make verticals in each corner and as needed between corners. I also let the verticals extend a few inches and drilled 1/4" holes in them, and ran 1/4" round rod through the holes. I used annealed wire to bind the stock panels up. Gates were jerry rigged and are still not right but they serve for now. It’s not all that tall but it has worked for now to keep deer out. I’ll try to get photos later but not today.
I only have a six foot high wood fence and I realize that a deer could easily hop over it. As of now the deer have stayed out of my orchard. My plans are to add electric wire around the inside during this winter. The electric wire has been effective as a raccoon and possum deterrent. Time will tell how well it keeps the deer out. My opinion is that the wire needs to be installed well in advance of the ripening fruit so they get nipped and stay away.
If you live in your forever home… a chain link fence will last more than half a century… and will likely increase your homes value…
If you like the look of wood you could do the kentucky horse style barnwood fences… but those will need paint and maintenance… and of course repair over the years.
I am a cheapskate so i did the WV farm style fencing of rolls of wire mesh fence and T-Posts. Its not pretty… but i have alot of land so it is what it is.
My vote is chain link fence and a good dog or two… thats the most expensive…but the least maintenance and is effective.
I purchased two Australian Shepherds due to my struggle and they work all night long as i sleep. Good dogs for the job.
Deer have erased years of enjoyment in one night on my property… the struggle is real.
You can make a simple two strand electric fence work well against deer. You need to bait it every year (peanut butter in a small piece of foil) as you have a new crop of deer every year. I’ve been amazed at how well my fence has worked and it’s barely visible.
If you’re feeling ambitious and want chickens, you could build a chicken moat. I’ve seen them built with grape arbors over the top. I could see it being a really nice landscape feature if you plant it with grapes and flowering vines.
I’m starting to wonder if I should run electric fence all around my yard through the woods. Although I have seen them walk up the driveway before. Electric fence has worked decent in the past. I just don’t bother to keep it up in the winter. Then they get smart and figure out they can just walk in.
I really like the look of those, I may have to do some more searching. I could run some smaller mesh along the bottom to keep the rabbits out too.
I have a dog but he’s not outside all the time. Unfortunately they seem to come in the middle of the night.
haha! I hadn’t thought of doing that!
Nice! I was literally just looking at chicken ideas. I’m exploring the idea of getting some again based on the price of eggs lately…
I’d also like to start adding some diversity to my gardens, smaller fruit trees on dwarfing stock, perennial flowers, etc. so I’m looking for something not strictly utilitarian, but add some aesthetic qualities
