how to keep the deer out? please help!!!!!!

[LabLuvR]

Well, I don't think the deer got used to the Poconite as I've never seen deer get used to human odor. Second, the only reason I can't see it working is using too low of an app rate. Barriers as you have described have worked for me in the past, but then I wasn't trying to protect a good dove field or bookoos of money.

[Aging Baby Boomer]

mdb-

1. We use the four foot rebar "posts" at 25 feet on centers and take them up with the wire each year for storage.

2. The field is irregular in shape. Thus the fence is longer than for a nice rectangular field.

3. I'm an aging baby boomer! Things just take a little longer these days! My son and I can generally distribute and drive the posts, pay out and hang the wire, and connect the box in a morning's work.

4. We try to get the fence up by the time the sunflowers are 6" tall. This gives the deer a chance to hit the wire before they get too familiar with the field.

5. I believe this is the fifth year we've used the wire. It's not perfect, but it's legal and our losses are in the 5% to 10% range. Without some sort of exclusion strategy we'd simply be feeding deer - not preparing for dove hunting.

[Rubbahead]

elec fence will cost about 150 for the charger. $30 for each roll of wire (1/2 mile). Temp post around $1.75 each (1 each 30 feet or so). Plus steel post for each corner. I have 10 acrs up, two wire in it for about $500 initial investment. As noted...main issue is time to run and take down.

Also, place aluminum foil on the wire every 50 ft so. Put a peanut butter/veg oil mixture on each and rub on the line as well. Idea is get them to lick it....

if they are already strong on the field you'll probably play hell getting them to change pattern....but if not, the above works..

[jwilliams]

Bunn:
They have poconite in Sumter (made at the Pocotaligo waste treatment center) ergo POCOnite.....I will try to get the number for you...Stayed at Mike's place last week...a great time for the kids.

[LabLuvR]

Art,

Ax them if you can still buy it by the drum. Make it snappy I need to know soon! Damn you about as bad as Mirroman!

[Mergie Master]

This site has everything you need to set up a deer shocking fence. They even have a link to help you plan the fencing.

Link-->Deer Shocker

Or...

Deer resistant fence:
Link-->Deer Blocker

[mdb]

the last time we put the sh*& out, we put 6 bags on 15 acres. they stayed shy for a couple days. then they were back on it hard. this was without rain, and there were pellets everywhere. one thing we've found that works well is chicken sh*&. unforunately, our source has dried up bc of a virus in his houses or something like that.

we've tried putting hot sauce in our sprayer and spraying the whole field. this works well until it rains.

rubbahead, how high is your 2 strand setup?

i realize that this year us probably shot, but we should make enough for some small famiy shoots. we're thinking toward next year. we're gonna have to do something different. a fence might be in our future.

this weekend we're gonna wage some major war.

thanks for everyone's input. definitely have some food for thought.

mdb

[jwilliams]

Sumter Machinery has it by the pallet. Tree House nursery sells it by the bag. If you call Sumter Machinery and talk w/ ?Mike? 803-773-1441, he may help you w/ price for a pallet. By the bag, I think it is $6.50.
Tree House Nursery 499-7601...dalzell.
savy?

[LabLuvR]

MDB,

Poconite has to be activated by rain. Has it not rained since you put it out?

[mdb]

oh, it's rained plenty. you seem to not believe that the deer become used to it. i promise, we've applied it, it's rained on it, and the deer have been right back in the field. it's just not working anymore.

we've come to the conclusion this year that we've gonna have to wage war, kill more does in during the season, and maybe put up a fence next spring.

if noone around us plants anything but cotton and corn again next year, we'll be right back in the same situation. in previous years, there were peanuts and soybeans around us to take some of the pressure off our field. this year, the deer have nowhere else to go. you should see what they've done to some of the corn around us. it's really bad.

mdb

[Claimer]

a radio set on a talk show keeps them real jumpy. They hear people talking just can't see them . I have seen it work.

[Vale Tudo]

Hot flying lead.

Never seen anything really work for long.

[CWPINST]

I have tried this and it works like a champ. Get enough white string to go around the field(s). String it about 3 ft high attached to anything that will reliably hold it up, then attach a dryer sheet about every 8-10 feet. They won't cross it. The only problem is that you need to replace (actually just add more) the dryer sheets about every 2-3 weeks.

When I heard about this I just thought that it was an urban legend, but figured, what the heck? I got enough string and cheap Wal-Mart sheets to do about a 1/2 acre trial plot. I was shocked at the results. They mowed down everything around the plot, but there was not a single track in the "protected" area. You have to keep the string up though. If a section gets knocked down, it becomes a gate.

[ducks031205]

wouldn't that be kind of along the lines of "plot saver"? Anyone ever use this stuff? Heard some swear by it, but I'm not really convinced.

[Palmetto Bug]

The guy that planted up part of our club with soybeans used plot saver and it worked as advertised. There is no other agriculture around the area so anything you plant gets a lot of pressure but the plot saver did the trick.

[ducks031205]

ok, maybe I'm starting to believe!...thanks bug.