Keeping Deer Out of Your Garden:

Jimmy's Story: Keeping Deer Out of Your Garden

by N.A. Rogers

People always wonder about their new neighbors. I knew right away I’d get along with mine. Jimmy was a redneck to the nth degree who sawed off shotguns for fun and enjoyed shooting bags of flour which had been soaked in a solution of water and red food dye. Despite his affection for guns, he hated killing things, but he loved his garden. I had just arrived home from work one day to find Kyle chasing an animal from his property. Our houses sat up against a forest and the deer would constantly venture out to see what they could snack on. Kyle had a serious problem with deer coming into his garden and was obsessed in keeping them away.

I should subsitute the word “serious” with "hardcore" when I use “Jimmy” in the same sentence. Since he was averse to shooting deer, Jimmy’s method of keeping them at bay was a little unorthodox. As I pulled into my driveway, Jimmy came running out of his house in full camo, charging into the backyard carrying a Teddy Roosevelt-size stick like a spear. All the while he was yelling wildly.

First, I laughed so hard I nearly fell over. When I had controlled myself, I went around to the back of his house and asked Jimmy what was going down. He matter-of-factly explained that deer keep coming out of the woods and chowing down on his "bounty" -- in other words, they kept eating his vegetables.

Knowing a few things about gardening (this was years after my first greenhouse experience), I told him there are better ways of keeping the deer away then running at them full charge in camo. If he would take one of his wife’s pantyhose (preferably the old ones with a run in them) and fill it with human hair, this would most likely keep them away once and for all as they don’t dig on the human scent. I also told him he should try a bloodmeal mixture which he could find at a nursery or greenhouse. Bloodmeal is another strong smell which repels deer.

I also told him he should put a fence around his garden. While this doesn’t work on all pests, it helps keep the deer and other pests out, especially if the fence is over three feet in height.

Another option is deodorant soap. Deer don’t care for the strong smell of deodorant soap –- the stronger perfume smell, the better. Hanging a few bars of this kind of soap around the fence, or in strategic places around the garden, would help steer the deer away.

Unfortunately, Jimmy never took to these ideas. I think he enjoys chasing the deer in his full camo.