From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Erin, Wisconsin

I couldn't check my pumpkins yesterday but went out today and the deer knocked down my fence and took out everything.... Amazing what they did in 2 days. all 5 of my big ones are eaten through to the middle of the pumpkin. All that time, money and work this year ruined in a matter of a night or two.... My heart is broken. After 3 years of failure, I finally had some good ones growing and they ate them right before I was going to harvest them this weekend. Crushing to say the least....

9/14/2016 2:09:38 PM

Central NY

Oh no...so sorry to hear...

9/14/2016 3:48:23 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Now thats a bad day...:(


So sorry.

9/14/2016 4:05:08 PM

50 Acres

Pay back, hunting season is coming!!! sorry for your loss.

9/14/2016 4:33:36 PM

Erin, Wisconsin

Today is a new day. Harvested seeds yesterday.... Time to start prepping for next year i guess...

9/15/2016 7:52:38 AM

Quincy, CA

Unbelievable, I hope you grow a 2500 pound one next year.

9/15/2016 10:35:11 AM

Next year try to shop Menards for 6 foot steel stakes and place them 4 feet apart on center. Purchase green or orange snow fence in 50 to 100 foot rolls and attach with high strength zip ties. Tie the zips on the inside of the patch. Leave an opening of 72" minimum that you will want for removing the fruit when you are ready to harvest and transport to a weigh off. Build a strong gate - using wood from reclaimed pallets works just fine and attach hurricane fencing to the opening on the gate or a high gage steel fencing of sorts. Run baler twine from Blanes Farm and fleet in and out of fencing openings along top. If they continue to approach the fence and access your patch then attach a run of barbed wire along outside perimeter. Position the wire at a height of half the fence distance above ground. I hope this helps. We have a heavy deer population by our community gardens and heavy theft problem as well from people that randomly show up with bags in hand. If you are out in an open area where wind gusts are heavy then be sure to install diagonal braces for the corner posts and sink those deep into the ground facing them directly into the garden and at the corner members. Any questions, feel free to email me:
chanjul@hawk.iit.edu

9/24/2016 8:24:00 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I use a 3 strand electric fence. 2 wires low to stop ground hog and raccoon, one at deer nose height. Above that I use plastic baler twine. Deer get zapped on the nose and don't want to mess with the higher strands. And no chance of baler twine shorting out or zapping you. I plant alternate food sources to draw them away. And I try to fill my freezer with venison.

9/24/2016 10:08:43 AM

I using snow fencing (as I do in a community garden - with no electricity available) make sure to lap two rolls of fencing material placing one roll low and one high to complete the stake span. Zip tie lapped material on inside.

9/25/2016 9:12:58 AM