DEER in the Vines

[Scott B]

How do you keep Deer out of your vineyard? I amgoing to plan some vines next year at my farm and do not know how to protect my grapes.

 

[R Ziegler]

Well my first thought is a fence, if you can afford it.
Second would be a dog.
Third would be a rifle and a large spot light ( this one my get you in trouble w/ neighbors

)
Or you can buy deer repellent that you spray on the leaves or baby powder works also, but you need to reapply the baby powder after is rains and every week orso.
I know marigolds work for rabbits, not sure if they work for deer though.


I know I presented a few options, but no real solutions. I planted a few vines in my yard just recently which is fenced in, and I have 2 dogs. The rabbits are my real issue, but a good pellet gun does wonders.

 

[grapeman]

At my own vineyard, I keep the deer in check with a few well placed shots from time to time and a freezer full of venison. Once in check I just live with the occasional grazing and see it as another expense- still not as bad as a good deer fence. I see tracks every time I go into the vineyard. The dog is allowed to mark her territory and I have been known to mark a few spots from time to time.

Then there is the other extreme if money isn't as much of a concern as seen in this early season picture at my fun job at Willsboro NY. The fence is on the right and you can see one gate at the far end. The fence is 8 feet tall woven wire.

 

[hannabarn]

The rifle and spot light would get you in serious trouble in Wisconsin. You would most certainly make the local headlines.

 

[farmer]

I have a doe visiting my vines,she has a fawn,which I have walked within 6ft of and scared theheck out of me. But it was so cute, pretty hard to get mad.BUT come deerhunting it's open season!
She has been pruning the second year vines and leaving the new vines alone so I can't complain.

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Some of us seem to do well with pieces of Irish Spring hung over the vines. I cut the bars into quarters, loop on a piece of twine and tie to the low wire. The smellier, the better... Certainly worth a try since it is cheap.

 

[OilnH2O]

Bill, in my vinyard, they just eat around the Irish Spring. Rich, 8 foot tall isn't near enough, seems like! And Farmer, I hate to tell you, once they get the taste, they are "educated!" Like "AHNOLD" they'll be back!

 

[2dmoore]

Best way I've found is to get hair clippings from your local barber or hair dresser and sprinkle around your vines. Gross but effective.

 

[bruno]

I will be installing an electric fence this weekend.

 

[Waldo]

Try planting a food plot for them just away from you vineyard..keep that going good and perhaps they will not leave it to go exploring in the vineyard

 

[grapeman]

Unfortunately deer are grazing animals. They aren't like cows stayin in one pasture and being happy. They graze theri way along. The start in cover, move into the food plot where there is more than they could ever eat, but are they happy? Heck no, they continue on in their grazing ways and work their way to your vineyard. While there they have to tast the best looking longest juiciest shoots along the way.


I have found a way to keep most of the young vines fairly intact. When weeding, leave a couple lambsquarters or redroot pigweeds along with the vine. They grow a bit faster than the vines and are succulent and green. I have all these weed stubs next to untouched vines. Does it work all the time. No. But hey if I can give them something else and they leave most of the vines alone, I'm happy.

 

[farmer]

Don't count on the dog to keep the deer out of your vinesand gardenor at least not our dog




When we picked up Coco the owner told us we would not have problems with critters around the place she would run everything out WELLLL .


I looked out the kitchen windowyesterday and this is what I saw.

Maybe I could train her to herd them

 

[Wade E]

As Waldo would say, Bwaaahaaaaaaaaa!

 

[Goodfella]

That is truley priceless!!! HAHA


Now this thread is going to turn to Dog training.... Let your dog see you make a big deal towards the deer. Very soon he/she will do the same.

 

[R Ziegler]

Are you grilling something? Cause I if you are I could understand why she isn't moving - the only thing she is thinking is "Steak - yum. I like mine rare."
If that isn't the case - I could lend you my dog, but with an open yard like that I couldn't say if she would come back until she caught one of those deer. And by that time all your grapes would be gone by thedeers friends.

 

[Bartman]

You guys are missing the obvious - the deer bought the dog off! Now what would a deer have to offer a dog? Maybe info. about smaller critters and other wildlife.

I didn't realize deer could be so corrupt...

Bart

 

[farmer]

In defense of the dog she did have her back to them.

 

[R Ziegler]

I guess you will to catch those deer and place some bells on them - so they can't sneak up on you dog in the future.

 

[hannabarn]

That's a bird dog!!!!!!!!

 

[K-9Dog]

I put up 4x4 posts around both vineyard areas and also the garden which is integrated into the one vineyard area and put the posts on angle with 4 strands of wire.I originally had a junk little charger that I used for the side area that seemed to work; but at the end of the season the deer got in and ate a few vines clean. I bought a 2nd speedrite 10 mile 1000 model charger and so far Ok - the original speedrite 1000 i bought this Spring worked for the other top vineyard and garden area. so I bought the 2nd. the wire on the top vineyard and garden area is stainless 12 gauge and unfortunately the side has 15 gauge wire. went through 2 - 1000 ft rolls of the 12 and they raised the price by double after the first roll so i had to go with lesser wire - bought the 15 and 17 ga by accident - was supposed to be 14 ga. We have serious deer problems here and rabbits. so far this year though the speedrite seems to have done the job. not sure but the 1000 model is supposed to be about 8,000 volts + or -. I touched it by accident 2x and it snaps! the junkier weaker one that i trashed was lame. saw a couple of dogs nose or lick the wire and they let out a Arf! too. So it has some zap!

putting the wires on angle seems to mess up the deers perception from everything i read.

We will see what emerges after this next year of trials.