As we describe in the Deer Problems Section of Yardener\'s Helper, we recommend using the strategy to aggravate the deer so much they decide to avoid your property just because it is too much of a hassle. Repellent products can do that job but there is considerable confusion out there about just how to proceed.
Many deer repellent products will assert on their label that their repellent is good for 2 months or even for 6 months in the winter. These promises are indeed based on research by reputable organizations, however, the conditions under which much of the research is performed is seldom similar to the conditions found in a suburban or exurban home landscape. By the time a deer population gets so large that its food supply has dwindled enough in the woods to force deer into home landscapes, these deer are hungry. These hungry deer will tolerate discomfort to get food. They can get used to a repellent that is left in place for several months.
What we suggest you do is insult the different senses of the deer (smell, taste, touch, sight, motion) on a rotating basis over a period of time – every two to four weeks. You would use a smell repellent for two to four weeks, then use a taste repellent for two to four weeks, and then use a hot pepper repellent for two to four weeks. We give you here in Yardener’s Tool Shed a fairly large number of repellents and have organized them in terms of the various senses of the deer.
Experience by those that have tried this aggravation system find that it takes insulting 3 to 5 of the senses over a period of 8 to 12 weeks and then the deer disappear from your yard. You may have to go through this routine every year as new deer are born or join the local herd.
Repellents for Limited Area - One other consideration is how big the area on your yard you wish to protect with any of these repellents. If the area you wish to protect is larger than 4000 or 5000 square feet, then we strongly recommend you consider fencing of some kind. Repellents are effective to protect specific shrubs and small trees that are particularly attractive to deer. A tree or shrub should be covered very thoroughly for the repellent to be able to do its repelling job.
Summary of Repellent Products On The Buttons On The Left
| Deer Repellents In Garden Centers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product Name | Repelling Mechanism | Form |
| Deer Off by Woodstream | Taste, Smell, and Tongue Burning Sensation | RTU and Concentrate |
| Repels Deer and Rabbits | ||
| Deerbusters Systemic Repellent Tabs | Very bitter taste | Tablets set into the soil, lasts 2 to 3 years |
| Repels Deer and Rabbits | ||
| Shot Gun by Bonide | Taste, Smell, and Tongue Burning Sensation | RTU and Concentrate |
| Repels Deer, Rabbits, and Squirrels | ||
| Hot Pepper Wax by Bonide | Taste and Tongue Burning Sensation | RTU |
| Repels Deer, Rabbits, and Squirrels | ||
| Dr. T’s Deer, Rabbit, and Squirrel Repellent | Taste and Smell | Concentrate |
| Tree Guard® | Very bad taste | RTU |
| Repels Deer and Rabbits | ||
| Scarecrow® Water Spritzer | Movement, sound, and Touch repelling device | Unit |
| Repels Deer, Rabbits, Dogs | ||
| Deer Away by IntAgra | Smell | RTU |
| Repels Deer and Rabbits | ||
| Plantskydd Deer Repellent | Smell | RTU, soluable powder or granular |
| Repels Deer and Rabbits | ||