Deer in the garden!

[salilah]

Not sure if this fits here as although deer are wildlife, I think the forum is about attracting wildlife - I need to know how to persuade one to leave!

Arrived last weekend - and is still there, tucked under the leylandii behind the greenhouse. It's munched what was left of the overwintering lettuce, but doesn't appear to fancy the overwintered parsnip tops, parsley or celery!

The challenge is how to get rid of him (muntjak, quite a big one) - we are in the middle of the village, and it's not that big a garden - I don't know where he's come from, as although there are deer outside the village, we're not really close to fields (actually we are surrounded by houses!)...

I'm assuming he arrived looking for food (as we first saw him after the Friday night snowfall) - any thoughts on persuasion in the opposite direction?

thanks!!
S

[Scarlet]

A man with a gun? I'd be sorting out my freezer space!
Deer are becoming a nuisance, they ate all my lettuce and sweet corn last year and also trampled down my mini- tunnels.
Perhaps he's just got a bit lost and doesn't know how to get out. they are a bit dumb. You could contact the RSPCA or the local vet may have some ideas.

[Two_Sheds]

They don't like disturbance, so keep disturbing him and he'll move on.


They had one arrive on the library's tiny veg plot this week: in the middle of a town, surrounded by roads & a river, no fields at all.

[salilah]

Yes, I wish there was a way (in a way) to move towards venison (which is my dinner tonight, but from Tesco!!) - sadly I don't know anyone...

Thanks for the idea of disturbance - I think yes that will help - we are not here during the week, so he's had a pretty quiet time (with the weather and all)...

My OH suggestion was that, given his family is coming for Easter, we should send the 9 year old out to play football - which is fine, except I don't think the greenhouse will survive!!!

[salilah]

Next door said don't move it on, he had a friend and a large freezer!
We decided to try the disturbance route - about 6:30 so getting towards dusk, it was already out in the garden munching! OH went round the back of the baby barn and made a noise - deer leaped up and cantered right up the garden and out the way he came in (we assume) - we had blocked off another route, but he didn't look worried!
My bet is that he may be back (free larder!) but OH reckons he's gone now - which is a shame for supporting wildlife, but a good thing for our chances of eating any lettuce this summer!!

[Yorkshire.Dave]

Deer can easily jump a 6ft wall so I hope its blocked off well

[Feral007]

Hope you get your garden back. Wildlife is awesome until it's eating your plants or animals.

[out in the cold]

FWIW, deer is very easy to deal with once it has been shot. It is a bit messy, but worth it.
If you go down that route, please make sure you get someone that knows how to use a rifle to help you, as a clean shot to the head is difficult, but provides least suffering to the animal.

[LillyRoseGarden]

Yes, wild life is great! But a nice venison stake is good too! Always hard to choose.....

[salilah]

Just got home after dropping OH off at station - and what did I see calmly walking across the parking area and down the garden?
He's been chased off again - decided to do this immediately as it was still early enough - we don't have a gate on one entrance, so he has easy access :-(

[dan20rhino]

Just got home after dropping OH off at station - and what did I see calmly walking across the parking area and down the garden?
He's been chased off again - decided to do this immediately as it was still early enough - we don't have a gate on one entrance, so he has easy access :-(

We get munckjacs in our garden a lot as we are surrounded by fields. Although recently we have not seen any as the local farmer is firing off a bird scarer every half hour so this keeps them well away. You could get one of these?

Last year they ripped up my sweetcorn besides that they did not eat the rest of my veggies. Pigeons were a bigger nuisance.

[salilah]

Yup pigeons are a pain! Also I get fed up with removing cat poo :-(

I could try a scarer, if he comes back I'll investigate - though I don't know what the neighbours might say, we are in the middle of the village!

So far he's munched all the overwintering lettuce - and all the overwintering chard which is a bit more distressing! Of course he hasn't touched any of the weeds

[Mr Bones]

Looking on the plus side you could collect some of its' fresh droppings and put it in with a gallon or two of rainwater. Add a tablespoon of molasses (black treacle) for every gallon of water and keep the whole lot well stirred for a couple of days. Stirring will keep oxygen levels up and when the brew starts to froth on whisking dilute it with more rainwater before immediate application to all your growing beds. The effect of the beneficial microbes should last months and is far more likely to stay in the soil during during periods of heavy rain than chemical plant feeds.

[Madasafish]

A .22 will solve the nuisance and Sunday lunch for months.

[salilah]

Just sent him packing again (have been down in London since Monday afternoon)
So -disturbed on Monday morning and he's back on Thursday evening??
Persistent little so and so!