Deer

[sarflo]

Yes I know they are beautiful but for the first time last year my corn was decimated by deer. Fine one day, the next it looked like UFO's had landed and made a crop circle!! As I am doing my plot planning at the moment has anyone got any ideas of how to protect against deer invasions??

[Nicos]

Metal fruit cages????

[Birdie Wife]

Two options I know of - make a very high fence (depending on the deer species in question, could be up to 8' high) or sit in your field with a gun 24 hours a day. I think Alice has some experience in this matter...

[Two_Sheds]

Are you sure it was deer, and not badgers? Badgers love sweetcorn

[nerobot]

Venison is a very tasty meat

[Alice]

Sarflo, if you have the peky deer you have my sympathy. They eat, or taste , everything as they browse their way along, and what they don't eat they trample on. I had them in my last garden and the damage they did was terrible. I tried everything but in the end I had to concede defeat and fence them out - a big job as I had an acre of ground.
The bandits can jump 8 feet - I saw them do it, but I think 6 feet might be enough for a fence as they only jumped 8 feet in a panic to get out and never jumped the fence to get in.
The fence doesn't have to be too strong as they're not like bullocks who will push a fence. Posts and chicken wire should do it. If you have a hedge you need to put the wire along the back of the hedge as well as they will push through or under it. They can get through incredibly small spaces.
I'm sure this is not what you wanted to hear, but fencing really is the only way.
Good luck and lets know how you get on.