Reducing Deer Damage to Woody and Herbaceous Plants
Woody and herbaceous plants in urban and rural landscapes, nurseries, orchards, and Christmas tree plantations are becoming increasingly susceptible to deer damage. Most existing repellents are either ineffective, or are effective for short periods of time. This project presented four plant species treated with chicken eggs, Deer-Away, Hinder, Tree Guard, Milorganite, chicken eggs with Tree Guard, and chicken eggs with Transfilm, to 20 captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Only chicken eggs alone and Deer-Away deterred deer from feeding on the containerized nursery stock. Chicken eggs alone performed significantly better than Deer-Away. In a second experiment, pelletized deer food treated with Deer-Away, Hinder (1:1 and 1:5), Tree Guard, Miller Hot Sauce (0.62% and 6.2%), and two experimental predator urines were presented to ten captive deer. Both rates of Miller Hot Sauce and predator urine #1 significantly reduced deer feeding on pelletized deer food. Deer-Away, Hinder 1:1, and predator urine #2 also reduced feeding. Hinder 1:5 slightly reduced feeding. Tree Guard was completely ineffective.