How To Keep Deer,Rabbits Out of Garden

1994 - Volume #18, Issue #1, Page #38

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Baler twine soaked in used motor oil will keep rabbits and deer out of gardens and orchards, says "The Friendly Trapper", Harold Bailey of Columbiana, Ohio, who experimented with the idea this past summer.
The Trapper, who makes his living solving pest animal problems for farmers and homeowners, has had many of his unusual ideas featured in past issues of FARM SHOW. He now appears weekly on radio call-in shows in Ohio and Minnesota and has been written up in newspapers around the country. All of his ideas use common products available around the farm and he tests them personally before talking about them publically. Many of his ideas can be found in a book he published (sells for $12 postpaid).
To repel deer and rabbits, the Trapper soaks binder twine (the kind that's been pre-treated against rats and mice) in used motor oil and then strings it up on fenceposts or stakes. For rabbits, he puts the twine about 6 in. off the ground. For deer, he strings the twine at about nose level.
The Trapper says he strung about 1,500 ft. of oil-soaked twine around a small or-chard and was able to totally eliminate the damage from deer that had been occurring. When he left a gap in the twine, the deer would walk all around the orchard until they found the hole in the twine and then entered the orchard there.
"Deer and rabbits are very sensitive to smells and won't cross the twine. You can re-treat the fence once in a while using a paintbrush to reapply motor oil to the twine," says Trapper.
If you're unsure what animal is getting into the garden or orchard, you can scatter a 25-lb. bag of flour around the perimeter of the area to see what prints or tracks show up in the flour, and then take sketches of the prints to a library and check them in a wildlife book.
Another idea for chasing deer away that Trapper has tried is a way to enhance the effectiveness of electric fence. Deer often jump right over or even run through electric fence before they get shocked, says Trap-per. So he's tried painting paint can lids red and then applying a bit of liquid apple scent - which you can get at a drugstore - to the lids. Then he hooks the lids up to the fence charger so they're electrified. When deer smell the apple scent, they touch the lid with their nose and get a shock that scares them away.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Harold E. Bailey, The Friendly Trapper, 3014 Middletown Rd., Columbiana, Ohio 44408 (ph 216 549-2010).

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How To Keep Deer,Rabbits Out of Garden FARM HOME Food 18-1-38 Baler twine soaked in used motor oil will keep rabbits and deer out of gardens and orchards, says "The Friendly Trapper", Harold Bailey of Columbiana, Ohio, who experimented with the idea this past summer. The Trapper, who makes his living solving pest animal problems for farmers and homeowners, has had many of his unusual ideas featured in past issues of FARM SHOW. He now appears weekly on radio call-in shows in Ohio and Minnesota and has been written up in newspapers around the country. All of his ideas use common products available around the farm and he tests them personally before talking about them publically. Many of his ideas can be found in a book he published (sells for $12 postpaid). To repel deer and rabbits, the Trapper soaks binder twine (the kind that's been pre-treated against rats and mice) in used motor oil and then strings it up on fenceposts or stakes. For rabbits, he puts the twine about 6 in. off the ground. For deer, he strings the twine at about nose level. The Trapper says he strung about 1,500 ft. of oil-soaked twine around a small or-chard and was able to totally eliminate the damage from deer that had been occurring. When he left a gap in the twine, the deer would walk all around the orchard until they found the hole in the twine and then entered the orchard there. "Deer and rabbits are very sensitive to smells and won't cross the twine. You can re-treat the fence once in a while using a paintbrush to reapply motor oil to the twine," says Trapper. If you're unsure what animal is getting into the garden or orchard, you can scatter a 25-lb. bag of flour around the perimeter of the area to see what prints or tracks show up in the flour, and then take sketches of the prints to a library and check them in a wildlife book. Another idea for chasing deer away that Trapper has tried is a way to enhance the effectiveness of electric fence. Deer often jump right over or even run through electric fence before they get shocked, says Trap-per. So he's tried painting paint can lids red and then applying a bit of liquid apple scent - which you can get at a drugstore - to the lids. Then he hooks the lids up to the fence charger so they're electrified. When deer smell the apple scent, they touch the lid with their nose and get a shock that scares them away. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Harold E. Bailey, The Friendly Trapper, 3014 Middletown Rd., Columbiana, Ohio 44408 (ph 216 549-2010).

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