"Davej" wrote in message
...
On Jul 20, 2:32 pm, The Cook wrote:
On 20 Jul 2009, Frank wrote:
On Jul 16, 6:44 pm, Marcella Peek wrote:
Davej wrote:
Ok, I have rabbits, groundhogs, and deer. Please describe the
fence I need around my garden.

Serious question?
Solid, at least 6 foot high to deter the deer who don't like to jump
over when they can't see the other side. Deep to keep out the rabbits.
Gee, I don't even know how deep you'd have to go for groundhogs. Maybe
a moat?

Netting will deter deer as will chicken wire. Need not be solid.
Groundhogs are tough as they will burrow under. Hav-a-hart works well
for groundhogs.

A 3 wire electric fence does a wonderful job of keeping the deer out.

I like the idea of electric but I'm wondering if it will stop the deer
or just cause a lot of wild thrashing once they have jumped into it?
If I start with a 3ft rabbit fence and then run electric wires at 4ft,
5ft, and 6ft does anyone think that would be effective? Thanks.

-----------

The deer have to touch the wire before they know not to enter. Deer
normally don't jump over anything their body actually touches in their jump.
They may investigate first by sight and smell, but not touch.

3 widely separated electrified wires may work as they may tend to go between
the wires, rather than over it. Hopefully, they will bolt out of the
garden, rather than into it.
--
Dave

phorbin wrote:
In article , says...
Frank wrote:
On Jul 16, 6:44 pm, Marcella Peek wrote:
In article
,

Davej wrote:
Ok, I have rabbits, groundhogs, and deer. Please describe the fence I
need around my garden.
Serious question?

Solid, at least 6 foot high to deter the deer who don't like to jump
over when they can't see the other side. Deep to keep out the rabbits.
Gee, I don't even know how deep you'd have to go for groundhogs. Maybe
a moat?

marcella
Netting will deter deer as will chicken wire. Need not be solid.
Groundhogs are tough as they will burrow under. Hav-a-hart works well
for groundhogs.
What do you use for bait for groundhogs?

EJ in NJ


Peanut butter works best.

Setting the trap on a usual route, by a regular food source (pref.
outside the garden) or right by a hole works.

Close the traps at night if you don't want to catch skunks, raccoons or
cats. ...some cats just love peanut butter and will quite happily test
the trap for you any time of day...

Do check the traps regularly. Squirrels like peanut butter too and will
take turns in the trap.

Do not leave any animal in a trap overnight. Raccoons will mangle them.

Do not leave a skunk in the trap through the day. They can die of
stress.

Getting a skunk out of the trap without getting sprayed is an easy
enough procedure but requires some knowledge.

Thanks everybody for the ideas. He has been raiding my compost and
digging up the cantaloupe scraps. I caught it with Cantaloupe.

EJ in NJ

On Jul 16, 10:07*pm, "Dan L." wrote:

For groundhogs 6 inches to one foot deep - then one to two feet away
from the fence. An "L" shape is needed. The critters go up to the fence
then try to dig under the fence. They run into the wire and stop. Some
groundhogs can dig three feet deep. Also for the high end it "may" be
best not to secure the top 3 feet of that six foot fence, if the
critters decide to climb it the top, the fence can droop back so they
cannot climb it. Electric wire is cool too - change that - make it hot

So a groundhog will climb a fence? If so I will need to add another
electric wire spaced for the groundhog. Right now I have installed a
3ft rabbit fence with electric wires at 4ft and 5ft. So far so good.

Just some thoughts - Fences are not cheap. It may be best to give the
deer and critters what they want at the outer fringe of the garden.

The deer simply eat too much. Last year I had two dozen tomato plants
and did not get a single tomato.

In article
,
Davej wrote:

On Jul 16, 10:07*pm, "Dan L." wrote:

For groundhogs 6 inches to one foot deep - then one to two feet away
from the fence. An "L" shape is needed. The critters go up to the fence
then try to dig under the fence. They run into the wire and stop. Some
groundhogs can dig three feet deep. Also for the high end it "may" be
best not to secure the top 3 feet of that six foot fence, if the
critters decide to climb it the top, the fence can droop back so they
cannot climb it. Electric wire is cool too - change that - make it hot

So a groundhog will climb a fence? If so I will need to add another
electric wire spaced for the groundhog. Right now I have installed a
3ft rabbit fence with electric wires at 4ft and 5ft. So far so good.

I should have been clearer, other critters climb like squirrels and
raccoons. Sounds like you have it covered.

Just some thoughts - Fences are not cheap. It may be best to give the
deer and critters what they want at the outer fringe of the garden.

The deer simply eat too much. Last year I had two dozen tomato plants
and did not get a single tomato.

Its is possible to put wire cages around each plant. I do this with the
lettuces and other smaller plants. Those wire hanging baskets placed
upside down works to some degree also.

There are several apple and pear trees away from the garden. The deer
seem content to hangout by those trees and avoid the garden most of the
time. That is until a few weeks from ThanksGiving

I still prefer the Dog for critters. Chickens for the bugs one hour in
the garden before closing them up at night. The wire baskets keep
chickens from the lettuce.

Enjoy life ... Dan

--
Garden in Zone 5 South East Michigan.

We use 4' craven wire accurate by those bargain blooming metal fence posts. The deer don't appear abutting to the homes because about anybody out here accept dogs. The rabbits and added baby animals do arrest area at night.