What can be done about these beasts that have overpopulated our area to the point where they now are local road kill, hosts to the dreaded deer tick and destroyers of our expensive landscaping. People who used to love to garden don't enjoy it as much anymore. For some, sprays such as the highly touted and very effective one developed by Redding Nursery can be a good way to keep deer from munching on expensive plantings. As good as it is, however, Mr. McNamara said that people prefer not to use it during the summer months as it leaves a green residue on plants. As an alternative, Redding Nursery is in the final testing and approval process of patenting a new spray that will allow their customers to return to the garden with hope.
Deer are very smart animals.
If one figures out how to get through a fence then it shows the others the way. But spraying doesn't mean an occasional douse of Bobex or sprinkle of milorganite. Both, say Mr. McNamara, are effective deterrents if done diligently. That is, after every rain and probably about once a week or maybe more depending on the magnitude of the problem. Many people go away or forget or just don't do it often enough to develop a consistent program which will force the deer to take their appetites somewhere else.