To keep deer out, you must be consistent in your efforts. Remember that when deer numbers increase and when food becomes scarce, deer may eat plants that they otherwise avoid, ignore repellents and overcome their fear of scare devices. No single technique may work for keeping deer out of your yard all of the time. It is recommended that you use a combination of methods for best results.

A free roaming dog within a fenced yard is a strong deterrent. If you are not crazy about having a traditional fence, the new buried “no fence” cables with an electronic dog collar are effective. With the “no fence” you do not have a fence to look at or to mow around; your dog stays in the yard, and hopefully the dog keeps the deer out. Because deer visit yards at night, it is important that the dog have access to the yard at all hours.

There are many deer repellents on the market and more coming out all the time. However, many of these have proven to be unsatisfactory. Some are only effective for light to moderate deer problems. Many do not last long and are ignored during periods of high deer concentration. Other repellents are easily washed away by rain or watering and require constant reapplication. Some of the repugnant repellents not only keep deer out of the yard, they keep you out as well. Check with your local nurseryman and see what has proven effective in your area. Ivory soap shaved over and around smaller plants, such as tulips and many annuals, has proven effective as long as you can see the soap.