We use our deterrents instead of a fence. We actually find the sound very nice --- you get used to it quickly, and depending on what you have the golf ball strike against, it can be almost bell-like. Probably not a good idea in suburbia, though...

Are you using this instead of or together with a fence?

I would consider it if the sound was more appealing to people (but still offensive to deer). Think slow wind chime...

Wm. Hovey Smith, the author of "Backyard Deer Hunting: Converting deer to dinner for pennies per pound," now also has a free radio program on VoiceAmerica Sports Internet Radio titled "The Backyard Sportsman."

This is a basic how-to-do-it program that takes the audience through the basics of hunting, hunting tools, wild game cooking (field dressing and packaging included) as well as 21 modules on starting your own home-based business.

It helps if you have "Backyard Deer Hunting" to follow along. However, the author also has videos up on YouTube "Cleaning a Road-Killed Deer" and "Cooking Deer Stew" among others.

The shows are archived on Smith's show page (two are up now on bowfishing and squirrel hunting) so they can be heard anytime and also on Apple's iTunes. "Backyard Deer Hunting - The Video" is in preperation and will also be available this Fall. Advanced orders are not being taken on the author's website. www.hoveysmith.com.

If you send him your E-mail address to hoveysmith@bellsouth.net by Sept. 1, you will be put in a drawing for a free, 3-day deer hunt with Smith, where he will guide you through the hunting, killing, cleaning and cooking of a whitetailed deer. All you pay for is the GA hunting license, about $150 for non-residents, and you must have passed your hunter ed. in your home state.

If you want basic deer killing, cleaning, cooking and processing info. Smith is giving it to you in book, video and audio form in various formats and prices.

We muddled through our first deer last year, with lots of hints from the internet. I suspect we'll get a lot better over time, but it's still nice to hear from experts.

This is information that is normally passed down and therefore hard to find info on. I saw a great instructional video on field dressing deer on youtube. Maybe start there.
As far as bullet placement, just look at any archery target deer and it is obvious. Close range and accurate shoots can be placed to the head but only if you are confident in your skill.

Mark was actually just talking about plugging up the K-9 electric fence in a few trouble spots, maybe baiting the wire with peanut butter the way some people do for horses to train the animals fast.

I tried fishing line on my first garden, with no luck --- but that was in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia where the deer pressure is phenomenal.

I think the marigolds (or deterrent plants) would have to overwhelm the good smells from the garden to be effective. I plant marigolds in my tomatoes but more as a bug deterrent.

Have you thought about installing the dogs coop deterrent in those high traffic areas? You could hook it up for a short time then rotate to a different location leaving the wire.

Also we used the heavy fishing line idea that someone suggested here. Works pretty good. The only real problem being restringing after something gets into it. Just be sure to anchor it well so that it breaks and doesn't tangle around the animal.

Just more levels of uncomfortableness is what it is all about.

But has anyone used marigolds to really keep deer out of the garden, or is it a just a flower they can plant that won't be munched? Whenever I look into "deer deterring" plants, they always turn out to be deer resistant plants. Sure, the deer won't eat the marigolds, but they have no problem walking past them to eat your sweet potatoes.

Master gardener Donna Williamson has had luck with a different type of Marigold from South America called the Tagetes minuta.

It grows up to 6 feet tall and spreads fast, so it might take over if not contained. You should also check to make sure it's not an invasive species for your area.

Image credit goes to Wikipedia user Fanghong for the nice picture of Marigolds in a field.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CalendulaOfficinalis.jpg

Image credit goes to the Pennsylvania department of conservation. They have a section where you can print out coloring pages for little people and one of them is the deer drawing shown here.

The top photo is a recent picture of out most important deterrent in action towards the far edge of our perimeter. As you can see the weeds are slowly invading and need constant attention in order to keep them at bay.

You can see the full plans by clicking here. Enjoy!

I couldn't get this tag--just thought you'd like to know! How you made it is what I wanted to see!

I love that video! Your grandfather's invention seems to be parallel Mark's, and it's clearly keeping his garden just as safe as our garden. How big is your grandfather's garden? Does he just have the one deterrent?

My dad (91 years old) made this deer deterrent noisemaker last year (2009) to protect his garden. He only ran it at night. No damage. Hope it works for him this year!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5Hchp9s6-8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8fAexayMMI

Mark read about this and I think it's on his back burner for experimentation. I agree that it might be more socially acceptable in a suburban situation than our deterrent, and deer pressures are really rising in those areas. Thanks for the reminder!

When I was researching deer fences, I ran across another study by an airport --- it sounds like deer and airports don't mix!

Sounds like Mark's on the right track adding variety to the deer deterrents. They've been working very well so far, but it would break my heart if the deer got back in and started nibbling on our spring veggies....

Interesting article from Canadian Dept of Transportation regarding options for scaring deer from airport runways:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/AerodromeAirNav/Standards/WildlifeControl/Deer/7a.htm

In searching for alternate deer deterrents, I found that the Japanese use a water fountain called shishi odoshi to scare away birds and deer, which is basically a section of bamboo on a pivot which tips over when it fills with enough water. This tipping action can bang and make noise. The nice thing about this option is that with a small water pump or other water source, it can look nice enough for even a formal garden as part of a water feature.