Repellent vs deterrent debate

The main difference between a deer repellent and a deer deterrent is the reapplication process. With a good mechanical deterrent you never need to reapply anything.

Even the best and most expensive deer repellent will eventually wash away and lose its intensity requiring a second coat of whatever smelly substance you've settled on.

This approach might be fine if you're just trying to scare off one or two deer from a prized flower in your yard, but if you've got any kind of serious deer population I might suggest the smell away approach to be more of an urban solution for areas not any bigger than an average flower bed.

Photo credit goes to Steve Fraser and his awesome hiking trail website at hikingthecarolinas.com.