Deer fencing a small area

[Paul in the woods]

Has anyone used anything different to the tall galvanised deer fencing?

 

I would like to fence of an area to plant a wide hedge, about a 50m length, and I notice plenty of places selling plastic mesh deer fencing these days. Would anyone recommend it?

 

I'm not looking for a permanent solution, just something to keep the roe deer off for a few years so the trees and shrubs can get a start.

 

I've tried tubes and other single tree protection but found it tends to rub or get blown over on exposed sites so thing some fencing would be best.

[Treeation]

Has anyone used anything different to the tall galvanised deer fencing?

 

I would like to fence of an area to plant a wide hedge, about a 50m length, and I notice plenty of places selling plastic mesh deer fencing these days. Would anyone recommend it?

 

I'm not looking for a permanent solution, just something to keep the roe deer off for a few years so the trees and shrubs can get a start.

 

I've tried tubes and other single tree protection but found it tends to rub or get blown over on exposed sites so thing some fencing would be best.

 

I have used it and does the job against deer. Rabbits bit straight throught the bottom so consider a roll of rabbit mesh too if they are present on site and numbers are heavy enough to cause a problem. Was fairly easy to install just hung it off 2 lines of tensioned mild steel wire (top and bottom) with zip ties and used coppiced wood as stakes just pointing points on them with a chainsaw. Left one small section as "australian gate" to allow access into the area.

[Treeation]

A photo of the coupe

[farmer rod]

We have used the temporary plastic deer netting, however it was attached or next to ordinary stock netting with 2 barbed wire, but has held out for nearly the intended five years.

 

Cant comment on how easy it is to take down and re-use (yet)

 

We put it up on two strands of HT, poles about 6m, hog ringed to the wire and battened on corner posts. From memory it was 1.5 netting installed to 2m high

[Stumpy Grinder]

For a temporary fix for Roe, you could use a couple of strands of electric sheep wire run off a 12v battery with a solar panel charger. A lower strand will also deter rabbits and hares.

SG

[the village idiot]

For a temporary fix for Roe, you could use a couple of strands of electric sheep wire run off a 12v battery with a solar panel charger. A lower strand will also deter rabbits and hares.

SG

 

What do you know about deer management Stumpy?

[the village idiot]

Just for clarification:

 

Stumpy Grinder is a hugely knowledgeable and experienced deer manager and trainer, as well as holding down about 50 other jobs and counting!

 

One of his many management projects has been to transform the regime at one of the most important woodland sites in the country. The results have been fantastic.

 

What he doesn't know about deer management probably isn't worth knowing and he is well worth consulting.

[Stumpy Grinder]

Shooting them works as well mind! Not all of them, but as nature would have intended. Deer are a prey species and breed accordingly. Unfortunately, man, in his infinite wisdom, saw it best to kill all the natural predators! So it is now down to us to somehow correct this and control them.

However, there are two sorts of people that shoot deer. First, we have the stalkers/trophy hunters that basically shoot deer for the good and benefit of themselves! Shooting male deer with big antlers in their prime during the rut is NOT what nature would have intended! It goes completely against the 'survival of the fittest' ethos of mother nature and will eventually force a species into regression. Then we have the true 'deer managers' that shoot deer for the good and benefit of the deer and the environment. They will cull deer to some sort of plan which generally involves shooting young and old deer as well as sick or poorer animals such as the ones that would have been naturally predated. The aim should be a healthy population of deer (preferably indigenous!) which are in balance with their local environment.

Consideration should be given to reducing deer numbers if you are excluding them from specific areas. If you effectively fence off an area of woodland or hedge, you will reduce the deer impact in that area to zero, but in doing so, you may well increase the impact in the surrounding area if the numbers remain the same. Deer also have positive impacts to woodlands and it is a delicate balancing act to get it right. I have good connections throughout the whole of the UK with regards to proper deer management, so if anyone ever needs any help or advice with regard deer, please let me know.

I am also a qualified deer impact assessor if anyone needs to know what effects they are having and I can formulate cull plans and management teams to suit for grant schemes etc if they ever return!

Regards,

SG

[Paul in the woods]

I will have a few areas to protect and shooting is an option in one wood. However, there's not a huge population of roe about, just the odd one and they can nip the tops off a row of trees in an hour or two.

 

I want to give the hedge I'm planting a good start so I'd like to protect it for a couple of years. I don't think an electric fence would be practical in this case although I'll keep it in mind for future areas.

 

It's good to see people have used the plastic mesh, any recomendations or is it all fairly similar?

[Stumpy Grinder]

Chestnut pale fencing is another alternative but will cost about £6/m. Lasts for years though.

SG