White-Tailed Deer are plentiful in New England, they are active year-round and they interact with humans daily. This healthy population carries with it some risks such as car collisions, increasing the spread of Lyme Disease, and vegetation/landscaping destruction. 

According to the State of Massachusetts “There are now more than 95,000 white-tailed deer in Massachusetts. Densities range from about 10–15 deer per square mile in northwestern Massachusetts to more than 80 deer per square mile in areas of eastern Massachusetts closed to hunting.” With male white-tails weighing around 150lbs and females weighing around 100lbs, you can imagine the food sources it takes to feed 80 deer in one square mile, especially over the winter. 

This time of year we hear from many of our existing all-natural tick and mosquito repellent customers looking for help getting rid of deer who are eating their expensive landscaped plants, gardens, and trees. We understand their frustration given that “On average a single deer can consume 5 to 10 pounds of plant material a day.”  (Penn St.) All it takes is a few deer to spend a night feeding on your property and you can have thousands of dollars in damage. 

An effective and proven method of preventing deer from accessing your property, garden, landscaping, etc. is to put up physical barriers such as a deer fence. Whether you are putting up a permanent or temporary fence you get peace of mind that your landscaping is protected. Typically there are 2 types of fencing used to repel deer from a property or area of your property: a wire mesh fence such as used around chicken coops or an electric fence like those used to fence livestock. Both can be effective but there are high costs to installing fencing depending on square footage, type of fencing, and the labor required. Additionally, many property owners do not like the aesthetics of fencing on their yards. 

2. Deer Repellents

Deer repellents are effective, low impact, and easily applied. There is a wide range of repellents on the market so if you are applying them yourself “be sure to read and follow the label directions as well as match the repellent with your application situation”. Some products can be more dangerous/toxic than others so make sure you understand what you are applying to your property and take into consideration things such as runoff and the potential side effects to the surrounding habitat. 

“Repellents work by reducing the palatability and attractiveness of a plant species, making the plant undesirable to the deer. Repellents can be divided into two groupings: direct and indirect repellents. Direct repellents repel through bad taste and often contain a bittering agent. Bittering agents work by sticking to the leaf surface of plants, making your plants taste bad.” (auburn.edu)

• Here is how our deer control service is different from other companies:
• We use OMRI listed, all-natural deer repellents.
• Our products are safer for kids and pets.
• We adapt our treatment methods and strategy based on the season and behavior patterns of the deer.
• Our equipment is not contaminated by synthetic products.
• Our services are not harmful to the environment or wildlife including the deer.

Deer are foragers, they are constantly in search of food. However, they do prefer some plants over others and will avoid some plants altogether. By working with your landscaper and/or researching what plants deer will avoid you can create a beautifully  landscaped property void of those species of plants that attract deer. 

Deer tend to leave a ragged, broken end on browsed branches up to 6 feet from the ground. If you have experienced damage in the past, deer will return each season until food sources are depleted. To learn more about what plants to consider around your property download the Pure Solutions Deer Repellent plant list here. 

Deer are a natural part of the New England environment, although they can be a pest and cause damage it’s on us to learn how to better live with these animals sustainably and limit confrontations. Through some selective strategies, we can limit deer damage on our properties without having drastic negative consequences on our environment.