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Re: DEER CONTROL HELP NEEDED



On Sat, 2 Sep 1995 TroyBogdan@aol.com wrote:

> Next season I will invest in an electric fence.  I have talked to a few fence
> companies and it seems like each company recommends a different fence setup.
>  Does anybody have any proven fence setups or suggestions.  We are probably
> going to fence in about a two acre field.

I am an organic grower also and will be fencing 2-3 acres of my six.
An electric fence is all you will need to keep them completely out
of your garden. You will need to use the right equipment and install it 
properly.

Specs:

1) 8' galvanized, painted T-posts with plastic screw-on insulators.
2) The hottest charger you can get - New Zealand types are best but
   pricey, may be overkill anyway - American-made brands will probably be
   adequate (International is a good brand).
3) 1-3 8' copper-clad ground rods driven into ground under charger.
   Use heavy copper wire (10 gauge minimum) to connect charger to them
   Best not to install your charger near your electric service - 
   lightning strikes are more likely to take your charger out in that 
   situation (I've lost 2 that way). Connect hot lead to fence with 10 
   gauge copper wire using a brass clamp.
3) 14-gauge galvanized steel wire - minimum; don't use aluminum (no matter 
   what advice you get to the contrary) and don't use lighter than 14 gauge.
   Use 12 1/2 gauge hi-tensile 200 lb.-test wire for the
   lines they are likeliest to run into, 14 gauge is OK for the rest.
4) Space the lines 16" to 28" apart from the ground up - the first
   4 lines are critical, the remaining uppermost ones can be spaced 
   further apart - you absolutely don't want them going between the wires.
5) Turn the fence charger off as infrequently as possible.
6) Initially, bait the fence with peanut butter and corn in aluminum 
   foil boats hung from the middle wire (about 3' from ground)
   They quickly catch on and avoid the fence. Their feeding pattern 
   gets disrupted and they move to other areas. They always know 
   when the fence is on and will avoid it - they usually won't come 
   closer than 30-40 '.

This will absolutely keep them out of your garden. Nothing less
will work and no more is neccessary. 

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Lawrence F. London, Jr. - london@sunSITE.unc.edu 
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/Information_By_Topic.html
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/permaculture.html
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