Fencing question

[SLFarmMI]

We want to fence the deer out of our orchard and garden area. We're estimating that we'd need about 1000' of fence to go around the perimeter of the area we need to fence. We're looking at solar fence chargers but we're unsure of how big of one we'll need. Premier has solar chargers that are 0.5 Joules, 1 Joule and 2 Joules. Anyone with experience that could give me an idea of what size to get? Thanks for your help.

[fordy]

Originally Posted by SLFarmMI

We want to fence the deer out of our orchard and garden area. We're estimating that we'd need about 1000' of fence to go around the perimeter of the area we need to fence. We're looking at solar fence chargers but we're unsure of how big of one we'll need. Premier has solar chargers that are 0.5 Joules, 1 Joule and 2 Joules. Anyone with experience that could give me an idea of what size to get? Thanks for your help.

.................Get the biggest one available ! Fence should be 8 ft. high ! Build your corners , very strong . A 100 pound deer can exert lots of force
when they hit the top wire of an 8 foot fence . , fordy

[luvrulz]

Good luck with trying that. The tallest fence will be a tease to most big deer...

[COWS]

Yes, get a strong charger. I have one that is rated tocharge 50 miles of fence. For the garden I use one strand of wire chest high for deer, two strands about 6 inches high for raccoons. I have put peanut butter on strips of aluminum foil so deer will lick it and get a real charge. I haven't seen one actually do it. Daughter has same set up but her deer have learned to jump over the fence. Other methods: Build 2 fences a few feet apart so that if they jump one they will land in the next. You will have to rebuild the fence but the deer should have learned a lesson. Another way is to build a sloping, multi strand fence. You probably can find details by looking up "deer fencing".

COWS

[CJ]

We put in 5 foot non climb horse fence around our orchard and chicken yard. The gates are only 4 feet high, and yet the deer have never jumped the fence. They were destroying our orchard before, and still destroy our front yard.

[rambler]

Bigger is better on a fencer. When you see ratings in 'miles' that is when the fence becomes totally ineffective, it is not a realistic rating of what you can fence. On a fencer, bigger is better.

A very motivated deer can jump a 9 foot fence. Our local brewery has a deer park with fenced deer. Wild bucks will make it inside in rutting season. And back out again.

If there is lots of good eats around you and you just need to discourage them from that one spot, then more modest fences can work.

Paul

[Alice In TX/MO]

It's not electric that will stop deer, it's height. Lots of height.

A four foot electric fence is just something to leap over.

[crazyfarm]

Might I suggest a very tame 6' fence with a good dog behind it?

[idigbeets]

I've had good luck w/ a 3D fence.. basically putting 2 electric fences up, separated by 3-4 feet in between. Deer clears the first one, lands on the 2nd, freaks out, tears the fence down, but leaves