What's the best way of preventing roe deer from eating the new shoots on my three-years old hawthorn hedge?

I planted a hawthorn hedge in spring 2005 and its development is constantly being retarded by the local itinerant roe deer population browsing the tender young shoots each spring and summer. Short of ereecting an eaight foot high fence on both sides, how can I deter these unwelcome nightly visitations?

What's the best way of preventing roe deer from eating the new shoots on my three-years old hawthorn hedge?
I think they make a waxy pepper spray that you can spray on things so that wildlife won't eat them.
Reply:Try human urin ,,pee,,,,put it in ah plastic milk jug and set it in the sun ,,,,,human ,,urine ,,,,,,put it on and around the hedges ,sounds weird but it works ,,by settin it in the sun it becomes very strong ,,,,or like the other person said ,,,but you need ah special permit from ah game warden in order not to get in trouble ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,or don't get caught,,,,,
Reply:at shot gun seems Good way to me
Reply:Assuming you are in the UK just be glad you get visited by one of our rarer native deer!!





Try netting like you would use to keep birds off your soft fruit
Reply:We had hawthorn hedges all around the front of my house when I was growing up, *and* we lived near the Texas hillcountry. This means we practically shared our property with at least 10 deer per year, on a one acre plot. (We had baby deers being born in the backyard every spring too.)


The deer never really bothered the hawthorn too much. Here's some ideas on why that was %26amp; what worked for us:


- Having a lot of the hawthorn bush means that each bush gets eaten a little less


- Putting the hawthorn in the front of the yard, or wherever the deer don't tend to visit might help


- Deer love fruit leftovers like watermelon rinds. Toss some in your neighbors yard to create a sort of detour
Reply:put some citris peel and old shirt
Reply:If you don't live where coyote urine is readily available, one of the best repellents are firelighters dissolved in methylated spirit. Spray it thinly on the underside of the leaves, so it won't get washed away by the rain. My enemies are the local red deer, and it was the only thing that saved my apple trees.
Reply:use dog hair and coyote urine. the urine can be purchased at the local hunting and trapping store. also spray the hedge with a good mix of hot pepper juice.
Reply:i make my own pepper spray with hot sauce and water in an empty dish soap bottle and spray it around. i like the under the leaves idea so it does not wash off. this is the most inexpensive thing i have used.
Reply:hang chilly peppers on the hedge or rub the shoots not the buds with chilly source thy will no be back ??
Reply:Human hair (e.g. your own, from your hair brush) can repel roe deer and other wildlife if you put it in your hedge. I have seen similar repellants in garden centers.


You can also try the fertilizer "bloodmeal", and isn't so bad as it sounds. It is made from blood from slaughtered animals (pigs) and is high in nitrogen. So maybe it does your hedge good in a double way.


More elaborate, but not necessarily difficult, is to try an electric fence. The mere electromagnetic field generated around the wire is said to deter the cute little bastards from coming near your hedge. Works with a regular car battery (12 V).
Reply:Lay chicken wire on ground prior to the hedge.


Predator urine (phew).


Spray hedge with pepper/hot sauce.


Set up lawn sprinkles to a motion detector.
Reply:chicken wire fence although idid see a program were they built a fence of small logs and branches.

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