Deer can cause lots of damage in gardens, and if you’re unlucky enough to have them visit for dinner, then you’ll know what I mean. There are ways to keep them out, and being in a rural area on the Kent/Sussex border, we’ve got some experience with deer fencing, which we’d like to share with you.
Deer Species
Muntjac Deer can squeeze through gaps as small as 30cm or sneak under poorly erected wire fences, while Red Deer can jump over 1.5m high. So, it’s important to get the height & type of netting right. It may be easier to work out what height & type of fence you need if you know which type of Deer are attacking your property.
Information about types of Deer
The British Deer Society wrote a couple of interesting articles on the different species and deterring Deer, take a peek here ... https://www.bds.org.uk/index.php/advice-education/deterring-deer and https://www.bds.org.uk/index.php/advice-education/species
In this area, the most common species are Roe, Muntjac and Red Deer so fences should be a minimum of 1.8m high, ideally, with a smaller hole at the bottom for extra strength, see https://www.crestalafencing.co.uk/product/universal-deer-fencing/ for some examples. Good post depths and wire tension will make your fence strong and harder for Deer to push over. If the unlikely event that Deer are still jumping the fence you can:
- Add extra line wires above the netting to increase the fence height.
- Place obstacles such as rocks/trees the other side.
- Build a high solid fence, such as Closeboard, so the Deer cannot see into your garden and are unlikely to try to jump over. Have a look at https://www.crestalafencing.co.uk/shop/fencing/closeboard-fencing/
Deer don’t like to jump onto unknown or rocky ground so you can certainly deter them from trying to jump in the first place. As with Rabbit’s it’s also important to consider small openings and gates. Gates should be the same height as the fence and making sure all gaps are covered.
Electric fencing can help keep out Deer, but as this is attractive to thieves and needs regular monitoring and maintenance, we think netting is a better long-term option.
A word of caution to those with larger gardens
Before you enclose the garden fully, be very sure there a no Deer hiding inside the area to be enclosed. This has happened to one unfortunate couple with devastating results for their garden. If you’re unsure of how best to protect your property, please contact our team who will be happy to help with advice or provide a quote for any Deer fencing you need. See you soon!
