Re: “Deer dilemma traps farmer,” March 15
In 2010, we bought a house on almost half an acre in Qualicum Beach and wanted to reap the bounty of home-grown fruit, produce and herbs.
Using three-metre lengths of rebar, we threaded the rebar through 30-metre lengths of two-metre-high deer fencing, then pounded a metre of the rebar into the ground every two or three metres around the perimeter of our property. We have not had one deer enter our property since erecting this deterrent.
Because rabbits are also abundant in our Eaglecrest neighbourhood, we soon realized that they were adept at chewing little doorways into the bottom of the deer fencing. We then tweaked the deer fencing with 30-centimetre-high reinforcement of chicken wire at the ground level. We have been rabbit-free since then.
It might sound unsightly in a residential area. We had discussed our plan with our neighbours beforehand. The rebar/deer fence became almost invisible to the eye (except for the shimmer in the sun and the slight snow collection during the winter) and our garden has become one of the most appreciated and productive in the neighbourhood.
It took two innovative women just one weekend to erect the fence and less time than that to reinforce it. Items required: elbow grease, sledge hammer, deer fencing, rebar, zip ties and ladder. Oh, we tied short lengths of coloured plastic along the upper edge for a couple of weeks to give the deer a “heads up.”
April McKenna
Qualicum Beach
