TABLE I - DEER DETERRENT PRODUCTS

Table I below summarize the types of deterrents and their attributes.

Working with deterrents may be more effective if you understand a few basic principles as discussed in a Delaware Department of natural resources report1:

1. Deterrents should be thought of as a proactive approach, i.e. they should be put into place before damage occurs.
2. Deer are very adaptable creatures; therefore, scare techniques utilized by the visual and sound deterrent products should be considered short-term solutions.
3. While sound deterrents are very effective on large scale farms and orchards, the smaller scale devices have shown a decrease in effectiveness over time.
4. Consider combining sight and sound deterrents for more effective results.

1Delaware Department of Natural Resouces. Nonlethal Deer Damage Abatement Techniques – Deterrents. http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Hunting/Documents/Nonlethal
%20Deer%20Damage%20Abatement%20Techniques%20-%20Deterrents.pdf August 7, 2011.