"Well, Hello there, Beautiful!!!" OH--ya gotta love these gorgeous creatures!!! After all, didn't you see "Bambi"???? How special they are!!!! I've blogged about them many times before--and truly do love them!! BUT............?????
BUT--- they aren't so darn cute when they come into our yard and eat our flowers and shrubs. GRRRRR!!!! Why can't they enjoy dinner in someone else's yard??? Why OURS? I guess it's because ours has so many entrees for them to enjoy!
George and I could go into business telling others in the same situation (who live in the woods) what works and what doesn't work. We've tried it all--and although I'm not getting paid for this free advertisement, the best thing we've found is a spray called LIQUID FENCE!!!! The spray is costly (but worth it) and it does STINK--when you spray it. However, the smell goes away quickly. And--this spray doesn't hurt them, or any critter. They just don't like it---so they stay away, thank goodness!
We have used Liquid Fence for almost two years now---and we have had NO more deer in our yard eating our shrubs and flowers, like we had before we found the Liquid Fence. SO---right now, this love-hate relationship is only a LOVE relationship. It's hard to live in the woods and also have beautiful flowers.. Right now, the Liquid Fence allows us to have our flowers --and also enjoy seeing the deer--from a distance!!!
Ya Gotta Love 'Em.... AND---Ya Gotta Hate 'Em! ALL I know is that we've spent a small fortune trying to 'control' 'em! Oh Well--Tis life in the mountains! Here are some deer pictures we took on 1/26/09. George took the pictures from inside our home--facing the golf course fairway behind our home.
"Hey Barney, Come on down here."
"But Daddy, I'm thirsty.. Wonder if I can get some water out of this ice?"
"Oh Mable, that feels goooooood! Scratch a little to the left please."
"Barney, there's an ole woman standing there looking at us. Besides, we can't go in THAT yard. Let's GO."
"Aw Shucks, Daddy. I just wanna go and visit that pretty yard. My dinner is in there. Pretty Please, Daddy."
They are just lovely. They certainly do love to taste and take in their habitat and surroundings.
ReplyDeleteLOL Besty, that was very cute. Such lovely little creatures and I am glad Liquid Fence is working out for you.
ReplyDeleteGlad you found something to work Betsy. I am sure you all have a very healthy deer population up there on the Plateau, and so it's good you can enjoy them at a distance. :c)
ReplyDeleteGood morning Betsy and friends of the 'Forrest'. I live in Jersey part of my life and the deer knot on the door to my attention. I had a buck attack my car! . . . .
ReplyDeleteP.S. Interesting word, "For Rest"!
Nice photos and the captions sure seem to fit what they must have been thinking! We haven't gotten to that level of deer population yet. Here they have so many acres of wilderness left to roam. But I know on Long Island, NY they are bothered by deer in the villages. I guess hunting isn't taking as many, and our towns are spreading farther into their territory. I had five run through the woods here about a week ago. But they kept on going when I went out on the deck to take pictures.
ReplyDeleteI always think deer are so magical to see! You can do what my mom's friend does - he has a feeding station for them and they pretty much leave his shrubs alone. But could get costly feeding them!
ReplyDeleteWe don't have the deer population you have. We're lucky if we see them 4 or 5 times a year. One thing that probably keeps them at a distance is our dogs, and our neighbors dogs. I'd like to see the deer more, but I still want to keep my flowers. I enjoyed seeing your deer. Beautiful shots Betsy.
ReplyDeleteLOVE seeing deer, so innocent looking..even tho they eat your goods. We used to put out corn and salt licks for them. Great post and commentary!! that last one is too cute!
ReplyDeleteThe deer are beautiful. Would the liquid fence work on rabbits? They love my flowers and shrubs so much they nibble them right to the ground
ReplyDeleteI'll have to remember about liquid fence. Last year the deer eat every head of broccoli I planted.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to remember that stuff!
ReplyDeleteI could never shoot one! I don't see how people do.
ReplyDeleteI put a bar of Coast soap in the flower garden...they think a human is near...and it takes a looong time to melt.
Now, I understand how you can take these pictures without grinding your teeth--liquid fence.
ReplyDeleteSooo funny. Do you really hear them??? (pssssst. George...are you reading this???)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a win/win. You get to see them...but they don't ruin all your work. Until they come up with their own ANTI-SPRAY. then you will be in trouble.
They probably consider your yard as a gourmet restaurant! I totally agree about the love-hate relationship. It is that way with many animals. When I worked at the orchard, some years the deer were bad and others not...they used to always go for the gala apple. Then the last several years I worked there they didn't bother any as far as eating, but when they rubbed on the young trees they sometimes killed them.
ReplyDeleteBetsy, I love to see deer, and I love your photos of them. I don't live where they come onto my property though, so maybe I'd feel differently about them if they were eating their dinner in my yard. I enjoyed seeing these.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it's love/love. I would be so unhappy if they didn't come into my yard.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the cute deer photos. Glad to know about the liquid fence. We have a few deer near the creek but many of our neighbors feed them and they don't bother our plants so much. It's always funny to see our cats or dog react to seeing a deer in the yard. It looks like they are thinking, "those animals are BIG!"
ReplyDeleteDeer are best loved at a distance, I guess! :) Our local population of deer is being displaced quickly by urban expansion; their habitat being destroyed by bulldozers at an alarming rate. We've had a family of three deer visiting our church gardens occasionally. We don't have the heart to try to scare them off; they have very few places left to go. Maybe we need to invest in some deer food.
ReplyDeleteEven though it's disappointing when the deer come in and mow my columbines in the spring, I figure they were here first...coyote pee powder works too but disappears in water.
ReplyDeleteWe have the problem with deer eating plants too, and now I only plant plants that I know the deer don't like. Here's a website where you can look up deer preferences: http://www.lotf.com/misc/deer/deer.htm I do, however, have a few plants that I put in before I started this practice and they are enclosed in little cages! I tried the liquid deer repellent but you have to keep applying it and my bottle clogged and it was running down my arm . . . I was getting more repelled than the deer! Nice pictures, Betsy! I never get tired of watching the deer!
ReplyDeleteSo, liquid fence sounds like just the ticket. Wonder what's in it, or maybe we don't want to know!! Take it from one who has actually collected coyote scat and put it around a skunk den to try and encourage them to leave (ended up trapping them!)
ReplyDeleteI wonder if that stuff works for rabbits as well.Hope you are having a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,Ruth
Does Liquid Fence work on skunks?
ReplyDeleteLove the deer pics and captions.
What a wonderful post! Love all your pictures too! Who would have thunk!! Liquid Fence! I'm like you, I'd want my deer and flowers too. What a paradise you live in!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to tell my friend about liquid fence ... she has a real problem with deer munching back her flowers. We have them pass through once in a while but so far they haven't been a real problem. I'll keep the liquid fence in mind!! I found that once I pulled the garlic, the deer would become a problem ... they mustn't like the smell of garlic either.
ReplyDeleteBarney! What a hoot! That's a great solution. We have lots of deer, fox and coyotes. It's a wonderland around here even with all the commercial buildings. I'm still amazed when I see wildlife. But yes, they do eat the pretty flowers.
ReplyDeleteAw...that was too cute! They are pretty! I can imagine how frustrating it can be when they get in your yard and eat your goodies!
ReplyDeleteI can just imagine what they might be saying to each other too!
That was a fun post!
Tammy
Very pretty! I'll have to tell a friend about that stuff....they eat her hostas and she gets very upset. I guess all animals are lovely in small amounts and for short duration, but can become a nusiance. Right now I hate the Starlings and Cowbirds, but if I had only 1-2, I wouldn't mind them a bit. It's the 100 or so that I can't stand!
ReplyDeleteI love your commentary and deer photos. That was cute.
ReplyDeleteDear Betsy, We don't have that problem because our yard is fenced in for our dog. But squirrels, that's another story. I like to look at them and even have a special feeder for them, but they insist on hanging on my bird feeders until they knock them down.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Liquid Fence before Betsy. Luckily we had a fence so we have no problem with deer. It would be a love-hate relationship with me too cause I think these guys are so adorable.
ReplyDeleteYeah, deer are kinda special. We have quite a few around here too. they only ate the buds off the rose bush and I don't have that rose bush anymore and I'm fine. MB
ReplyDeleteTheres a huge deer problem in Pennsyvania. Not such a big one here in Florida. They say that the movie Bambi set forest management practices back decades: it villified hunting and prescribed wild fires. But it is a good movie.
ReplyDeleteOMGosh! I just found your blog! We have a timeshare at Tansi!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Rebecca
It is a love/hate relationship. So far mine stay too far away to get any photos, I want them closer, but not too close, so I don't do anything to encourage them to come closer. I have over 70 varieties of daylilies, and they will eat daylilies to the ground.
ReplyDeleteLeedra’s Photos For Fun
Leedra’s Greeting Cards
Photography By Leedra
Glad you found a way to enjoy them, and your flowers too!
ReplyDeleteHi again! Thanks for coming by to visit me! We actually inherited the timeshare from my hubby's parents. We use to go with them to Tansi each summer. Then when they passed, we always took our kids for the week. However, since they have gotten older, we haven't been for the last three years. We are thinking of going this summer though. I'll visit you again, as well!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend!
Rebecca
They are so cute! That's the reason I could never be much of a hunter!
ReplyDeleteAwww - they really are cute! I have the same love-hate relationship with rabbits. They're cute too, unless they are eating my tulip bulbs!
ReplyDeleteHi Bernie, Well---you can't blame the deer. They were here before we were. SO--I guess our yards are for them too, so they think!!!!
ReplyDeleteKallen--I do love the deer ---and I'm happy now that we've found something that works for us. I just hope they don't become 'immune' to the Liquid Fence. If that happens, we'll have to start over looking for things that work.
Jayne--Yes, since all wildlife in our area is 'protected' we do have MANY types of wildlife including deer. Someone recently spotted a bald eagle up here. Wish I could see that!!!! AND--black bears have been spotted--but none near here (that I know of)... Yipes!!! ha
Raymonty-- I've heard of deer doing lots of damage to cars --even around here. One hit the side of my husband's Camry several years ago. Luckily, it didn't do much damage to the car--but we don't know about the deer.
Cedar--I really feel sorry for the wildlife in this area. They keep building houses --so more and more deer (and other animals) are being displaced. It's really kinda sad.. Hope your lands up there stay uncultivated. They do NEED their land.
Shelley--I agree; I love them--and love watching them as much as I enjoy watching the birds. BUT--I'm not going to start feeding them (at least at this time). I'm afraid that it would just make more of them come near us here!!!! (Besides, I'm already spending my retirement monies on the BIRDS!!! ha)
Connie-- We have a rule up here that all domesticated animals need to be 'inside' animals --or on a leash. We are not allowed to have fences either. SO---other than seeing an occasional cat outside, or people walking their dogs (on leashes supposedly)--we don't have any dogs to scare running around to scare the deer.
Tina--Well, on behalf of the deer, they were here FIRST.. I could feed them--but George says that we're already feeding the 'world' --when it comes to our birds!!! ha
Peggy--Yes, the deer are beautiful. I thought the Liquid Fence would work on rabbits---but this past year, a bunch of baby rabbits ate almost all of our Impatiens. We checked for rabbit spray --and actually bought some (from the same place that makes Liquid Fence). However, I'm not sure that it worked well --since the rabbit kept coming back for more... I'll let you know if we find something that works for rabbits.
Pigeon--Oh they love to get in people's gardens. People in this area have those electric fences around their veggie gardens. We here in Fairfield Glade cannot have veggie gardens. They rent out areas in a big field to anyone who wants to have a garden. George and I stick to flowers--although we have a couple of tomato plants that grow on our deck in containers.
Woody-- It really works!!!! We buy the concentrated kind --and George puts it in his big sprayer after diluting it.
Phyllis-I couldn't shoot one either---but I couldn't shoot ANYTHING. I've never had a gun in my hand my entire life. We used to use some of that smelly soap (Irish Spring) --and that worked temporarily. We also used cayenne pepper, lavender, moth balls, and who knows what else. HA!!!
Sally---Yes we can!!! I love the deer--and don't worry now whether or not they'll come into the yard. I just hope that they don't become immune to the Liquid Fence. If that happens, we'll have to start over with possibilities!!!
Suzanne-- You mean you can't hear those deer talking????? George wouldn't ever admit this--but he heard them too!!!! ha ha ha ha ha..... Yes, we do have a win-win situation right now. Them becoming immune to Liquid Fence is my worry though... If that happens, we'll be back to square one!!! Enjoy your 'fair' this weekend--and eat TONS of corn dogs and fried corn!!!! Yum!
Rose--Our yard is a place where they'd love to visit and have breakfast, lunch and dinner. You are right---it's not just the deer that we have trouble with. The chipmunk dig tunnels in our flowerbeds--and anywhere else they can! The rabbits ate our Impatiens last year.. And the list goes on!!!! ha
Thanks Daisy... I love the deer also. I could watch them as much as I enjoy watching the birds. If we didn't grow flowers including 35 rose bushes, we probably wouldn't mind them coming into the yard. But we have alot of money and hard work in our yard. Hopefully, we're in a win-win situation.
Carla--Do you have roses and beautiful flowers in your yard???? If we didn't, it wouldn't matter whether they came into our yard. BUT--we've got too much invested with our rose and other flowers. This way, we can enjoy them-and still have our flowers.
Mildred---If your neighbors feed the deer, maybe they won't come close enough to eat your shrubs and flowers. Several have requested that we need to feed the deer. BUT--we are already spending tons of money feeding the birds. SO--I don't want to put more stress on our budget!!!! Plus---if we started feeding them, I think we'd draw even more to the yard.
Pat--Well--it's true... Construction and 'progress' (ha) is taking away the homes of all of our wildlife. SO--technically, the deer were her first. I feel sorry for them. BUT--we also like our roses and flowers. Hopefully, with the Liquid Fence, we can enjoy BOTH. If you want to save your church's gardens, get the parish to invest in some deer food. Maybe that will help.
MM--We ordered and used Fox Urine to deter the deer (and other critters).. It didn't ever work really well. Yes, the deer were here first---and I'm sorry for them (due to all of the construction in our area). BUT--I also like my roses and flowers. Hopefully I can enjoy BOTH.
Aleta--I've read about flowers that deer won't eat---but the ones we like (like roses, lots of the perennials, etc.) are ones that they DO like. We buy our Liquid Fence in the concentrated form --and George mixes it with water and puts it in his big sprayer (that he uses for fertilizing). It works well--and is not in that little bottle like you had that leaks all over you.
Deb, I have no idea what is in it---but I'm sure you could look at their website and find out. It stinks--but I don't think it has anything in it that harms either the flowers or any of our critters. We ordered Fox Urine one time and tried it... Didn't work for long--if at all.
Ruth--It's supposed to work for rabbits, but this past Summer, the baby rabbits ate our Impatiens. We ordered some other spray for the baby rabbits--but it didn't seem to work well either. Those baby rabbits just ate it anyhow.... Duh!!!!
Jen---I don't think this Liquid Fence works on skunks.. BUT--you may find something on that website to help get rid of skunks. We haven't had any trouble with skunks here although we smell that at nights during the summer. PEEEEUUUU!!!
Karin, I do love the deer --and could watch them all day!!! Right now---I'm in a win-win situation ---enjoying my flowers AND the deer!!!
Cicero-- Tell her to check out Liquid Fence. We've tried EVERYTHING--and this is the best we've found. No--they probably don't like the smell of garlic and they really don't like the smell of this Liquid Fence.
Rosa-- You like Barney???? He is a cutie!!! We don't have coyotes here--but they say there are some foxes around (I haven't seen any). Black bears have also been spotted in our area---but hopefully, none close to us!!!! ha
Tammy---I love the deer--and could watch them all day. Now---hopefully, we can enjoy BOTH--the deer and our flowers!!!
Mary--I've got hosta also---and with the Liquid Fence, they don't touch it. I agree that the animals are more of a nuisance in large numbers--such as the Starlings. Luckily, we don't have any deer in THAT number!!!
Grammy--Thanks!! I do love the deer. They are just gorgeous animals.
Diane--Our property owners don't allow anyone to have a fence here. We can't have wandering dogs either ---since pets have to be on a leash. So---barking dogs don't help keep the deer away in our area. Squirrels are a nuisance also.. Luckily, we haven't had much trouble with them this year. Knock on wood!!! ha
Susie--We are not allowed to have fences in this area. SO---the deer can roam freely wherever they want to do. Luckily the Liquid Fence works so far!!!
MB--Well as long as you don't have flowers that they will eat, you don't have anything to worry about. You can just enjoy the deer!!! Luckily, with the Liquid Fence, we can enjoy both our flowers and the deer.
Bob--I've read about the deer in certain places being all over the place--in towns, cities, neighborhoods, etc. Luckily, we don't have nearly that many. I saw Bambi when I was about 5 yrs. old --and I cried and cried. Oh Well!!!! ha
Welcome Rebecca. I'm glad you stopped by. PLEASE come back . I checked out your blog and loved it. Where in TN are you???? We've been to Tansi (which is not that far from us!!!)
Leedra--It is a love-hate relationship--especially since we love our flowers so much. Try some of that Liquid Fence on your daylilies. That will give you peace of mind---if you think they will come that close. Right now, we can enjoy the deer--and hopefully they'll stay OUT of our yard!!!
Alan---Welcome!!! I hope you come back often. I am a birder also---so I enjoyed looking at your blog. Congrats on your getting your photo published. That is special.
Rebecca-- Well, I hope you and your family make it to Tansi this summer... Stay in touch!!!!! I enjoyed seeing your blog.
Neal---Yes, deer are gorgeous. I could watch them all day long--just like I could the birds. I couldn't shoot anything. In fact, I've never had a gun in my hand!!!!
Wendy--We have trouble with rabbits also--and have not found anything to keep them from nibbling all night long. Last year, the rabbits kept eating all of our Impatiens. Drove me crazy!!!! Wish I could find some Liquid Fence-type stuff to get rid of the rabbits.
Barb-- I know!!! It's hard for them and us. Afterall, they were here FIRST. BUT--I'm selfish.. I want my pretty roses and flowers TOO... SO, right now, I've got a win-win situation. I can still enjoy the deer AND my flowers!!!
Betsy: I love your deer captures.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom... They are such beautiful creatures.
ReplyDelete