Deer Can Be More Trouble in Winter — Here’s How to Control Them

Remember Bambi? Adorable. Remember Flag, the naturally destructive fawn from The Yearling? Unhappily, the deer that invade our yards every year belong in the second category. They’re just not Bambi . . . they’re more like Flag.

No one can deny how beautiful and majestic these animals are, but unfortunately they see our plants and shrubs as a buffet that we didn’t invite them to! While we’d like to enjoy their beauty, we can do without the widespread loss to our landscapes, gardens and pots.

Whitetail deer can consume, on average, twelve pounds of foliage a day. (That’s a lot of leaves and branches!) And in the winter, natural food sources are scarce, which means they’ll give homeowners more trouble than any other time of year. Simply put, the more snow we get, the worse the problem becomes. A winter of constant snow coverage is great for bulbs and perennials, but evergreens face the toughest challenges from hungry animals looking to survive.

Deer are creatures of habit, and contrary to popular belief, the majority of them do not migrate. Bucks are known to travel upwards of 100 miles, but does will stay within the same 3 to 4 square miles for their entire life. This means, the deer you see this year, are probably the same deer you saw last year. It also means that once they’ve found a food source in your backyard they’ll be back for seconds.

That’s why it’s important to prevent damage by foraging deer now. Breaking their pattern, once it is established, is one of the hardest tasks gardeners face. Once deer adapt to your garden, one deer expert says, they adopt it. Act now and your chances this winter are great for protecting your prized trees, shrubs and gardens from foraging deer.

There are loads of deer repellents on the market, all claiming to deter deer. Some of them work and some of them don’t. Most of them smell horrible and need to be reapplied too frequently. Until now.

Messina Wildlife Management has developed Deer Stopper, the first pleasant smelling deer repellent that works by smell and taste. The product dries clear and odor free and will not burn plants. Deer Stopper is also ideal for winter protection: if plants are covered by snow, it can be applied directly to the snow to prevent digging and foraging. As the snow melts, the product will bind to the plants below.

Deer Stopper is also listed for use by organic growers, meaning it can be applied to edible plants as well. It is an all-natural, biodegradable liquid repellent that guarantees deer will stop feeding on your prized gardens, shrubs and trees for 30 days per application.

This winter protect your plants and shrubs and create your own boundaries for foraging bucks and deer. Now you’re in control, so just spray Deer Stopper and watch the animals stop exactly where you want them to!

For more information on Deer Stopper, retail store locations and other Wildlife management repellents visit www.messinawildlife.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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