Problems with deer
 Black-tailed deer, a subspecies of the mule deer, are common throughout the northern and central California coastal ranges. While they prefer open chaparral, they will adjust to almost any open space they can find. Deer have learned to adapt to small patches of open space in urban areas and are common in many of our neighborhoods.
Black-tailed deer are most active early in the morning, at dusk and on moonlit nights. They form small family groups. The doe has one or two fawns, born in late spring or early summer. Fawns begin foraging for their own food when they are a week old, but will nurse heavily for at least two months. The fawns have spots on their coats until they are about three and a half months old. They will live most of their lives in the area where born, rarely traveling any great distance.
Deer eat a variety of plants and seem particularly attracted to many of the trees, bushes and perennials commonly used in suburban landscaping. |
Eating plants
Fence the area with a solid 6' fence or 8' fence that they can see through. For best control, slant the fence towards the approach area. On ornamental plants, use Ropel® (very bitter spray) or Hinder®. Plant deer-resistant plants; get a list at a nursery or in the Sunset Gardening book. Lay chicken wire flat on the ground; deer don't like to walk on it. |
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