FREE DEER CONTROL IN SOUTH - OUR FEE IS THE VENISON

Call  07876 190 914 (7 Days)

Deer damage a problem?

A deer cull is likely to be the best option

or Please email us at info@DeerControl.org.uk

We provide a deer culling service free of charge:-

• All areas in and neighbouring Hampshire
• Safe, Humane and Discrete
• Expert Marksmen
• Fully Qualified to DMQ level
• Police Approved
• Licensed and Insured
• References Provided

We would also be delighted to provide a free written survey of your ground, including :- 

• identification of species and numbers of deer present;
• risk assessment for viability of deer cull;
• damage analysis and recommended mitigation measures;
• advice concerning deer fence specification and mesh size;
• quotation for deer fencing if appropriate and viable;
• advice concerning varieties of tree guard and tree protector;
• advice concerning deer proof plants and deer resistant plants; and
• recommendations for use of deer repellant.
  

The reality is however, deer fencing or a deer cull are the only truly effective ways to prevent damage and woodland deterioration.

The fence specification must be tailored to the species present and the deer management objective.  We can advise you about this, but for guidance we set our below some general fencing specifications.  In general terms, fences with mesh netting are the most effective.  The height of the fence needs to be determined by the deer species on the land.  Mesh material can be lightweight hexagonal mesh nettting, high tensile plastic mesh netting or the most popular, high tensile hinged joint wire deer netting or deer fence.   

We can put you in touch with Deer Fencing contractors who will provide a free survery of your property and supply a competitive quotation.  We can assess free of charge whether fencing or culling or both is the most effective way forward.

In our experience, electric fences are of limited use against Roe, Muntjac and Fallow but they may be more effective against Red Deer provided there is a reliable electricity supply and the fence can be checked daily.   We understand that research is currently being undertaken into the effectiveness of electric fencing to keep deer out in coppiced lowland woodlands.  As soon as we have any news on this we will update this site.  However, in our experience electric fences are more effective where reduced deer numbers are achieved through deer culling.  They may also be effective where small areas on new plantations are requiring protection.

Lightweight deer netting can be useful to protect small areas against smaller species of deer such as roe and muntjac.  Fallow, Red and Sika however are too large and will happily trash plastic deer netting without giving it a second thought.   These are not as efefctive as a tree protector however to reduce deer damage to young trees.

As far as types of tree guard and tree protector are concerned, these are an effective method of deer control to prevent damage to newly planted trees, and prevent deer browsing and rabbit damage.  However, in larger woodlands, tree protectors and tree guards can be expensive.  It is also worth noting that within a couple of years, the trees outgrow tube style protectors.  Fallow deer in particular are prone to knocking young trees over to get at the tender shoots above, and so larger size more heavy duty tree guards and tree protectors are required to eliminate damage.  This can then get very expensive.   We can advise you concerning the various types and brands of tree guard and tree protector on the market today.  It is certainly true to say that some of these are more effective at reducing deer damage than others.

Deer repellant is something that we are often asked about.  Deer repellent is rarely effecive for a long enough period to be truly successful, although in a short space of time and where a small area needs protecting, some deer repellant may have a minor impact.  However, in general terms our advice is that deer repellant is not an effective method of deer control and deer fencing or a deer cull are by far the most effective way to reduce or eliminate damage by deer.   Certainly, in a commercial context, deer repellant is not considered effective enough to be viable.

There are also deer repellent devices on the market such as deer scarers.  We have not heard any positive reports concerning the effectiveness of these but if we do so we will update this site.

For a list of deer resistant plants, see the page dedicated to these on this website.  However, a word of warning - very few plants are truly deer proof or deer resistant and they are all prone to deer damage to some extent.