Use of partially fenced fields to reduce deer damage to corn

Abstract

White‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) damage agricultural crops, often leading to significant economic losses for farmers. We used poly‐mesh fence with wings to separate good deer cover from agricultural fields where crop damage by deer occurred primarily along this edge. In these cases, complete enclosure of the field with fencing may be unnecessary. The design used a 2.13‐m‐high polypropylene mesh fence erected along the wooded edge of a field with either 50‐m or 150‐m wings extending perpendicular from the fence line and wooded habitat. Fences reduced deer damage in cornfields 13.5% (F1,6 = ∞, P < 0.001). Average yield in fenced fields (10,211 kg/ha) was 1,708 kg/ha greater than in control fields, which, at US$0.155/kg, equals a net gain of US$265/ha. We found no difference in damage between fences with 50‐m and 150‐m wings (F1,1 = 0.26, P = 0.695). Costs for materials and labor for erecting partial poly‐mesh fences with wings were US$5.56/m and US$1.42/m, respectively. Mean total cost for partial poly‐mesh fences with 50‐m wings would be US$60.13/ha/year over a 10‐year period, compared with US$82.30/ha/year for 150‐m wings and US$184.16/ha/year for completely enclosing fields. Expected savings for partial poly‐mesh fences with 50‐m wings over a 10‐year period were US$205/ha/year, as compared with damaged fields without fences. We concluded that poly‐mesh fences with 50‐m wings were cost‐effective at reducing damage by deer to corn. Additional research should be conducted to determine efficacy of the more cost‐effective high‐tensile and poly‐tape fences with wings. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.

Evaluation of techniques to reduce deer and Elk damage to agricultural crops

“…Hildreth et al () recently experimented with “winged” or “partial” fences designed to reduce white‐tailed deer access along field edges adjacent to cover. The fence is completely installed on the field side that borders native vegetation, and partially installed on the perpendicular sides, creating “wings” that extend around a portion of the field (Fig.…”

“…This fence is highly economical because only a portion of the field must be enclosed and materials can be easily erected and removed depending on crop rotation. We installed winged fences following Hildreth et al (), where the side of the treatment plot closest to the crop–wildland interface received complete protection. We erected fences 2.1‐m in height, which consisted of ultraviolet‐stable polypropylene high‐strength mesh (Benner's Gardens, Phoenixville, PA) secured to 3‐m metal t‐posts spaced every 7‐m using cable ties.…”

“…These methods are less expensive than permanent fencing and can be implemented on a temporary basis to account for crop rotation (VerCauteren et al , Walter et al ). Although these methods have received some testing on white‐ and black‐tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus , O. h. columbianus ; Nolte , Seamans and VerCauteren , Hildreth et al ), little is known about their effectiveness in reducing mule deer or elk damage to agriculture.…”

Exploiting antipredator behavior in white‐tailed deer for resource protection

“…As such, though our short‐term findings show promise for the technique (particularly in that they relate to winter conditions when alternative food sources were few), we do not expect long‐term effectiveness of visual barriers against deer without integration of methods that enhance perceived risk. Still, seasonal, cost‐effective fence applications can reduce damage to crops such as corn, thus enabling farmers to tolerate higher densities of deer in localized areas (Hildreth et al 2012). Future research should quantify effectiveness over time and scale, including random repositioning of barriers near target resources, both at airports and agricultural settings.…”

A Survey of Wildlife Damage Management Techniques Used by Wildlife Control Operators in Urbanized Environments in the USA

“…decks, porches, buildings). Fences may not need to enclose the entire site to achieve significant protection (Hildreth et al 2012 ). Two types of fences are typically used: electric and nonelectric (McKillop and Sibly 1988 ).…”