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Post by lisaann on Jul 10, 2016 11:04:55 GMT -5
We moved into that one nearly 7 years ago. Feels good to know we are planted for the duration! You know, the one you live in until you die. That is what I looked for to start with............29 years later.............It's still right............but as a friend said on here.............ya never know..............might have a room in the Rest Home restless will be managing...........Too Funny............
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Post by reuben on Jul 10, 2016 11:49:05 GMT -5
I'll tell ya what's goin' on in our yard. The effing deer got in again. Mowed down pretty much all of the remnants of my wife's day lilies, (which she loves), the Moulin Rouge sunflowers ,(which she loves), and probably a bunch of other things I don't even know about since I'm in charge of veggies and she's in charge of flowers.
I'd say that about 98% of the sunflower and day lily crops have been decimated.
Anyone want a few hundred deer?
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Post by desertwoman on Jul 10, 2016 11:51:57 GMT -5
That's heartbreaking reuben. If your wife is anything like me, I endure winter until they start blooming again. My flowers are food for my soul
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Post by restless on Jul 10, 2016 12:13:34 GMT -5
Reuban, that's horrible. Stupid deer.
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Post by lisaann on Jul 10, 2016 12:25:13 GMT -5
Anyone want a few hundred deer? Well we KNOW I love Deer Jerky..................... You are going to have to WORK on Attica...............get that PA buddy to come help ya..............You helped him! What are the wife's thoughts on what action you should take?
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Post by reuben on Jul 10, 2016 13:05:03 GMT -5
If your wife is anything like me, I endure winter until they start blooming again. My flowers are food for my soul You are, in at that way, quite like my wife. And about the same height, too.
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Post by reuben on Jul 10, 2016 13:12:23 GMT -5
Reuban, that's horrible. Stupid deer. restless - I can't say that we're happy about the deer, but stepping back and taking the larger view, I have to say that the deer aren't stupid. They're trying to survive, just like we are. They have their favorite foods, in and out of season, and will even eat the juniper if they're really hungry and get in during the winter. It's the age-old competition for food and other resources. That doesn't make either my wife or I happy, but it's the truth. lisaann - Attica is the one refuge we have, which I built for veggies. My wife's flowers, which are between Attica and the "deer fence" are up for grabs if the fence is broken of the deer get in some other way. Neither my PA buddy nor anyone else without a deer rifle can help, and that's only allowed at certain times of year, and does little more than keep the population at the current level. It's an imperfect world. We all do what we have to do - people, deer, et al.
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Post by ahntjudy on Jul 10, 2016 14:28:59 GMT -5
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Post by lisaann on Jul 10, 2016 14:55:20 GMT -5
lisaann - Attica is the one refuge we have, which I built for veggies. My wife's flowers, which are between Attica and the "deer fence" are up for grabs if the fence is broken of the deer get in some other way. Neither my PA buddy nor anyone else without a deer rifle can help, and that's only allowed at certain times of year, and does little more than keep the population at the current level. It's an imperfect world. We all do what we have to do - people, deer, et al. Okay..............no need to TWIST the story at this point...............We have heard ya and are waving...........
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Post by armjr on Jul 10, 2016 16:54:33 GMT -5
It would be tough for a deer to get into our garden. A lot of other bad things will have happened if they ever do. But, they are slowly encroaching on #1 son's yard. He now has watermelon vines. No leaves or fruit, just vines. I didn't think anything ate tomato leaves except Tomato Horn Worms, but evidently deer do. He had a little dog that kept them chased off but alas, the dog developed a taste for chicken and had to go live in a chicken free environment. A lady had about 5-6 other little yappers so one more didn't make much difference. He now gets his chicken from a can.
When we lived at the ranch we had lots of dogs, so deer never bothered our gardens. Perhaps a dog would help your situation Reuben.
Alan
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Post by reuben on Jul 10, 2016 17:35:15 GMT -5
armjr, we have a dog, and she loves to chase deer, squirrels, possums, raccoons, rabbits, groundhogs, turtles, and everything else, but she can only do so much. Plus, since she went blind about a year and a half ago at the young age of 5 or 6 due to a rare but not life-threatening disease, she can smell and bark and get all excited, but can't tell if it's a real animal or just a leftover scent. And she can't patrol 24/7 in any case - she loves to patrol at night, even now that she's blind, but she also loves to (and needs to) sleep. That's just the way it goes.
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Post by armjr on Jul 10, 2016 22:54:51 GMT -5
My wife's uncle lives in north Louisiana. He had a deer problem some years ago. They found his one acre garden early on and spent most of their nights devouring anything that came up, even okra leaves. At no small expense he put up a chain link fence 8' high with three strands of barbed wire at the top. The deer now eat everything else in the yard but not his garden.
I have heard that they do not like, nor will they eat rosemary. I know that my dad had a rosemary hedge in the Texas HIll Country and the deer wouldn't go near it. As you said earlier, they will eat cedar trees (juniper) if they get hungry enough. I know they use jumper berries in flavoring Gin and in some cooking in very limited amounts. Other than that I can't imagine that it would be palatable. I love rosemary and often nibble on it when I'm out in the yard.
Here in Texas a person involved in agriculture can obtain depredation permits to kill marauding deer. Only problem with that is that the TPW in its arbitrary wisdom ail not allow the meat to be used. The deer are collected and buried or otherwise disposed of. Many years ago when I did more wildlife management than I do now I would simply invite anyone with a rifle to come out and take their limit of deer during the season. We reduced our deer numbers and the meat was used properly.
A lot of folks don't realize that deer meat is 100% pure organic protein. No antibiotics, no medicines, additives, hormones, etc… Just pure organically grown protein. You'll have to add your own rosemary though.
Alan
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 11, 2016 7:16:48 GMT -5
I know what you mean reuben about the animals just trying to live and feed themselves and their families, just like we are. I am unable to have certain flowers that I like because the bunnies will just mow them down. I can't hate the bunnies for it. I also have to fence half of my garden but I am unable to protect flowers so I can only grow what they don't eat. I don't have deer at my house though and I know that they eat more than bunnies. Right now I am feeling a little discouraged, not by hungry animals, but by the Japanese Beetles and I don't have any empathy for them. They are an invasive species and don't belong here in the first place. They arrive as a horde, eat everything in their path and have no natural enemies. I don't care that they have devastated the rhubarb leaves but now they are starting on my beans. I pick them every day and they still skeletonize the leaves. I can't spray the plants because of not wanting to harm the bees. I may try Mumsey 's red cedar repellant and see how it works for me.
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Post by James on Jul 11, 2016 9:47:52 GMT -5
I put a radio in the corn patch tuned to the local talk show to discourage the critters from eating my corn.
When I lived on the lot on the river, I ran a cable the full length of the garden on the side toward the river and put a pulley on the cable and a short chain then a dog. The dog was pretty effective keeping critters out. (that cable was just on the ground not elevated. ) You can always go running out and yell at those deer, and maybe beat a stick on a tin pan? Toss a rock at them?
Deer Jerky is good, but perhaps not allowed? ;)
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Post by James on Jul 11, 2016 9:53:28 GMT -5
I would for sure call your local game warden and tell him to remove the deer or you would.
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