Deer Busters Blog

Opossums are difficult to be rid of if they find your home and yard appealing. Fortunately, there are several ways to deter and/or permanently remove them from your property. The first step in eradicating an animal from your property is always to properly identify the pest. Since opossums are nocturnal this means staying up and watching your yard for the animal to present himself. Once you are sure of the identity of your night time visitor there are few different methods in which you can use to be rid of your problem.

Opossum trapped in live trap, ready for relocation.

Traps

The best method is to trap the opossum for relocation. There are many live traps on the market that are highly affective. Here are some guidelines to choosing the right trap and how to use it most effectively. First choose a trap that is at least 10 inches x 12 inches x 32 inches. Next, you will want to place the trap in the animal’s line of travel or near a much visited site, such as a brush line or garbage can. A trap alone won’t rid you of your problem, proper bait is key. Opossums love over ripe melon, bananas, and other soft fruit, using these in your trap will guarantee you success.
Make sure to check local laws about killing/trapping animals before deciding to take care of the trapped animal yourself. Most areas require a professional wildlife control representative to relocate the animal once trapped. Shooting an opossum is illegal in most areas of the country.

Repellents

If you don’t want to deal with trapping the animal and relocating it to a more suitable environment you could try using a predator lure, such as coyote or wolf urine to deter the opossum. When you apply a predator lure to the borders of your property the opossum is led to believe that there is a predator in the area and will then in turn avoid your home. This method requires applying the lure using a dispenser sure as the Garden Sent-Ry Unit and placing them around the area in which you would like the animal to avoid. You should also check the dispensers to make sure they have not dried out in hot weather and reapply the product as needed, about every other month.

Preventative Measures

Whether trying to deter an opossum already in residence or to thwart future animals from making themselves at home on your property preventative measures are important steps to take in wildlife control. The first thing to consider is the habits of the opossum.
Opossum enjoy making themselves comfortable in small spaces and are attracted to rotting food. This means making sure all garbage cans have tight-fitting lids and that all pet food is stored indoors or in sturdy air tight containers. Next, enclose all open spaces under your home, into the attic, under porches, decking or sheds. This can be accomplished by installing lattice or other similar barriers.
Any small dark space is inviting to an opossum as a place to rest its head during the day whether man or nature made. Clearing out any underbrush and prune back over grown trees and shrubs is also important. If you have a burn pile that has been sitting for a while you will want to take care of that too, just be sure to check burn bans in your area first. With proper maintenance of your yard and garden you may never have to worry about removing an unwanted opossum from your property.

For more pest control solutions visit our site at DeerBusters.com

You have worked endless hours tilling, weeding and digging creating a beautiful yard and garden only to wake up one morning and discover something have been using your garden as its midnight buffet. Our first instinct is to turn into Mr.McGregor, that troubled angry gardener from The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and stalk the prey with a rake.

The best thing to do however, is to take a step back and figure out what exactly is eating your flowers and vegetables. If you have ruled out birds and deer  most likely you have a small pest problem. Smaller chewing animals are much harder to deter from the garden then large wildlife pest such as deer.

Small animals can chew, push or dig under most conventional fencing making your deer and white picket fence useless in defending your garden. The main offenders’ rabbits, groundhogs, possums, armadillos and raccoons will all wreck havoc in the garden. Lucky for us there are a few solutions to keep those pesky critters from your garden for good.

For smaller gardens, individual beds or plants motion activated repellers and liquid repellents can be used with great success. However, if dealing with an entire yard or larger garden installing a rodent barrier fence is your best solution for dealing with small chewing wildlife.

Rodent barrier fencing generally measures between 2-3 feet in height and can be installed as a standalone fence or in conjuncture with a standard or deer fencing system. Rodent barrier is different from other types of fencing since it has a hexagonal mesh with holes as small as 1” and is constructed of galvanized steel. The galvanized steel makes it almost impossible for rabbits and other chewing animals from breaking though the fencing.

The installation of a rodent barrier fence also contributes to its unique defense system against small wildlife. Traditional fencing sits flush or just above ground level, which allows groundhogs, opossums and other wildlife to scoot under the fencing and into your prized garden. The rodent barrier is designed to flare out and skirt the ground creating an additional obstacle for the animals. The fencing is then staked into the ground creating a dig proof area around the fence line.

Rodent barrier is easy quick and easy to attach to existing fencing using hog rings and zip ties. A 20×20 garden should only take approximately 1.5 hour to completely install making it a great weekday project. With the proper planning and tools you can save your garden this season and keep yourself from becoming the Mr. McGregor of the neighborhood.

Below is a helpful video on how to install Rodent Barrier Fencing

For more information on rodent barrier fencing or any wildlife control issue visit Deerbusters.com or email DrDeer@Deerbusters.com.

There are few more disappointing moments, for gardeners, than walking out onto your porch to drink that morning cup of coffee, and gazing out on your garden to see that all your hard work has been destroyed overnight by the local wildlife. Fortunately that fate can be prevented; DeerBusters.com has several solutions to end your wildlife problems.

The first step in effectively preventing local wildlife from destroying your yard or garden is identifying what type of wildlife you are dealing with. Look for tracks, droppings, nests, and burrows to help you determine what species of pest is taking liberties with your property.  Once you identify your pest, learn a little bit about its habits to help you best understand what you’re dealing with. After identify and learning about the pest you can choose the best control method for that species.

The installation of a deer fence, when installed properly can successfully prevent deer from destroying shrubs and trees. Deer Busters polypropylene deer fencing is virtually invisible, easy to install, and affordable. Keeping deer out can have more benefits to you than just saving your plants. Deer carry ticks and ticks can carry Lyme disease, which means the few deer in your yard also lowers your chance of getting bitten by a Lyme disease carrying tick. In fact, the National Institute of Health believes that deer fencing can reduce the risk of Lyme disease by up to 97%

Animal control fencing is a great option for keeping small animals such as rabbits, armadillos, and groundhogs from entering your garden or yard. Small chewing animals can do damage even in the winter especially under the cover of snow. These chew proof rodent barriers can be used alone or in combination with your deer fence to prevent small animals from crawling under or chewing through your deer fence. The animal control fencing is also great at keeping your pets from entering the garden or restricted areas.

If you would like a less invasive method of controlling the local wildlife, scaring devices such as the Ultrasonic Motion Activated Deer and Animal Repeller, can be highly effective. The Ultrasonic Motion Activated Deer and Animal Repeller emits an ultrasonic blast, above the frequency of human hearing to startle pests from your yard or garden. This humanely hi-tech motion activated device covers 4000 square feet and can be manually tuned to deter rodents, opossums, raccoons, deer and more.

Whether your property is a small residential yard or a large-acre farm DeerBusters.com has a pest control solution for your problems. To learn more visit DeerBusters.com or call 888.422.3337.

Winter is here in full force, bringing with it cold weather, snowfall, warm fires, and grazing deer. For many there is a fascination with seeing deer in a snow covered field or even your yard. Unfortunately, for a gardener it can be a dreaded sight. 

Since a deer’s food source is much scarcer in the winter, deer become less discerning. The woodland crops, such as beechnuts, acorns and sumac peas, which are in abundance in the fall become in short supply, hidden beneath snowfall and matted leaves.  Deer depend on the crowns of mature conifers and cedar for survival in the winter season. The loss of adequate wintering habitat due to development and deforestation is a serious threat to the deer population. As a result, the deer turn to your ornamental shrubs, evergreens and grain fields for their food source.

Deer' food shortages are most likely to occur in the winter months.

The list of plants that deer will not eat is extremely short. It is better to come to terms with the fact that when a deer is hungry it will eat anything, including bark off trees. The only sure fire method of protecting your yard or garden during the winter months from foraging is deer fencing. 

Deer are creatures of habit. Their habits are controlled by their needs; food, shelter, and procreation. If left alone, a deer will follow the same routine every day, shifting their pattern only because of weather conditions or the availability of food. They do not migrate and does are known to stay within the same 4 mile radius for their entire lives. This means the deer you saw last year will most likely be back this year and the year after. Over time a feeding site will attract increasingly more deer, wrecking havoc on homeowner’ plantings.

You will save yourself a lot of anguish by making the investment in a proper deer fence around your yard or garden, if you have a serious deer problem. Deer can leap very high and at a distance of up to thirty feet. An effective fence needs to be at least 7.5 feet tall. Deer have poor depth perception limiting their ability to determine where the deer fence ends and the sky begins, making the deer hesitant to jump the fence. Deer may also try to go under or through a deer fence; be sure the deer fence is securely staked and goes all the way to the ground. Polypropylene deer fencing is virtually invisible from a distance and is more cost effective than conventional metal deer fencing, making it a great option.

With preventative measures, you have a good chance of protecting your treasured shrubs, trees and gardens this winter from foraging deer.

by Teresa Odle

It’s the most common illness caused by arthropods (basically, crawling insects), yet some cases of Lyme disease are not diagnosed; only 150,000 total cases have been reported to the CDC since 1982.

Deer Ticks can be found almost anywhere but be especially alert in leaves and tall grass

Bites from infected deer ticks cause Lyme disease through an infection with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. The reason for its common name is that the disease was first recognized in a town in Connecticut called Lyme in 1975. It’s still most common in the Northeast but is slowly spreading west. Cases also have been reported along the West coast.

Diagnosing Lyme disease can be tough because the symptoms can spread throughout the body and mimic other diseases and conditions. But here are a few to watch for, especially if you’ve come in contact with a deer tick:

• Chills and fever.
• Fatigue.
• Joint and muscle pain.
• Swollen lymph nodes.
• Headache.
• A telltale sign of Lyme disease may be a circular rash that appears one day to one month after the tick bite. It may itch and have red splotches. The center may clear up so that the rash takes on a target-like appearance.

As Lyme disease progresses, it can cause numbness or tingling in arms and legs, a sore throat, severe fatigue, a higher fever and abnormal pulse. If not treated, Lyme disease can disable a person by causing pain and swelling that makes joints virtually immobile and neurological problems like confusion and short-term memory loss. Certain antibiotics can treat the disease if it’s caught early.

The ticks that spread Lyme disease are much smaller than common dog or cattle ticks, so many people may not know they’ve been bitten. Lyme disease usually occurs in the spring or summer, when nymph ticks are feeding, but the symptoms may not appear until later. Avoiding areas where there are ticks, wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts that are light colored can help prevent tick bites.

Using tick and insect repellants that contain DEET or permethrin also helps to prevent tick bites. Experts recommend aerosol spray and light use on children; adults and children should avoid use on their hands and faces.

If you do get bitten, remove the tick as soon as possible. Use a pair of tweezers or this handy tick nipper removal tool to be sure to grab the tick by the head or mouth parts right where they’re attached to your skin. Don’t grab the tick’s body. Pull firmly and steadily. And contrary to popular belief, there is no need to irritate the tick first with a hot match or alcohol to get it to back out.

By Teresa Odle

Jackrabbits can munch on garden shrubs but survive with very little water. That means they can hang out around your garden for days and keep coming back to your favorite ornamental plants, eventually stripping them of their foliage. Cottontails also love many ornamentals and turf, but they’re also really fond of the beans, beets, carrots and peas you were planning to harvest soon.

If you’ve already got deer fencing up, you may be surprised to come outside and find that some critter has been in your vegetable garden. They didn’t go over the fence, so that means…yep, rabbits can crawl under or chew through some fencing. So you might need a chew-proof barrier to protect certain plants from rabbits or as an added barrier to deer fencing to keep bunnies from breaking through to your entire lawn and garden.

Ideal for keeping rabbits and rodents out of your garden

Although rabbits can chew through most of your plants and many attempts at barriers, they can’t chew through 20-gauge galvanized steel. In a hexagonal mesh pattern, two-foot or three-foot animal control netting comes in 150-foot lengths. If you’ve already got deer fencing in place, simply attach the wire chew-proof fencing to the taller deer fencing using hog rings.

And there’s an added bonus. The lazy dogs who haven’t chased off the rabbits also can’t dig under the fencing and get into your garden to trample your flowers and vegetables.

by Teresa Odle

Once you see the “telltail” signs of deer damage on your plants, it’s often too late. Because deer have no upper incisors, they tear your precious vegetation with their lower incisors and upper palate, leaving the sure-sign jagged edges on plant foliage.

Deer repellents can ward off deer, at least temporarily. With attention and repeated use, you can keep deer away from your crops and ornamentals, especially when the plants are at their most vulnerable or productive stages. And now’s the time to buy, while Deerbusters is offering 50 percent off on most Deerbuster Deer Repellents.

If you’ve got large plants to protect, a concentrate is your best bet. It costs a little more but goes further. Concentrate is more compact to store than ready-made repellents and with the 2.5 gallon bottle, you can mix up to 20 gallons of premium liquid repellent before all is said and done. That should cover the equivalent of 3000 to 4000 high shrubs or flowers. Or you might prefer powder, which comes in a 16-oz. size. And if your deer are finicky and only after your hostas, a bottle of premixed spray is all you’ll need. All of the Deerbusters Deer Repellents are made with natural ingredients — egg, garlic, and hot pepper.

Keep a record of your regular spraying to be sure to spray regularly and stay one step ahead of these quick and quiet creatures. These repellents will work for up to three months before reapplication.

Enter the coupon code Protect10 at checkout to take 50% off on all DeerBusters Brand deer repellent. Not valid on hanging sachets or weather shield products.  Expires July 21st, 2010.

by Teresa Odle

Deer and other animals love gardens and can’t help but trample on, munch, and sometimes downright destroy vegetables or newly planted flowers. It’s a dilemma when nature’s creatures live nearby and you’d like them to continue to wander in the back 40 but not through your lettuce. There are ways to deter deer and other animals with scaring devices and repellents.

Generally, scaring devices are used near gardens and lawns to frighten away unwanted deer and animals. Homemade

Use an Ultrasonic Deer Repeller to keep deer out of the garden

scaring devices (aka shotgun blasts and explosions) can be inhumane and likely get you in trouble with your neighbor. Ultrasonic scaring devices are heard only by animals and can cover up to 4,000 square feet. You also can hook your garden hose up to a spray repellent three-second burst of water. Most of these devices have motion detection; this one detects motion in a 35 x 45 area.  Or try a radio station that doesn’t appeal to animals (or your kids to make it more fun). Proprietary technology in the DeerChaser Electronic Repeller activates an LED light and FM radio station for 15 seconds up to seven minutes while it detects motion in the area.

DeerBusters Deer Repellent will protect your plants from damage.

Repellents are applied near or directly to plants and may keep animals out of the garden longer. Many gardeners have tried homemade remedies like placing bars of soap in the garden, only to find the deer have eaten the soap. Use caution with some commercial animal repellents around edible plants. Just be sure to read directions regarding placement and application because some have chemicals that can make their way into your carrots. DeerScram deer and rabbit repellent is natural, biodegradable and environmentally safe, but you should place it in a perimeter 18 inches away from plants.

DeerBusters Brand Deer Repellents are safe for children and pets and can be sprayed directly on foliage year-round. The ingredients’ scents, which include white pepper and garlic, are offensive to deer and rabbits. The repellent even comes in hanging sachets to help fight off raccoons in specific areas. You can put the sachets on three-foot high stakes around the vegetable garden so they’re right at animal sniffing level.

New Methods for Preventing Lyme Disease

With symptoms ranging from fever, headaches and fatigue to damaging infections of the joints, heart and nervous system, Lyme disease is a significant health concern.

Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia Burgdorferi which is transmitted to humans and animals through tick bites. “Although many tick species can transmit Lyme disease, deer ticks are primary carriers in the United States,” says Jason Wiles, wildlife control expert and general manager of DeerBusters.com.

White-tailed deer are the favorite hosts of deer ticks. In the warm summer months, when deer become extremely active, deer ticks thrive. As deer enter backyards in search of food, deer ticks and Lyme disease follow.

According to Wiles, “deer fencing is the most effective means for excluding deer.” Wiles adds that “animal repellents, which deter deer using odors and chemicals, and animal scaring devices, which deter deer using sounds, can be satisfactory alternatives when deer fencing is not feasible.”

According to the National Center for Biological Information, a division of the National Institute of Health, the use of deer fencing has been proven to reduce the risk of Lyme disease by 83-97% (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Without deer entering the area surrounding your home, new deer ticks become limited and eventually, existing deer ticks become scarce.

When choosing a method for deer control, factors to consider include environmental impact, cost, value, safety, aesthetics and practicality. “Deer fencing is available in a variety of sizes, styles and prices and can be judged by its strength (or breaking load), warranty, ease of installation and the aesthetics of its design,” explains Wiles. “Virtually invisible deer fencing, for example, can be highly effective without disrupting the look of surrounding property.

According to Wiles, “non-toxic, organic deer repellents can be an excellent alternative to harsh chemical repellents. In addition to the environmental benefits, organic repellents can be safer for children and pets.”

By protecting your living area from deer, you may reduce your risk of Lyme disease by as much as 97%. For additional information on deer control products, visit wildlife control retailer DeerBusters at: http://www.deerbusters.com.

Trellises and arbors make aesthetically pleasing and functional additions to any garden. The benefits of growing with a garden structure include…

• Growing flowers and vegetables upwards saves space
• Crops grown on structures are easier to harvest and stay cleaner
• Disease is minimized when plants receive better air circulation 

Choosing Plants that Climb
Flowers and vegetables that like to climb will grow beautifully on a trellis or arbor. The trick is to choose your plants and then choose the structure that can best support them. Some plants that grow well on garden structures include:

• Peas
• Pole Beans
• Tomatoes
• Trumpet Vines
• Wisteria
• Morning Glories
• Roses
• Clematis
• Cantaloups
• Squash
• Honeysuckle Vines
• Climbing Hydrangeas
• Baby Pumpkins
• Jasmine
• Ivy