Reflections on a Deer Fence
Color me clueless, but why would a person purchase a home in the woods, and then become confused because deer are in their yard? We live in a suburb of DC that is known for its large wooded lots (perhaps not for much longer since they're allowing so many damn McMansions to be built 2 to an acre...), horse pastures, wildlife, and Great Falls National Park. It is nice here, where you can hear the birds chirping, see an occasional fox on the hunt, raccoons come to visit, some nice possums, and, of course, deer.
Well duh! Deer live in the woods. We have woods. Deer have been kicked out of just about every other place in the area because of overbuilding so the deer have nowhere to go. If you're thinking of buying a house in Great Falls, perhaps each sales contract should contain a big red "Warning - Deer Live Here." And when deer get hungry, just like any other creature, they look for something to eat. If you have planted a virtual buffet of wonderful looking, smelling, and tasting plants in your back yard, guess what they'll eat first?
Most of the people who live here who want to have nice gardens and yards plant things that deer don't really like to eat. My landscaping is set up in just that way. The deer don't like to eat those things, but they have plenty of other food in the woods. Or, they can just go to my neighbor's house.
My neighbors, it seems, were unaware that they were moving to a home in the woods. They didn't see the forest OR the trees. So imagine their surprise when large brown creatures munched through their hostas and other tasty plants. So what did they do? They installed the super mega deluxe anti-deer fence - a strange green contraption that makes it look as if they are Taliban prisoners at Gitmo. As they cower behind this mess, that likely cost them at least 5K from the size and breadth of it, I have to wonder why they ever chose to purchase a home in this high priced suburb. Most people do it because of the trees and animals. These guys seem to be doing it despite the trees and animals. Much confusion.
In any case, it just about made my day to watch a young hungry doe leap effortlessly over the contraption and start to munch out on the neighbor's hostas. Strange that she had more difficulty getting out than in, however.