Deer are majestic animals that are pretty to look at if you manage to catch a glimpse of them galloping through the forest. But they can quickly turn into an invasive pest once set loose in your yard. They will destroy your tender crops, leaving plenty of vegetation damage.
This wildlife doesn’t gather and store food for winter, but consumes whatever is available throughout the year. In winter, deer feed on the lower branches of evergreen trees and shrubs, while in summer they forage mainly on garden crops such as tomatoes, lettuce, bulbs, and flowers.
Keep reading as we share a bit of insight into their habits, which you may take advantage of to keep deer out of your property and save your garden from becoming a free buffet.
The best starting point for keeping nuisance deer away is to use scare tactics. There are plenty of ways to deter deer but the perfect place to start is by using sound and targeting their sense of hearing. Try to frighten them using loud noises or whistles, just be careful not to disturb your neighbors.
Are Deer Scared Of Noises?
Deer are shy and skittish but also smart and highly adaptable animals, so you must skillfully target their senses if you want to keep your yard safe from deer.
Their ability to distinguish between natural and unnatural noises in the forest gives them an advantage. Most loud noises that are not the usual everyday sounds of wild animals, will startle deer. Anything that’s unfamiliar to them can throw them off and make them too nervous to come near.
These creatures have funnel-shaped ears that are designed to pinpoint the source and exact direction from which the sound is coming. And it’s not only an advantage for them, but it also allows homeowners to use the precision of deer ears to deter them from the yard and garden.
What Noises Are Deer Scared Of?
If you have a really persistent deer turning your garden into its next feeding spot, using noises as deterrents might work for you.
They will be afraid of loud, banging noises, yelling, or barking dogs. To keep deer from ravaging your property, try using auditory deterrents such as bells, whistles, radios, alarms, and ultrasonic devices to scare them away when you notice them. Introduce motion-activated devices that create startling sounds, preferably in combination with movement or bright light.
Scare deer off before they do too much damage in your yard. Use metal cans, pie pans, or wind chimes suspended by strings as they make noise when they rattle in the wind.
Pinwheels can also repel deer with their noise when they’re attached to branches, fences, or dowels around your yard. The noise, movements, and colors should be enough to startle any deer, at least until it learns there is no real threat. Noise-making deterrents like gas or propane exploders produce loud noises that frighten deer away, and have been used to help protect gardens and crops.
In addition, deer are known to hate ultrasonic pest control devices as they emit high-frequency sounds. Such repellents are a humane and noninvasive option to get rid of deer. Some devices even combine ultrasonic technology with motion sensors and lights, and they work best.
What Frequency Scares Deer Off?
Ultrasonic devices work on deer as these animals are able to hear ultrasonic sounds. Deer can hear at almost the same frequencies as humans, but they are better at determining the direction and cause of each sound they hear.
They can hear high frequency soundwaves, between about 250 and 30,000 hertz, which means they can hear tones that are well above what humans can detect. Their hearing however is most sensitive to moderate frequencies, from 4 to 8,000 hertz. A frequency of 15-25,000 herz is still silent to most people, but it can successfully repel deer from your yard.
Will Deer Come Back After Being Spooked?
Spooked deer will come back to their bedding area, but how soon they return depends on how much something has frightened them. If they can’t identify any danger, they won’t hesitate and will return sooner than if they saw or sensed a human.
On the other hand, the loud noises you use to scare them off will definitely work, but keeping this wildlife away is the hardest part. If they find food scarce in winter, or they liked the veggies you grow in your garden and they designate your yard as their feeding ground, they will be back again.
So if you plan on using sound to keep deer out of your yard, it is advised to change your strategies frequently. These animals can easily adapt to new methods of deterring them, which makes you work overtime to ensure the safety of your property.
Are you experiencing constant problems on your property with wild animals such as deer? To protect your garden and lawn from deer damage, droppings, and mess, it is best to get professional help by contacting a wildlife control specialist.
Westchester Wildlife company can help you choose the right strategy to prevent deer from destroying your garden or yard. You can rely on our wildlife removal and control services, whether you live in Fairfield County CT, or Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties NY. What’s more, at Westchester Wildlife we are focused on humane and least stressful methods of wild animal removal. So call us today!