Will the Noise of a Bug Zapper Keep Deer Away?

Diagnosing Deer Damage

• In only a single night, deer can cause considerable damage, especially if more than one of them are making a meal of your garden. If you think deer may be preying upon your plants, look for the characteristic signs they leave. The damage will be jagged and torn, not cleanly clipped. If you see smooth, 45-degree angle snips, that is the work of a rabbit, not a deer. Likewise, anything above 2 feet off the ground is caused by a deer, while lower damage may indicate a bunny problem.

Creating a Cacophonous Cure

• Deer have very sensitive hearing and are especially attuned to sounds that are unfamiliar and suggest human activity. Such noises may scare them, keeping them out of your garden and away from your plants. Noise-based repellents usually work better in rural areas, however, since the deer that venture into urban settings are often already so inured to the sound of human activity.

Break Out the Bug Zapper

• Because bug zappers make intermittent loud noises when they snap bugs and give off a constant, low-grade hum, they may initially work to scare deer away. Beware of leaving the bug zapper in one place for very long, however. If you do so, deer may learn that the noise will not hurt them and begin to disregard it. Your best bet is to change the location of the zapper and turn it off whenever possible. That way it will retain its novelty and remain a threat. Keep in mind that no deer cure works for everyone, and even repellents that do work most of the time may lose their effectiveness when deer are hungry.

Plotting Plan B

• Some people find that noises work well to frighten deer away, while others don’t seem to have much luck. If noises don’t work, consider scent-based repellents, such as human hair or soap hung in nylon stockings or perforated plastic bags from the trunks or branches of garden trees. Other repellents include blood meal or commercially available lion urine. None of these is foolproof, however. The best method for controlling deer remains a tall fence, at least 8 feet.