How to Keep Deer Away From Texas Figs

Figs are not among a deer's favorite foods, but when food is scarce, it will eat anything.

If you grow Texas figs--also known as Texas everbearing fig and brown turkey fig--deer do not pose a problem for most of the warm months of the year. Deer prefer other fruit to figs, but in late winter and early spring when food sources have dwindled, they will eat almost anything. Texas figs are a naturally dwarfing plant, which means they are accessible to deer at almost any age. Young trees are vulnerable to bark damage inflicted by rutting bucks that rub and knock their antlers against tree trunks.

Things You'll Need

• Bars of deodorant soap
• Twine or string
• Human or animal hair
• Cheesecloth
• 12- or 14-gauge livestock fencing
• Plastic trunk wrap, rubber tubing or hardware mesh (chicken wire)

Instructions

Deter Rutting Bucks

1. 

   In early fall, mating bucks will "rut" against trees to remove the velvet from their antlers.

   Wrap the trunks of young trees with plastic trunk wraps, strips of rubber tubing or hardware mesh. This will provide extra support to keep the tree standing when a buck rubs its antlers against the trunk to remove velvet or knocks its antlers against it to assert itself. Do this in late summer before mating season begins in early fall.

2. Place one or two steel posts in the ground next to the trunk to deter the rubbing action. Use light-gauge steel posts that are four to six feet long. Set flared bases on posts in-line with the trunk to protect the roots from damage by the posts.

3. Lay 12- or 14-gauge livestock fencing on the ground at the base of the tree. Cut manageable-sized sections with wire trimmers and lay them down. Deer will not step on the fencing.

Protect Fig Trees from Browsing Deer

1. 

   Soap provides protection for three feet surrounding the bar.

   Hang bars of deodorant soap or bags or human or animal hair in the branches of the tree. Soap bars appear to provide a three-foot area of surrounding protection, so hang multiple bars at various heights, keeping in mind that deer will lift themselves onto their hind legs to reach upper branches.

2. 

   Fencing will have to be at least eight feet high to keep out hungry deer.

   Install fencing around an area containing multiple trees. Deer can jump up to 8 feet so fencing will have to be at least that tall.

3. Prune trees so they are taller than browsing deer can reach. This means pruning them so they are also probably taller than people can reach, but fruit or branches that are beyond a deer's reach will afford some protection. This will take a few seasons to accomplish, so lay down livestock wire or put up fencing in the meantime.

Tips & Warnings

• Human and animal hair will quickly degrade, especially in wet weather. If you find that it is working, remember to replace it regularly.

• If food is scarce, repellents may not work at all, and a rutting buck will ignore them altogether. If you have tried repellents in the past, try the laying down livestock fencing.

• Rutting bucks are extremely territorial and armed with sharp antlers. Do not attempt to frighten them away from a tree.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Protect Valuable Landscape Trees from Rutting Deer
• Backwoods Home: Here's a Mighty Creative Way to Protect Your Plants from Animals
• University of Illinois Extension: Living With Wildlife