How to Install an Electric Fence for Deer

An electric fence will keep deer away from your garden.

Deer are beautiful animals, but they can leave your garden in a not-so-beautiful state after they're done grazing in it. An electric fence, properly constructed, can be an effective deterrent for deer. Other kinds of fence will also work, but will probably require more money and effort to construct than an electric fence. Take some time before building your fence to observe the habits and preferred routes of the deer, so you can make your fence as effective as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Stepladder
• Metal fence posts
• Sledgehammer
• Wire
• Battery or electrical outlet

Instructions

1. Drive fence posts into the ground at 6-foot intervals. Deer can jump as high as 8 feet in the air, so if you really want an effective fence you will need to make it this tall, meaning you will need fence posts at least 10 feet long. Climb onto a stepladder as a friend steadies it for you so you can reach high enough to drive the posts into the ground.

2. Reinforce the posts if necessary by driving shorter posts in at a 45-degree angle and wiring or bolting them to the vertical posts.

3. String the wire onto the posts at intervals of 12 inches. You will need to attach the wires to the posts using special insulated connectors to avoid grounding out the electric current.

4. Connect the wires to a battery if you are building your fence in a remote location that is far from an electrical outlet. Otherwise, connect your system to an electrical outlet, being sure to follow any instructions for the use of your electrical wire.

5. Hang a few bright orange ribbons on your electric fence to alert people to its presence so they don't run into it and get shocked.

References

• Max Flex: Electric Fence for Deer and Wildlife Control
• University of Vermont: Effective Deer Fences