Please forgive this thread as being somewhat off topic.

I laughed when I read this and had to respond to Heli Vires-Collins'
comments about deer damage (copied below). I have a "white tail highway"
running through my yard. I also used to work for a landscaper, and have
extensive gardens on my property. And I feed birds.

When you consider that a single mature tree installed by a landscaper can
cost several hundred dollars, and a small patio area fully landscaped with
mature trees and shrubs can cost ten grand, and a handful of deer can munch
them or antler rub them to ragged sticks practically overnight -- the cost
of deer damage cited is not surprising at all. Never mind the cost to our
native wildflowers, which have all but vanished in Summit County.

Although I spend a tiny fraction of that on my DIY plantings, I find it
more than annoying when evergreen shrubs I've been nursing along for three
years get destroyed in a day by just a few deer. I beg people to hunt on my
property! If we can't hunt them to reasonable densities, then I want some
timber wolves!

I used to have an old apple tree that deer flocked to, especially in
winter, to eat the apples laying on the ground. I cut that old apple tree
down and now the deer eat my azaleas and evergreens instead. I wish I could
put that tree back up!   :-)

My bird feeders are securely mounted, 100% metal with weighted perches
(which works for both grackles and deer snouts), and so far have only been
knocked down a couple of times (crossing fingers). It's true that the deer
get smarter, while I get dumber.

Trying desperately to "live with" the deer,
Karen Gray


- - - - - -
It's annoying when they eat some of my plants but I think the claim that
they caused thousands of dollars in damage to someone's property
sounds like incredible.

I have never had a deer at a bird feeder. Thankfully the rule preventing
bird feeders below 6 feet was scrapped.
I wonder what the neighbors will do about the apple tree down the street
that the deer enjoy when the apples start to drop.

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