Maybe the deer that are most common east of the Mississippi are more agile than those in the West. Here, if the intent is to use ordinary fencing to protect against deer damage, it's recommended that the fence be at least 6 ft tall, preferably taller. For a number of years now, farmers and other rural residents in this area have constructed anti-deer fences that slant at a 45 degree angle. It's a design that's effective because, while deer can jump quite high and can jump considerable distances, they're apparently unable to execute jumps that simultaneously attain height AND cover distance. I'm linking to a WVU release on slanted fences with specs for building one. Obviously, slanted fences aren't a practical solution for most, but they're interesting as an example of the extreme measures taken by some to control an ongoing problem. Here is a link that might be useful: Slanted Fences

We have the same scenario up here in north/central New Hampshire. Days and days of nothing but straight rain, loads of bugs, deer eating my new rosebuds just as my rose season is starting (YES, it is JUST NOW starting). With over 350 rosebushes, many of them the old once-bloomers who only have 2-3 weeks of bloom per year and are trying to bloom in the midst of all this..... most roses are flopped over into the mud, beaten down from the weight of water-logged and balled buds. This is so discouraging, considering the long, tedious wait and the very short growing season. Pretty soon, the japanese beetles will be here right on target for the first of July to munch on my beauties til the killing frosts in October. Not to mention the affect all this rain has had on the weed population. There are some very healthy weeds going on out there. (sigh) Still, I will NEVER give up on my roses! I refuse to let bugs, rain, wind, blackspot, mildew, deer, and the arctic blast of a zone 4 winter steal my passion for roses away from me. It just makes it more difficult, and yet... so much more rewarding when I have those perfect blooms. Cheer up! It has to end sometime. Celeste

Used to get copperheads all the time...I live right next to the woods. I've never liked snakes much, and will do the mothball thing and other things to persuade them to go elsewhere. I had about 40 trees cut down about 8-9 years ago, and we found 2 copperhead nests. Friends, I'm here to tell ya, it was not fun living around my house for the next year or so...every where I went I almost stepped on one. That kinda stuff will give you nightmares. Must have upset nature a bit when the all the trees came down. Carrie - check the link below. Usually around here copperheads will have that "hourglass" marking on the back, "cateyes", and the triangular-shaped head. Also, they usually don't get very long (I killed a 4' one and that's considered VERY long). They get big in the middle, but taper down on both ends. As another poster said, they'll usually slither away from you, but the one my son and I killed didn't...we had no choice. Here is a link that might be useful: link

Sitting here on Memorial Day, thumbing through the Forums and came across this one , as I have a bit of a deer problem this year, too. I AGREE with JC's comment! Why in the world would you want to cause the death of hungry, innocent animals in such a horrible, painful way just to save a few plants?! Good Grief! Go to the grocery store. It can't be THAT important to grow your own fruit! I've read all the hints on how to repel deer, and the chicken wire placed on the ground as an obstacle course seems to be the cheapest, most effective, most humane way to go. Of course, you WOULD have to keep the grass mowed off of it to keep it exposed, or it would just become padded and easy for the deer to walk over. Perhaps AH was too lazy to mow over the prostrate chicken wire! You know? In the long list of remedies to this problem: sprays, soap, radio left on nearby, electric wires with aluminum plates attached, peeing all around garden area (yuk!), I haven't seen ONE suggestion to use our ancestors' remedy..........a scarecrow, and just think, place a bale of hay, a few gourds and pumpkins around it's post at Halloween, and you have instant decoration! HA. Please don't kill Bambi! After all, we invaded THEIR territory, not the reverse! Jeanie