by Erin Hynes
To a hungry wild animal, your yard is a free buffet of tender plants, lawn grubs and, for predators such as coyotes and foxes, unprotected pet cats and dogs. Shrinking wildlife habitats has increased the odds that deer, skunks, bears, coyotes and foxes might find their way to your house, joining the raccoons, opossums, mice and rabbits that have been around for years.
Animal pests in the yard and garden are difficult to deter because many are intelligent enough to foil your schemes to scare them off. And when populations are high or natural food sources are scarce, animals are more motivated to take risks — like strolling into your open garage to get into that big bag of dog food.
Compounding the problem is that wild animals living in populated areas have lost their fear of humans, and some animal species — notably skunks and raccoons — have a high incidence of rabies.
Common Ways to Deter Wildlife
To repel animal pests, people try everything from soap and coyote urine to mobiles made of pie tins or CDs. Here's a rundown of common methods and their effectiveness.
Fences. A fence in good repair is the most effective barrier against large mammals such as deer, coyotes, bears, foxes and dogs. An electrified fence is an even better barrier; it makes more of an impression on those animals, and also discourages climbers like raccoons.
A homemade fence of chicken wire or hardware cloth deters rabbits and animals that burrow near the surface if it extends about a foot below the ground. The buried portion should be bent outward, so the animal finds itself sitting on the obstacle it's trying to dig under, much to its frustration. Because burying the bottom of a fence is laborious, this type of fence usually encloses small areas, such as a vegetable garden.
Netting. Covering plants with deer or bird netting keeps deer and rabbits from eating plants, and it doesn't detract from the appearance of the garden because you can't see it unless you're close to the plants. The drawback is that you have to lift the netting and set it back on the plants every week or so to keep new growth from climbing through the openings in the netting, eventually forming a tangled mess.
Live traps. Capturing an animal in a trap and releasing it in a distant wooded area may be a humane solution, but it's not always practical — how do you move a skunk? You also risk being bitten by a rabid animal. Some communities have banned live trapping, so check before you choose this option. Consider hiring a company that specializing in live trapping.
Inhumane traps. Even if you can overlook the cruelty of setting a trap that snaps shut on an animal, those traps are banned in most areas. You also risk injuring a pet or child.
Poison bait. Poisons are commonly used for rodents such as mice and voles. Don't place poisoned bait where a pet or child could find it.
Repellants. A variety of household materials are reputed to repel animals, including deodorant soap, blood meal (which is sold as an organic nitrogen fertilizer), urine, castor oil, human hair and animal fur. Their effectiveness is hard to measure unless you directly observe an animal being repelled by the material.
Commercial repellants that you spray on plants or around the yard can be effective. Read the label to see whether you have to reapply after rain and whether you can use the product on food crops.
Scare tactics. The familiar scarecrow is among many devices that look or sound scary. You can find a wide range of suggestions — including a loud radio and shiny or clanging objects hung from trees — in online gardening forums.
Most lose their effectiveness once the animal discovers there's no real danger. The most effective devices are those that sense the animal's presence and spring to life, startling the creature. The drawback is that many rely on lights or noise, which can disrupt a good night's sleep.
Removing food. Animals come to your yard looking for food. Make it harder by not leaving food out for pets (or, heaven forbid, for wild animals). Use a heavy-duty compost bin or enclose an open compost pile with an electric fence. Keep garbage cans in the garage until the morning of collection day; if that's not possible, use a can with a secure lid. Clean the grill after each use.
Controlling Specific Animal Pests
No control method is foolproof, but these options often work for these specific pests.
Moles. As moles tunnel under the soil surface, they push plants out of the ground and make the lawn lumpy. Poison baits formulates especially for moles are most effective. Some people report success with treating the lawn with commercially availalbe sprays or granules that contain castor oil.
Rabbits. Rabbits feed on young vegetables and flowers during warm months and often nibble tree bark in winter, which can girdle and kill the tree. Protect vegetables and flowers with a fence that extends below the soil level, or with deer netting, as described in the previous section. Surround the base of young trees with chicken wire or hardware cloth at least 2 feet above the snow line. You can also spray plants with a deer repellent that coats the leaves.
Skunks. Some people report successfully driving skunks from under porches and other hiding spots by putting ammonia-soaked rags in those areas at night, when the skunks are out looking for food. Block openings under porches once the skunks are gone. Some gardeners say that running fishing line in their paths and through garden rows discourages them. You can try using bright outdoor lighting to discourage skunks, who prefer dark areas.
Don't attempt to trap skunks yourself; call a wildlife removal service. Other than the obvious risk of being sprayed, you also risk being bitten by a rabid skunk.
Raccoons. Raccoons seldom do much garden damage, with the exception of sweet corn — cover plants with deer netting when the corn starts to mature or dust the husk-covered ears with hot pepper or baby powder.
To keep from attracting raccoons to your yard, don't leave pet food out at night and cover garbage cans tightly.
Deer. A fence that's 8- to 10-feet tall is the best option, but deer netting and bitter or smelly repellents are more affordable and less obtrusive — see see Common Ways to Deter Wildlife, above, for more details about these options. Some homeowners report success with stretching strands of fishing line across deer paths at head, chest and leg level to confuse deer.
Dogs. Dogs can devastate a garden by trampling plants, digging holes and leaving droppings. Keep them out with fences or repel with sprays formulated to deter dogs.
Cats. Discourage neighborhood cats from digging in your garden when plants are young by laying chicken wire or hardware cloth over the bed. You can also spray the perimeter of the yard with a cat repellent.
Bears. If you live in a region where bears have been seen in yards, be meticulous about removing food sources — see Common Ways to Deter Wildlife, above, for details. Set up bird feeders only in winter and put them away when bear season starts.
More than once, writer Erin Hynes has chatted to a black kitty visiting her garden before noticing the white stripe down the kitty's back.
