How to Keep Deer Out of Your Yard

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 References Approved

Although they're pretty to look at, deer can be quite destructive in your yard. They tend to eat flower bushes, vegetable gardens, herbs, or anything else you might have planted. Fortunately, though, there are many ways to keep deer out of your yard. There are quite a few types of plants that you can grow to deter deer. Or, put up a fence to physically block deer from entering your yard, or use a chemical repellent to scare them off. Deer are stubborn animals, though—especially when they’re hungry—so be prepared to try a few tricks until you find a couple that work.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Physical Deterrents

1
Grow shrubs and grasses that are spiny, bitter, or potent. Deer won’t eat foul-tasting or -smelling plants and will leave your yard alone. So, try planting a few holly or lilac shrubs around the perimeter of your yard. Or, if you have a garden, fill it with potent herbs and flowers like yarrow, thyme, rosemary, and lavender. With enough of these deer-deterring plants in place, the animals should avoid every plant in your garden or yard.^{[1]
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- Deer also don't like ornamental grasses, irises, foxgloves, or yucca.
- Strong-smelling plants, like sage, chives, lemon balm, and bee balm, are effective at deterring deer as well.
- Deer also avoid plants with thorns. Roses are an exception; although they have sharp thorns, deer still love to eat them.
2
Install electric fencing around your yard to prevent deer from entering. An electrical fence tends to work well and should be enough to keep deer away from your property. Set up the fence so it's at least 4–6 feet (1.2–1.8 m) high. Once a deer receives a shock from the fence, it’ll quickly give up the idea of entering your yard. If you notice that deer are hopping over the wire, install a second electric fence 3 feet (0.91 m) inside of the first.^{[2]
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- To save money, fence off sections of your yard that contain plants you care about, rather than fencing off the perimeter of your property.
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3
Install an 8 ft (2.4 m) high fence if you’re not using electrical wire. Although it’s unsightly, installing a high fence is one of the most reliable methods to keep deer out. Drive 8 ft (2.4 m) high posts into the ground around the area you’d like to protect, then use zip ties to fasten chicken wire or plastic mesh around the perimeter of the poles.^{[3]
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Research source} Angle the fence out by about 45 degrees to prevent deer from attempting to leap over it.
- Deer can easily jump clear over anything lower than 4 ft (1.2 m) high, and a 6 ft (1.8 m) fence risks entangling the animal and injuring it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Keeping Deer Away with Smells

1
Spray a commercial deer repellent across your yard. Hardware stores and home-improvement stores sell a variety of both chemical and natural repellent sprays. Purchase 2 or 3 and alternate them so deer don’t become accustomed to 1 of the scents. Follow the instructions printed on the packaging and apply as directed. Keep in mind that the spray will wear off after a rainstorm, and should be reapplied about 1-2 times per month even in dry weather.^{[4]
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- Not all commercial deer repellents are environmentally friendly. Read the label before you purchase a repellent if you're concerned about the environment. This is especially important if you'll be spraying the repellent on a vegetable or herb garden.
- Also consider the smell factor when purchasing a deer repellent. If a spray is too odorous, you’re unlikely to want to sit in your garden or yard!
2
Cover the edges of your yard in hot pepper spray as a natural deterrent. A spray made from hot red pepper flakes works as a natural, environment-safe deterrent that won’t harm deer but will keep them away from your yard and plants. Cover the perimeter of your yard with the spray 2–3 times a month to keep deer out. Or, if you’re interested in protecting specific plants in a garden plot, spray plants that you don't want eaten by deer with a hot pepper spray.^{[5]
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- Make the spray by combining 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water with 3 tbsp (37 g) of crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer in a saucepan for 15 minutes, then mix in 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of liquid castile soap. Remove the liquid mixture from the heat and let it sit for 24 hours, then strain it into a plastic spray bottle.
3
Sprinkle 4-5 handfuls of soap flakes around the edges of your yard. Deer dislike both the smell and the taste of soap. Sprinkling a few generous handfuls of it around the perimeter of your yard or garden beds can repel deer. You only need to reapply the soap to your yard about 1 time per month, or after a heavy rainstorm.^{[6]
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- To create the soap flakes, try grating off pieces of bar soap using a clean cheese grater. Or, use a kitchen knife to cut a bar of soap into ¹⁄₄ in × ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm × 0.64 cm) cubes.
4
Spread 10-20 handfuls of human hair across your yard. The human scent that emanates from the hair will deter the deer from entering your yard. Spread a generous amount of hair around the perimeter of your yard if you’re concerned that deer may invade. If you have a smaller garden plot or flowerbed, spread hair across the entire area.^{[7]
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- To obtain a bag of hair, visit a local barber or hairdresser. They should have plenty of leftover hair at the end of every business day, and will most likely give it to you free of charge.
5
Put 2–3 handfuls of hair into a sock for a longer-lasting repellent. Make 10-15 of these hair-filled socks, and hang them from tree branches or fence posts around the perimeter of your yard, flower bed, or vegetable garden. Hanging socks full of hair will fill the area with a human scent and keep deer away.^{[8]
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Research source} Since the hair will be contained within the socks, the makeshift repellent should work for a few weeks. Then, fill new socks with hair and hang them in the same locations.
- Use dirty, old socks that you don’t mind throwing away once the hair has stopped deterring deer from entering your yard.
6
Take a dog out and let it urinate in your yard. As the dog marks its territory on shrubs and trees, it will leave behind a scent that’s potent to deer. Any deer that come into the yard will smell the urine. The sign of a predator should scare the deer off and keep them from returning. Allow the dog to re-mark the same territory every few days, or after it rains.
- Technically, you could borrow a friend's dog for this purpose (and to scare off deer in general). If you notice that deer come to your yard at a specific time, borrow a friend's dog for an hour or 2 when the deer will be coming by.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Deterring Deer with Sounds and Lights

1
Frighten away deer by playing loud, obnoxious noises. Like most prey animals, deer run from most loud noises. For example, if you suspect deer will enter your yard at a certain time, set a radio tuner between 2 stations and blast the noise into your yard. Or, consider using noisemakers, whistles, or firecrackers to frighten off deer and prevent them from returning.^{[9]
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- If you live in a neighborhood, keep the noises reasonably quiet. Otherwise, you may annoy your neighbors. For example, while playing the radio at a moderately loud volume for 1-2 hours probably won't bother anyone, blaring your car horn for the same amount of time will be a nuisance.
2
Allow a dog to roam your yard and chase off deer. Deer don't like dogs because the dog is a natural predator. Once deer have been barked at and chased off the property a few times, they'll remember the dog and be reluctant to come back to your yard.^{[10]
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Research source} Allow your dog to roam the yard or garden space, since it won't do much good locked inside the house.
- If you're considering getting a dog specifically to keep deer away, your best bet is to adopt a medium to large sized dog. You'll need to care for, shelter, and feed the dog once you've adopted it.
3
Install a motion-activated light that illuminates your yard. Deer dislike having lights directed at them (especially at night). So, purchase 3–5 motion-activated sensor lights and install them on the exterior walls of your house. Point the lights towards areas where you know deer like to enter your yard. Once the deer learn that they’ll be under floodlights when they enter your yard at night, they’ll stay away.^{[11]
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- Purchase motion-activated lights at a hardware store or a home-improvement store.

Community Q&A

Question

Are deer afraid of porch lights?

Community Answer

No. Try keeping yours on all night, even with motion sensors, and you'll most likely discover that the deer still get into your garden. They become habituated to the light and realize that it doesn't come with human presence (due to you sleeping), so they know it's a safe chance.
Question

How do I make pepper spray?

Community Answer

Mix ground hot red pepper with water in a spray bottle.
Question

How do I keep deer out of my flower beds?

Community Answer

The only sure way to keep deer from eating your plants is to buy ones they don't like -- marigolds, zinnias, cone flowers, most of the "herbs" like lavender, sage, etc. Most nurseries will have a list of "deer resistant" plants. As stated, if hungry enough, deer will eat just about anything. Avoid hostas, hydrangeas, geraniums, and many types of lilies.