Deer are California’s most important big game animal.

What You Can Do

• Deer resistant plants. They avoid plants that are thorny, poisonous, have a milky sap, strong taste and aromatic foliage such as lavender, rosemary or sage.
• Repellents (e.g. coyote urine)
• Fencing an area. Must be at least 8 feet high. (There are numerous websites on deer fencing. See attached)
• Fencing an individual plant. Suggest two wooden stakes supporting a 4 to 5 foot wire cage (4”x 4” wire mesh works well).
• Electric wire fence, e.g. “red snapper,” is probably the most effective means of keeping deer away.
• Suggest the caller plant an oak tree at a distant location on their property - away from the house and garden area. Deer are especially fond of acorns, and will eat this first.

What You Can’t Do

• The use of traps, poisons, or toxic baits is illegal.
• Noisemaking devices, including electronic alarms, are not effective, as deer adjust to them. Additionally, they can disturb neighbors.
• It is legal to shoot deer after obtaining a permit from the local game warden. However it is illegal to discharge a firearm, BB gun, pellet gun or slingshot in any city in Santa Clara County, or in unincorporated residential are in the County. One may shoot in unincorporated non-residential area with a permit.

Resources

• Protect Your Garden from Browsing Deer (PDF)
• Deer Resistant Plants for the Garden
• Deer Resistant Plants for the Sierra Foothills (PDF) Many of these plants grow well in our area!