Written By - Doug Leier - 05/12/2007
Link to Original Article here

One of the more frequent concerns I hear about, from nonhunters and hunters alike, is wildlife-human conflicts.

Whether it's Canada geese in crops, raccoons in gardens or deer in hay stacks, the list is endless. More often than not, those seeking a means of limiting the disturbance of wildlife on their priority issue usually follow up their concern or complaint with this qualifier: "It's not that I don't like the (insert species here), I just don't' like that many or all the problems they bring."

Without question, North Dakota is supporting a healthy deer herd. While this is good news for people who like to hunt deer, high fish and wildlife populations sometimes have negative consequences as well. I guess you could say we have to accept the good with the bad. Without a strong deer herd the number of buck licenses would fall dramatically and fewer people would get the license they want.

Along those same lines, however, more deer also means a greater chance that during hard winters deer will congregate near livestock feed supplies, browsing on alfalfa and other food meant for cattle.

Another frustration, more urban in nature, is deer and their penchant for gardens. Whether city or country, any green thumb will relate that a deer can turn a summer's toil in the soil to shreds in short order.

Whether it's deer-proof hay yards for ranchers, or high plastic fences surrounding gardens, there are ways to reduce these problems. I won't say cure, or end, however, as dealing with wildlife involves few guarantees.

In early spring as you plan your garden, take several factors into account. First, if the goal is to protect your garden at all costs, an 8-foot-high, completely enclosed, mesh or chicken wire fence is the best deterrent. A less costly alternative is dividing your garden into smaller subplots with four-strand smooth-wire fence. Deer can easily jump over such a barrier, but they're less likely to take the leap if they'll wind up in a small enclosure.

The list of homemade or commercial deer repellants is long and includes things like rotten eggs, human hair, soap-on-a-rope, blood meal and many others. Some even suggest planting desirable vegetables, such as squash, beans and peas in amongst plants deer dislike. Keep in mind, deer have plenty of time to investigate your garden, and these methods are seldom completely effective.

Deer don't just nibble on garden fodder. They eat young trees, flowers and fruit as well. One way to deter deer from eating things around your yard, besides putting up barriers, is to plant varieties that deer do not find desirable.

Remember there's nothing which will completely eliminate all deer from disrupting your garden but it should help.

The following plant lists are divided into categories based on studies of deer preferences.

 
TREES AND SHRUBS
Deer generally prefer to eat:
    
Deer sometimes eat:
    
Deer generally dislike:
Apple
    
Amur maple
    
Barberry
(Fruit trees in general)
    
Azalea
    
Buffaloberry
Basswood (Linden)
    
Black cherry
    
Currant (Gooseberry)
Birch
    
Boxelder
    
Honeysuckle
Bur oak
    
Bush honeysuckle
    
Juniper
Chokecherry
    
Cottonwood
    
Lilac
Cotoneaster
    
Elm
    
Mt. Laurel
Dogwood
    
Forsythia
    
Nanking cherry
English Ivy
    
hazelnut
    
Nannyberry
Green ash
    
Highbush cranberry
    
Ponderosa pine
Hackberry
    
Ironwood
    
Potentilla
Hydrangea
    
Mountain ash
    
Raspberry
Larch
    
Oak
    
Russian olive
Maple
    
Rose
    
St. John's wort
Rhodedendron
    
Scotch pine
    
Spruce
Sandberry
    
Spirea
    
Western yellow pine
Serviceberry
    
Sumac
    
Western red cedar
Siberian crab
    
White pine
    
Wormwood (Artemisia)
Viburnum
    
Wild plum
    
 
Weigla
    
Fir
    
 
White cedar (Arborvitae)
    
 
    
 
White pine
    
 
    
 
Willows
    
 
    
 
Yews
    
 
    
 
 
PERENNIALS
Deer generally prefer to eat:
    
Deer generally dislike:
    
 
Crocus
    
Achillea (Yarrow)
    
Goldenrod
Daylily
    
Ajuga
    
Joe-Pye weed
Hawkweed
    
Allium
    
Lamb's ear
Hosta
    
Anemone
    
Lavender
Hyacinth
    
Bittersweet
    
Lily-of-the-valley
Iris
    
Bleeding heart
    
Lupine
Lily
    
Buttercup
    
Monkshood
Meadow rue
    
Clematis
    
Pachysandra
Phlox
    
Columbine
    
Penstemon
Rose
    
Cinquefoil
    
Pennyroyal
Sedum
    
Coneflower
    
Peony
Strawberry
    
Coral bell
    
Poppy
Tulip
    
Coreopsis
    
Primrose
 
    
Cransbill
    
Ribbongrass
 
    
Daffodil
    
Rosemary
 
    
Daisy
    
Sage
 
    
Ferns
    
Snow-on-the-Mountain
 
    
Feverfew
    
Speedwell
 
    
Flax
    
Tansy
 
    
Forget-me-not
    
Thistle
 
    
Gayfeather
    
Toadflax
 
    
Goatsbeard
    
Yucca
 
ANNUALS AND BIENNIALS
Deer generally prefer to eat:
    
Deer generally dislike:
    
 
    
 
Hollyhock
    
Alyssum
    
Geranium
    
Periwinkle
Impatiens
    
Begonia
    
Heliotrope
    
Polygonum
Pansy
    
Dahlia
    
Lobelia
    
Primula
Sunflower
    
Dusty miller
    
Marigold
    
Salvia
Violet
    
Flax
    
Mint
    
Snapdragon
 
    
Forget-me-not
    
Morning glory
    
Verbena
 
    
Four-o'clock
    
Mullein
    
Zinnia
 
    
Foxglove
    
Parsley
    
 

Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Department. He can be reached by email:  dleier@nd.gov