BierGut
Well-Known Member
I'm looking to plant rhizomes for the first time this spring and wondered since I get a lot of whitetail deer in my yard if they'd try eating the cones? Has anyone encountered this problem?
Will deer eat my hops?
- Thread starter BierGut
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StonesBally
Well-Known Member
My dad grows them in Traverse City, MI, and deer don't bother them at all, but rabbits almost always cause the plants to get a late start due to eating most of the shoots.
Hamaki
Well-Known Member
Mule deer eat mine if they get into the fenced garden.
i grow em about 40 miles east of you and no, the deer wont bother them. my neighbor has a feeder about 20 yards from them and with 20 to 30 deer around em still they don't touch em.
ABVIBUSRM
Well-Known Member
Hello malignant hyperthermia..real toxic to dogs
OP
OP
BierGut
Well-Known Member
Ok thanks guys, I'll keep an eye out for rabbits. I just bought the property 2 months ago and haven't noticed any yet. Plenty of deer and turkeys and one raccoon that my wife keeps feeding unintentionally. It's like "Wild America" out here compared to our old inner-city dwellings. Can't wait to brew my first batch in the new house and make it a home with hops grown right in my backyard.
P.S. I'll have pics in the near future of my first AG batch, basement bar build and keezer build. Right after I remodel the bathroom. :rockin:
P.S. I'll have pics in the near future of my first AG batch, basement bar build and keezer build. Right after I remodel the bathroom. :rockin:
ABVIBUSRM
Well-Known Member
They might man..you never know..but make it impossible for them to do so or you can have a dead dog on your hands
We have a deer herd traveling in a circuit that brings them by the property about every four days. While they have a keen taste for the neighbors' expensive attempts at shrubbery (rookie mistake - hate to see that 
) they totally leave my hop beds unscathed...
Cheers!
) they totally leave my hop beds unscathed...Cheers!
sandyeggoxj
Well-Known Member
Mule deer have been vicious to mine in the past. Haven't had whitetail around to see if that stays the same. Good luck. Keep some deer repellant around or fencing that you can secure your investment.
Yankeehillbrewer
Well-Known Member
The deer around my place here in NorCal have destroyed my Hops for the last two years. I'll be putting a fence around them for next year. They typically leave them alone until the end of summer when other food sources start to get scarce.
ABVIBUSRM
Well-Known Member
You just gave me a great idea..feed the deer hops for a week then wack it and eat it with an IPA:rockin:
sandyeggoxj
Well-Known Member
Wow, this grilled backstrap pairs amazingly well with your new IPA. Do they both have the same hop bill?
The White tail deer in Western Montana have not developed a taste for my hops plant, so far, I have had the plants for four years. I do have problems with voles though, they like to chew on the underground rhizomes. This may really sound gross, but human urine will keep deer away from you trees and hops.
Esmitee
Well-Known Member
Here in South Jersey, this year they mowed the leaves off leaving the stems, Kinda looked like backbones hanging on the rope. 4 th year growing. They were about 6 -10 foot tall when they were attacked !!!!!!! When I seen the leaves gone, I only hoped they didn't chew through the bines.............thank God they did NOT.
In retrospect, I had spread out spent grains on the beds.........Maybe I baited them?
In retrospect, I had spread out spent grains on the beds.........Maybe I baited them?
ABVIBUSRM
Well-Known Member
yes except the IPA was dry hopped the deer was wet hopped with a heavy late addition..why does this mounted deer head have green teeth?
specialkaye
Well-Known Member
So far, we've not had problems with White tails. Though, as an organic farm we also use blood meal as a fertilizer. Any prey animal, like deer or rabbits, run for the hills as soon as they smell the blood meal. On the same note, the blood meal kinda attracts predators. They seem to like the smell. In our area, the deer will always go for the alfalfa before even looking at the hops.
solbes
Well-Known Member
Whitetails have not touched mine in 4 seasons.
Though they eat everything else up at our lake property: White & Red Pine buds (in winter), white birch buds, Hostas (I had that coming), strawberries, and grape vines. Once I planted an apple tree in the dark at 6 pm in the mid/late fall. They had stripped it bare of leaves by sunrise. Apple trees got cages after that.
Though they eat everything else up at our lake property: White & Red Pine buds (in winter), white birch buds, Hostas (I had that coming), strawberries, and grape vines. Once I planted an apple tree in the dark at 6 pm in the mid/late fall. They had stripped it bare of leaves by sunrise. Apple trees got cages after that.
Deer will condition to deterrents. Being consistent in any given method or means will lead to a faster adaptation to the deterrent. Don't use any given method for more than 2 weeks with the exception of pain (electric fence) or termination (bullets). Use scent, vision, sound, presence, etc. in combinations for best results.
dlaramie08
Well-Known Member
I had only 1 shoot that was trimmed. Evidently they thought it wasn't good and haven't touched them since. The word must have spread.
