Oh Deer, oh Deer, oh Deer

[taff]

judging by your name, we know how you do it

JUST KIDDING!!!!!

[Farmer_Gyles]

I'm with the shoot and eat it club, tho!

glad i'm not the only one!

it used to be quite common for people to be given rabbits / pheasants etc, normally in a swap of some sort .... i remember getting rabbit from the butchers many years ago, but since the rise of the supermarkets, all the local butchers have closed .... i've seen venison and pheasant in lidl, but that's a 20 minute drive away .... (we did get some of each) .... found goose in sainsburys .... not seen rabbit on sale anywhere .... and no wild rabbits anywhere nearby either ....

on the plus side, i know someone who can get me some rabbits, skinned and boned ... downside is a 40 minute drive ....

[snohare]

The scent of human urine will keep them away, if applied regularly to the boundaries... But that's only assuming that they are not too hungry. Human hair tied in a stocking to a post does the same sort of thing - basically, makes them think there are humans about.
I'd be inclined to go with the whole car battery/converter/leccy fence idea. Two strands at waist and shoulder height should give them pause - once they have had contact and a shock, I'd imagine they will become very reluctant to return.
The only other alternative I can think of is to have a dog there overnight - one that will bark.

[snohare]

doesn't someone own them? In which case, isn't it their responsibility to keep them off private property?

Deer being wild animals rather than livestock, they are not expected to be kept under control, they are considered the property of whoever's land they are on. Thus, if you kill them legally, you get to eat them... but roadkill technically belongs to the council. (I'd say the public, and consider myself a member...)

[Ger-annie-um]

Thanks to all that responded, we've done what we can by plugging gaps in the hedges with whatever we can lay our hands on and put extra wire netting above the gates. And, we met a fencing contractor on site who is going to give us a price for finishing the stock fencing. Deer appear to have got the message - for now. More pressing problem in the shape of a blocked culvert which is causing a brook to overflow on to the site............Gawd knows what's next.

In the meantime we now have a resident plot holder on site at all times in the form of Eric, a very snazzy man looky likey complete with jeans and a straw hat...................nearly fooled me! Unfortunately we can't shoot and eat, Forest land probably belongs to Her Maj but at least we know who to sue if too much damage is done.

[Graham K]

Deer being wild animals rather than livestock

OK, so they are wild, if there on "your" land they can be taken, and they taste pretty good. You can't use; bow & arrow, shotgun and rifle (without PC Plod getting involved) or an air rifle and chasing them with a large knife screaming like Rambo will ensure a swift visit from the men in white coats.

Are there any other quick and humane ways that can be safely (and "legally") used on the allotment and do the same rules apply to a rather nice plump pheasant?

[Bren In Pots]

ge sort .... i remember getting rabbit from the butchers many years ago, but since the rise of the supermarkets, all the local butchers have closed .......

We're lucky we still have a couple of butchers one has his own farm and the other sells rabbit and seasonal game birds plus cooking things like hodge, chitterlings, savoury ducks and other strange looking items, their home cured bacon is the best.

[Peas'n'Kews]

I am very lucky - the OH cures and smokes our bacon. Delicious!

Unfortunately we have to buy the meat from the butcher, but I quite like the idea of running screaming after bambi with a knife - Ramba style!