How do deer and figs get along? I've been offered a nice hillside to grow some berries/fruits on, but there is evidence of deer nearby. Will I be fighting a loosing battle, or could I grow figs with deer nearby? Any recommendations as to whether I should fence the whole field, or just put mesh circles around individual trees?

Thanks in advance.

Deer are hard to fight. I've seen them go over fences and push into the circles until they calaps to get what my they want. 

My neighborhood is infected with mule deer, I spray wolf urine from time to time to keep them out of my yard. A little crazy... but it works. 


http://www.predatorpee.com/  Just one source
 

Deer should not bother figs at all unless just to rub there antlers on in the fall.  I have quite a few deer around and never a problem.  I also have goats around fig trees every day and they just ignore them

[QUOTE=jerrybrother83]Deer should not bother figs at all unless just to rub there antlers on in the fall.  I have quite a few deer around and never a problem.  I also have goats around fig trees every day and they just ignore them[/QUOTE]

Sorry Jerry, but I disagree. I went and checked on my fig "rejects" that I planted in ground along the edge of my property and the deer have eaten all of the growth tips off every single branch. I imagine they would quickly discover ripening figs as well :(

My house is in the middle of a deer path - woods in and around the backyard provide a safe passage to another neighborhood - and they like to eat a lot of different things I plant. A lot. But they've never touched my figs. I assume they'd have no problem eating any of them - maybe the mature leaves are too coarse, though? - but I think there is plenty of other forage around when my trees start to fruit. Squirrels, on the hand, have started getting more cheeky...

I have had deer chew on new growth here also .....

So, cover new growth in wolf urine? Or set up a deer blind near the figs?

Maybe it depends on available forage. I live in Louisiana so the mild winters could offer more forage opportunities. My goats or certainly overfed and don't touch them. But they do chew on pine and apple tree bark. No figs though. Also I am surrounded by woods. Maybe if deer are nibbling in open areas its more habit than hunger.

I like the deer blind idea

[QUOTE=johnnyq627][QUOTE=jerrybrother83]Deer should not bother figs at all unless just to rub there antlers on in the fall.  I have quite a few deer around and never a problem.  I also have goats around fig trees every day and they just ignore them[/QUOTE] Sorry Jerry, but I disagree. I went and checked on my fig "rejects" that I planted in ground along the edge of my property and the deer have eaten all of the growth tips off every single branch. I imagine they would quickly discover ripening figs as well :([/QUOTE]~cross bow ~!

[QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=johnnyq627][QUOTE=jerrybrother83]Deer should not bother figs at all unless just to rub there antlers on in the fall.  I have quite a few deer around and never a problem.  I also have goats around fig trees every day and they just ignore them[/QUOTE] Sorry Jerry, but I disagree. I went and checked on my fig "rejects" that I planted in ground along the edge of my property and the deer have eaten all of the growth tips off every single branch. I imagine they would quickly discover ripening figs as well :([/QUOTE]~cross bow ~![/QUOTE

But I would have to use a bow and arrows....I'm in the middle of a residential area .

Crossbow is not bad either

[QUOTE=deerhunter16b]Crossbow is not bad either[/QUOTE]~

[QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=deerhunter16b]Crossbow is not bad either[/QUOTE]~or call game commission and ask them about removing them ,good luck with that idea if you can even get someone on the phone ~!

[QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=deerhunter16b]Crossbow is not bad either[/QUOTE]~[/QUOTE]~or a 35-40 lb bow is sufficient

[QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=chucklikestofish][QUOTE=deerhunter16b]Crossbow is not bad either[/QUOTE]~[/QUOTE]~or a 35-40 lb bow is sufficient power ~or call game commission and ask them about removing them ,good luck with that idea if you can even get someone on the phone ~![/QUOTE]

I know my luck - I'd hit the deer, and it would jump back over the fence onto parkland and run to the park ranger station, leaving a bloody incriminating trail back to me. No figs in prison ;-{

[video]http://youtu.be/0KNuAhb8xlQ[/video]

Don't laugh.   Have your husband go out at night and pee around the trees.   It works and is free.  Racoons also will also stay away.   Something about marking your territory.   In my neighborhood (large lots  that back up to conservation areas) we see deer on the side of the roads.  I went out on the lanai one afternoon and saw a deer taking a snooze under my loquat tree.  Now she had to hop over my chain length fence in the back yard to do this.  Also browsed on some leaf tips.   After a few pee sessions, no more racoons or deer.

Gee I started a topic with the same name about deer damage to my elder. I have had deer eat the leaves off almost every tree I've planted out. Fig is an exception, but my one in-ground fig is right up against the building. Infestations of deer can be a big problem. I would only put out one, tree and be sure you can get it past them before starting a grove.

A park naturalist I talked to said deer prefer to rub their antlers on cedar and you can inter-plant with cedar as a sacrifice plant to protect your other trees.

[QUOTE=smatthew]I know my luck - I'd hit the deer, and it would jump back over the fence onto parkland and run to the park ranger station, leaving a bloody incriminating trail back to me. No figs in prison ;-{[/QUOTE]~YES GOOD THINKING DON'T DO IT ,NOT WORTH IT ~

[QUOTE=adoresfigs45]Don't laugh.   Have your husband go out at night and pee around the trees.   It works and is free.  Racoons also will also stay away.   Something about marking your territory.   In my neighborhood (large lots  that back up to conservation areas) we see deer on the side of the roads.  I went out on the lanai one afternoon and saw a deer taking a snooze under my loquat tree.  Now she had to hop over my chain length fence in the back yard to do this.  Also browsed on some leaf tips.   After a few pee sessions, no more racoons or deer.[/QUOTE]~I'M GOING TO PEE EVERYWHERE NOW THANKS ~

Diluted urine makes a great fertilizer and a deterrent to pesky animals.  Make sure the urine is from a post pubescent male (testosterone).  Concentrated urine could be hazardous to your trees.

[QUOTE=james]Diluted urine makes a great fertilizer and a deterrent to pesky animals.  Make sure the urine is from a post pubescent male (testosterone).  Concentrated urine could be hazardous to your trees.[/QUOTE]~thanks ~

Deer have chewed off new growth on a few of my trees.  I keep a metal cage around the young trees.

The damage deer could do to your fig planting is highly dependent on available forage and population density. If the local deer populations are high and forage is limiting they will eat just about anything.
If populations are at more sustainable levels and forage is readily available you probably won't see much if any damage.

In general animals don't like to browse figs because of the latex sap produced when they are injured. The sap is an irritant.

The most probable damage to figs committed by deer would be rubbing of antlers on trucks during the fall.

I've also heard ants don't like urine I've tested it it worked for me. I had a colony of them around the base of an in ground tree and I used diluted urine in a spray bottle I didn't see ants around it for weeks so if u have ant problems u can try that

[QUOTE=james]Diluted urine makes a great fertilizer and a deterrent to pesky animals.  Make sure the urine is from a post pubescent male (testosterone).  Concentrated urine could be hazardous to your trees.[/QUOTE]

Well, at least now i have an excuse for peeing in the field.....

Ok, so I've decided i'll wait for HD or Lowes to get cheap figs in, then plant one as the test - like leaving a goat tied up to see if the lions will come by.