Waking up to find your prize hostas or tomato crops eaten overnight is a frustrating experience. We understand how much time and money goes into a beautiful property. US homeowners and farmers actually face billions of dollars in landscape and crop damage every year from whitetail deer.
That is a massive problem.
Our team builds reliable Deer and Game Fencing to stop these animals in their tracks. A good installation protects your investment for decades. Let’s walk through exactly what works and what fails.
Why Deer Fences Fail
Most deer fences that do not work fail for one of three reasons. We see these same mistakes on properties all across the country. The cost of fixing a bad installation is always higher than doing it right the first time.
- Too short. Whitetail deer can easily clear 7 to 8 feet without much effort if they are motivated by hunger.
- Gaps at the bottom. Deer and plenty of smaller animals will push under a loose bottom edge or squeeze through a gate that does not close flush.
- Slack wire. The wire loosens and sags when the corners and braces shift in the soil.
A sagging line essentially creates a lower jump height for the animals. We solve these problems by engineering the structure to handle heavy pressure. Proper corner bracing, like heavy-duty H-braces, prevents winter frost heave from loosening the tension.
| Common Fence Failure | Professional Solution |
|---|---|
| Jumped by deer | Install barriers 7.5 to 8 feet tall for high-pressure areas. |
| Pushed under | Run a high-tension steel cable along the bottom edge. |
| Slack and sagging | Use heavy-duty H-braces at corners to handle winter frost heave. |
Garden, Yard or Acreage?
Garden and Orchard Enclosures
A fenced area around beds and fruit trees is the most affordable fix. This keeps the barrier short in length, so you can go full height without a big bill. Our crews often build two-tiered systems for local orchards.
These double layers sit about five feet apart. Deer have poor depth perception, so the optical illusion stops them from attempting the jump. Young fruit trees are a favorite target. An orchard fence protects them until they are big enough to handle some browsing.
Whole-Yard Deer Fencing
Many suburban homeowners want to enclose a residential lot without ruining the view. We use black PVC-coated wire that blends perfectly into the surrounding trees.
This material offers a few major advantages for residential spaces:
- The black coating makes the wire virtually invisible from a distance.
- The mesh blends naturally into wooded backgrounds.
- It protects the property without blocking sunlight or sightlines.
This nearly invisible material often runs along the back and sides where a wood privacy fence or chain link would be overkill or out of budget. The dark color is a huge advantage for neighborhood aesthetics.
High Fence for Game
On acreage, an 8 ft game fence keeps deer out or holds game in. This is a bigger build with long runs, heavy braces and gates at the entries. Our guide on how high fence for game gets built walks through each stage.
Deer fence runs $8 to $20 per foot. Pricing depends heavily on whether you need a short garden run or a full 8 ft acreage perimeter.
What Wire Should You Use?
The right material dictates how long the installation will last. We recommend specific gauges and knot types based on your local wildlife pressure. Choosing the wrong gauge often leads to sagging and constant repairs.
- Fixed-knot wire locks every crossing in place with a wrap. We like this design because it stays square under tension and holds up when a 200-pound buck tests it. This is common for high game fence.
- High-tensile wire is stronger for its weight and stretches tighter over long runs with fewer line posts.
- Graduated wire spacing puts the openings closer together near the ground and wider near the top. This spacing keeps small animals out down low while saving material up high.
High-tensile steel features a much higher carbon content than standard low-carbon agricultural rolls. This gives a 12.5-gauge high-tensile line a breaking strength of over 1,300 pounds. Our teams prefer it because it only stretches about four percent. You will not have to re-stretch a high-tensile line every spring.
| Wire Type | Breaking Strength | Best Application |
|---|---|---|
| 12.5-Gauge High-Tensile | 1,300+ lbs | Long perimeter runs, heavy deer pressure |
| 12.5-Gauge Low-Carbon | ~500 lbs | Short, low-pressure temporary runs |
Wire visibility matters too. Deer can miss thin wire the first few times. A visible top wire or flagging helps them learn the barrier is actually there.
Low Spots, Creek Crossings and Gates
Long fence lines cross dips, draws and low-water crossings where the ground drops away. Those are the places hungry animals find first. We fit the wire to the ground at every dip and add extra posts where the line changes grade. Professional installers recommend keeping the bottom gap to less than two inches.
Our installation process often includes running a high-tension steel cable along the very bottom edge. Securing the mesh to this bottom cable stops coyotes or groundhogs from bowing the wire upward.
Managing Water and Entries
Waterways present a unique challenge. Debris flowing down a creek can wash out a solid barrier during heavy rain. We build swinging water gaps or breakaway panels in these sections to let water pass safely. This keeps animals out without creating a dam.
Gates need the exact same care as the rest of the perimeter. A proper wildlife gate must hit three critical marks:
- Match the total height of the surrounding line.
- Maintain a bottom gap of less than two inches.
- Swing freely without dragging on uneven ground.
For acreage entries with trucks and trailers, see pipe and ranch fencing for ranch gates and driveway and automatic gates for automatic entries.
Ready to Protect Your Property?
Seeing your hard work eaten by local wildlife is incredibly frustrating. We can help you stop the damage for good. A professionally installed barrier provides total peace of mind year after year.
Our team specializes in custom Deer and Game Fencing for properties of all sizes. Contact us today for a free estimate. Let’s start building a solution that actually works.