First and foremost, good luck. Deer damage to the landscape is extremely disheartening. It seems as though they have an uncanny attraction to the most beautiful and expensive plants in your yard and head straight for them when the sun goes down. I suppose at least they have good taste, literally.

White-tailed deer have a wide range across the US. Male bucks develop antlers, while female deer do not. Fawns will stay with their mothers for the first year of their life. Photo by Scott Bauer, USDA, CC0

Why are deer a problem?

We hear stories back in the day when folks had to go up to the mountains to go hunting. There was a concerted effort to repopulate the white deer across North Carolina between 1940’s and the 1970’s. Since then, the population of white-tailed deer in areas of North Carolina steadily increased from the 1950s, and has been going back down since the 1990s. Though some people wouldn’t know it.

Urban areas act as refuges for deer, since the main way to control their population is hunting (or a hungry mountain lion or wolf, but those are long gone). As the human population has also increased, residential construction has led to smaller pockets of wildlife habitat to support the larger numbers of deer. Many suburban developments fringe on adjacent land where deer can hide; so, as they become less afraid of people, dogs, lights and automobiles, they venture in and out of neighborhoods, browsing on herbaceous plants as they would in natural areas without the fear of being hunted.

When can you see deer?

They can be observed feeding at dawn, dusk and at nighttime. Their split hoof prints and droppings can be easily identified. They browse on trees, shrubs, vegetables, annuals and perennials, and graze on seedlings, tips, buds, branches and foliage. In the wild, they are reducing the overall diversity of wildflowers in the understory because of their increased browsing that doesn’t let wildflowers reproduce.

Jagged edges on damaged plants are a telltale sign. They generally eat only new, tender growth on tips, but continual browsing will prevent flowering and the continuous need to resprout new growth will slow plants down. They usually follow an established trail and may pull up newly-planted annuals and perennials.

Deer damage may become worse in winter depending on the availability of hard mast (acorns), which is their main source of food. A lean crop of acorns and competition for food from other animals may lead to a scarcity by late winter. The recommendation from NC State University Forestry is to retain 20% of the landscape in forest with mast-producing species (i.e. oaks, beech, and hickory), which can be challenging in a suburban setting.

How can you stop the damage?

Reducing the amount of damage done by deer once they are in an area can be an ongoing battle. Most deer have a 300-400 acres range.

Best Choice: A deer fence

A good, tall fence (10+ feet) or a 3-D fence have been shown to be the best defense. These may not be an option for everyone or necessary around a whole property, but can be used to protect your most important production or growing areas. Plastic or woven wires around young trees and shrubs will help discourage browsing and protect them until they are large enough to withstand light damage to tips and foliage.

Plant Choice

Your next best option is to choose plants that are less susceptible to browsing. Know that if you choose to plant species that they are attracted to, you will always have a predation problem. Deer prefer to browse on soft vegetation in spring, and love flower buds. Plants that are frequently browsed by deer include fruit trees, berries, vegetables, roses, daylilies, hosta, azaleas, hydrangeas and most annuals. They tend to shy away from plants with thorny or prickly leaves and stems.

Plants with strong scents and pungent tastes such as herbs are usually not browsed. Poisonous plants or plants that produce a thick, latex-like sap are also not preferred. A number of native plants that they are not attracted to are American holly, beautyberry, ferns (except fiddleheads), and wax myrtle.

During stressful conditions such as drought, they may damage plants that normally go untouched. For susceptible plants that you dearly love, plant closer to the house in places where they can be closely monitored and protected.

Repellents

Repellents are another means of limiting damage by deer, though the research has been inconclusive about these. Many commercial products are available but must be used according to the product label. It is important to rotate products every few weeks, so deer do not get used to the flavor or smell. Caution should be exercised around children and pets. Many cannot be applied to edible plants, so care must be taken to avoid spraying near vegetable gardens. They should be applied before deer become accustomed to feeding on plants, and after rainfall. New foliage that emerges after treatment is untreated, so you have to reapply.

Good Luck

Despite all this effort, if deer are hungry enough, repellents may not deter them from damaging plants. Eliminating damage by deer entirely may not be feasible, but selectively choosing landscape and garden plants, creating barriers, and occasional use of repellents may help to minimize it. And lastly, good luck.

Attribution

This story was originally written by Gail Griffin, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, in March 2022. It was updated by Amanda Bratcher, Horticulture Agent, N.C. Cooperative Extension- Lee County Center, February 2026. Gail Griffin is an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer with North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Lee County. Amanda Bratcher is the horticulture agent with N.C. Cooperative Extension- Lee County Center.

This article originally appeared in The Sanford Herald. You can read more articles from the Herald here: https://www.sanfordherald.com/.

You can reach out to the office at 919-775-5624 for more information or questions regarding this article, but also any other questions about your garden, farm, land or plants! We’re here to help! You can check out our website at https://lee.ces.ncsu.edu/events/ for more information and to register for upcoming programs.

Resources:

• For more detailed information on plants less preferred by deer, an overview of deer repellents and fencing details and options, go to the Extension Gardener Page about deer control. Check out the additional resources section.
• NC Wildlife Resources Commission Profile page about white-tailed deer
• NC State Working With Wildlife Page
• NCSU Plant Toolbox List of Deer-Resistant Plants for Lee County
• Utilizing a 3D Fence to deter Deer for Agroforestry Tree Plantings- Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research