About a month ago I reported that the deer had found one of my raised bed gardens. I took action to try to protect my lettuce and carrots by surrounding the bed with string and little flags that flutter about in the wind. It seemed to work well until this past week. Paul and I were sitting at the kitchen island when Paul pointed outside and said, “There’s a deer in your garden!” Sure enough there was a doe with her head stuck between string. It looked like she was struggling to get her head back out. I went outside and took these pictures.

When she saw me come out the door, she moved away from the raised bed and went on alert. She was very bold snorting and prancing a bit as if to say, “You don’t belong here.”

Here’s she’s running off to collect her two friends loitering in the drive way before running off.

She must have been startled off by my deer control measures and subsequent arrival. She didn’t munch my veggies, but the evidence is clear – two hoof prints right in my raised bed.

While my homemade deer control measures have deterred the deer for now, I suspect that I’m going to have to ramp up my efforts come next spring!