Persimman
5 year old buck +
Irish Spring description
Here is my recent experience trying Irish Spring bar soap as deer repellent.
Study environment: 1/2 ac gamepatch in its 4th year.
Goal: keep deer away for 3 weeks for stronger gamepatch establishment.
Study technique: Apply Irish Spring and monitor 10% of plot with game camera in same location as past 3 years.
Material prep: Take 45 new bars Irish Spring bar soap, 3.7 oz, drill 1/4" holes 1" from each end, cut bars in half, thread 12" piece sisal cord through hole and knot it.
Application: hang bar halves between waist and chest height around perimeter of patch and on 17 stakes within patch. Scatter 8 leftover pieces and the bore tailings on the ground.
Human response: throat and sinus irritation; slight watering of the eyes. Emotional irritability.
Camera data history: 1 pic of 1 deer every day; 4 pics of 5 deer twice each week; herds of 6+ at lower frequency.
First camera firing in experiment: 4 hrs after experimentor left, 2 deer on camera.
Ongoing camera response: 1 pic of 1 deer every day; 4 pics of 5 deer twice each week; herds of 6+ at lower frequency. Also pics of deer bedded near soap.
Discussion: Some may posit that deer would avoid aromatic soaps, but could end up in the patch temporarily while fleeing predators. My test results include very few pics of deer running. Documented behaviours include eating, walking, watching, chatting, resting, and outdoor games. Photo time stamps show deer often staying within camera range for 30 minutes.
Conclusion: Irish Spring is not an effective deer repellent on this farm in central Virginia. Your results may be different.
Here is my recent experience trying Irish Spring bar soap as deer repellent.
Study environment: 1/2 ac gamepatch in its 4th year.
Goal: keep deer away for 3 weeks for stronger gamepatch establishment.
Study technique: Apply Irish Spring and monitor 10% of plot with game camera in same location as past 3 years.
Material prep: Take 45 new bars Irish Spring bar soap, 3.7 oz, drill 1/4" holes 1" from each end, cut bars in half, thread 12" piece sisal cord through hole and knot it.
Application: hang bar halves between waist and chest height around perimeter of patch and on 17 stakes within patch. Scatter 8 leftover pieces and the bore tailings on the ground.
Human response: throat and sinus irritation; slight watering of the eyes. Emotional irritability.
Camera data history: 1 pic of 1 deer every day; 4 pics of 5 deer twice each week; herds of 6+ at lower frequency.
First camera firing in experiment: 4 hrs after experimentor left, 2 deer on camera.
Ongoing camera response: 1 pic of 1 deer every day; 4 pics of 5 deer twice each week; herds of 6+ at lower frequency. Also pics of deer bedded near soap.
Discussion: Some may posit that deer would avoid aromatic soaps, but could end up in the patch temporarily while fleeing predators. My test results include very few pics of deer running. Documented behaviours include eating, walking, watching, chatting, resting, and outdoor games. Photo time stamps show deer often staying within camera range for 30 minutes.
Conclusion: Irish Spring is not an effective deer repellent on this farm in central Virginia. Your results may be different.
