Two Year Study at Auburn University Proves Deer Stopper Effective
Abstract: A 2-year study at Auburn University was undertaken to assess the efficacy of Deer Stopper repellent for reducing white-tailed deer damage to ornamental plantings. Efficacy testing was done, using a captive herd at Auburn University's White-tailed Deer Research Facility and the Stimpson Wildlife Sanctuary, Jackson, AL.
All study sites used Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata) plants, a highly preferred browse species in this area. Plants were randomly arranged between treatment and control. Treatment plants were sprayed with prescribed applications of Deer Stopper and percent defoliation and browsing estimated for each plant.
Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare effectiveness of treatments. During the first three months of the study deer became acclimated to the plants with little browsing pressure to either treatment or control plants. Once deer began consistently browsing on the shrubs, the mean number of leaves on the treatment (Deer Stopper) plants was significantly higher (df=26,1; F=22.11; P=.000) then the mean number of leaves on the control plants.
Preliminary analyses of these data suggest that Deer Stopper was effective in reducing browsing damage to Japanese Holly.
Fourteen Week Study at USDA/APHIS National Wildlife Research Center Proves Deer Stopper Effective
Abstract: Foraging deer can negatively impact agricultural resources. Repellents offer a plausible approach to inhibit browsing. The efficacy of Big game Repellent-Powder(BGR), Deer Stopper(DST), Plantskydd(PLA) and ECX95BY(ECX) to deter black-tailed deer (odocoileus hemionus columbianus) browsing of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and western red cedar (Thuja plicata) seedlings was assessed during the winter.
Extent of damage was expressed as number of seedlings damaged, number of terminal buds damaged, number of lateral bites taken, and the number of seedlings with severe damage. BGR, Deer Stopper, and PLA significantly reduced deer damage relative to controls for at least 14 weeks. After 1 week, damage to seedlings treated with ECX was similar to that inflicted on control seedlings.
Extensive 10 Week Study at Cornell University Proves Deer Stopper Effective
Evaluation of a New Deer Repellent on Japanese Yews at Suburban Homesites
October 7, 1991-Roger W. Sayre, Department of Natural Resources, 206 A Fewnow Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
Abstract: Jersey(Deer Stopper), an experimental deer repellent, was field tested against 2 commercial repellents on Japanese yews (Taxus cuspidate) near Ithaca, New York during spring 1990. Plots of 4 individually potted yews were established in Expt. 1 (n=12) and 16 (n-2) plants in Expt. 2. Two yews at each plot in Expt. 1 were chosen at random and treated with Deer Stopper. Plants in Expt. 2, were treated with Deer Stopper, Hinder, or Big Game Repellent.
A grid matrix was placed behind each plant, and 2 photographs were taken from 2 m at the beginning and after 10 wk. These photographs were analyzed to produce a cover index of plant size. Plots were monitored weekly to record browsing. In Expt. 1, after 10 wk, more control (46/48), then treated (7/48) were browsed (P<0.001). Controls were browsed (x=1.7 wk) earlier then treated yews (x=4.4 wk) (P<0.01). Controls were reduced in size by 59.4% (n=46), compared to 11.7% (n=7) for Deer Stopper (P<0.001).
Browsing rates did not differ among treatments in Expt. 2 at the 1x4 plots (REP1=0/12, REP2=1/12, Deer Stopper=0/12), or 4x4 plots (REP1=0/8, REP2=1/8, Deer Stopper=0/8). However, controls were browsed more frequently than treated at both plot types (10/12 at 1x4, and 6/8 at 4x4 plots) (P <0.05). Browsing reduced these controls by 56.8% (n=10) at 1x4 plots at 47.2% (n=6) at 4x4 plots.
These results suggest that Deer Stopper reduced deer damage to a shrub preferred by deer.
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