Regular summer activities including yard and garden maintenance are in full swing and the possibility is there that you and your neighbours won’t be the only ones stopping by to admire all your hard work.

The City of Cranbrook’s urban deer population – both mule and white tail deer – will be active in many areas of the community looking to make a meal out of many plants and shrubs.

In spring and summer months, mule deer eat a variety of herbaceous plants and grasses during the summer, even though they are primarily browsers of shrubs. Talk with your landscape professional or visit your favourite local nursery to find out more about deer-resistant plants that thrive locally. There are also a few techniques that can be used to protect your property from deer damage.

“Fencing is really your only guaranteed way of preventing deer damage in your yard,” says Chris Zettel, Corporate Communications Officer for the City of Cranbrook. “But, using a combination of hazing, repellents, choosing deer resistant plants along with fencing can also be quite effective.”

In the City’s Zoning Bylaw under Fencing, in all residential zones, the maximum height for a fence in the front yard is one metre and all other yards, 1.8 metres.

The Ministry of Environment website also has much information on how to reduce deer conflicts in your yard.

If you have issues around urban deer aggression, you are encouraged to contact the RAPP line first, but are also asked to report the issue to the City of Cranbrook for its records by calling 250-426-4211 or emailing [email protected].

City staff may not be able to respond directly to all emails or phone messages around urban deer issues; however, staff will be sure to record those complaints.

City of Cranbrook

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