Electric fences to keep deer out

Press, 18 February 1983, Page 20

Electric fences to keep deer out

Two prestigious California vineyards have adopted New Zealand-type electric fencing for protection against wild deer.

Deer are a common and expensive nuisance in much of the state’s wine lands. They eat young vines in the spring and munch ripe grapes with relish, particularly in the hilly country where vineyards are often adjacent to large areas of unfenced bush. Although small vineyards have occasionally installed electric fencing in recent years, the two projects now under way entail substantial new plantings, both owned by the French company, Moet Hennessey of cognac and champagne fame. Domaine Chandon, which produces high quality sparkling wine in Napa County, and Simi Winery, century-old maker of still wines in Sonoma County, are the two properties. The installations include some high-tensile steel wire from New Zealand Wire, Ltd, of Auckland, and energizers from the Gallagher Elec-

tronics company in Hamilton. Some of the components are supplied by Mr John Wall, a Foxton-born NewZealander who operates Kiwi Fence Systems, based in Pennsylvania. Mr Ken Badgley, whose firm. Impossible Fences, is building the deer, barriers for the two wineries, said that growers here are accustomed to seeking restraints against deer which force or jump conventional fences two metres high. They are finding that the marauders can be kept out with an electric fence 150 cm in height. Deer, he said, cautiously investigate a fence before attempting to breach it. The initial shock of contact with the New Zealand fence discourages them at once.

Mr Jack Lossmark, a vice, president at Simi, said that nearly four kilometres of the new fence will be installed there, at a cost of nearly $NZ25,000. Conventional fence would cost almost twice that.—From John Hutchinson in San Francisco.