Matching Wits With Deer

After the resident deer ate a good number of the hens and chickens (plants, not fowl) in the garden last week, a new book titled “Outwitting Deer” ($14.95) seemed a whole lot more interesting.

The book by Bill Adler Jr. promises “101 truly ingenious methods and proven techniques to prevent deer from devouring your garden and destroying your yard.”

Be aware this book is decidedly anti-deer and the first two chapters are “The Awful Truth about Deer” and “Menaces to Society.” Also included are sections on deer contraception, the return of the predators and “Elimination: A-hunting we will go.”

There are also more passive solutions, such as planting flowers and shrubs that the deer regard much like we do Brussels sprouts, or using lawn ornaments to distract the deer.

* The rental sign is up: Avid bird fans know there is no such thing as too many birdhouses. Critter watcher Mary Anne Brown shared a photo of the bird condos her husband, Bob, built and erected in their West Spokane back yard. The row of birdhouses is ready for occupancy this spring.

* More squirrel and bird tips: Those who feed the birds and others who feed squirrels continue to call in their tips.

Maurice Vial keeps squirrels out of his feeder by using fishing line to hang it from a tree. The squirrels can’t hang on to the line and give up after a few attempts.

A couple of callers also noted that raw peanuts are not appropriate squirrel food. The rodents cannot digest them. Unless it’s noted on the package that the peanuts are roasted, they need to be baked in the oven until they smell toasted or peanutty. Squirrels also should avoid salt, so don’t tempt them with salted nuts.

* Backyard journal: Following months of near-silence, the flurry of activity at the bird feeders now reaches raucous levels midmorning and later afternoon. Only the occasional shrill call of a male ring-necked pheasant punctuates the chattering of house finches, juncos, chickadees and evening grosbeaks.