Never underestimate the strength, dexterity, and sheer determination of raccoons! They are everywhere and eat anything. Getting to your feed, eggs, and birds are like winning the lottery for them and they are addicted to playing the numbers. They will not stop trying and will eventually find one lock unlocked or one gap not plugged. Check every day that everything is still secured, look for holes, gaps, tears, signs of digging. Double or triple up on your locks, in case one doesn't catch, and don't just use more of the same type. If it takes more strength to open than a toddler has and includes something that requires use of your opposable thumb, it's a winner. Be diligent, because raccoons are persistent.
 
In general I have found chicken wire to be useless except used in combination with other wire because predators especially raccoons can get there little fingers and paws in and stretch it open. The chicken wire is good for keeping chickens in but is not good for keeping predators out. The chicken wire is especially good if you have babies in combination with other wire such as horse wire. And the chicken wire can serve the purpose recommended where you dig a trench and put wire into the ground vent one way or the other to prevent critters that might want to dig to get into the chicken yard.
For the buried skirts, i always use hardware cloth because chicken wire rusts faster.
 
another 4am wake up. too bad it's not light outside.
yesterday our doe returned with two fawns. It is fun to watch the fawns run and jump like goats.
we are wondering if her three fawns from last year will come back. earlier this summer three young deer did show up on the lawn one afternoon.
there is plenty of food for them. corn fields on two sides of us, and hay on the third side. and corn across the road. we are surrounded..
I hope they don't nibble on the pear tree.
 
another 4am wake up. too bad it's not light outside.
yesterday our doe returned with two fawns. It is fun to watch the fawns run and jump like goats.
we are wondering if her three fawns from last year will come back. earlier this summer three young deer did show up on the lawn one afternoon.
there is plenty of food for them. corn fields on two sides of us, and hay on the third side. and corn across the road. we are surrounded..
I hope they don't nibble on the pear tree.
They likely will. Some varmint has been chewing on my Calla lilies.
 
There is a button buck that lives very near to the houses on our road. He'll be munching the fallen wild apples under a tree that is about 15 feet from the road. He'll stand there and watch as we walk up with our dog. When we're 30 feet away, he will bounce off, but not in any hurry. His lack of caution will make him someone's dinner this hunting season.

I'd let people I know hunt on our land, but DH won't. He feels like the deer deserve a safe haven somewhere.
 
Sally, I agree with your husband, although I hunted my whole life.
once I was hunting deer and a very young deer came walking toward me.
It stopped right in front of me. I could have petted it. I talked to it for a few minutes. and then I realized that someone might spot that deer and take a shot. so I moved away..
It should have had a doe with it. somebody might have shot her.
 

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