Irish Spring bar soap as deer repellent

[LET EM GROW]

Last year I planted nearly 2 acres of Real World Wildlife soybeans... they grew great, and within a few weeks the deer and woodchucks ate every single plant.

 

I did some research during the off season and found that Irish spring bar soap would keep the deer away the best for what my wallet would allow..

 

Long story short,

 

I took out a handful of woodchucks with the rifle this spring, made the plot about 1/2 acre bigger and again planted these Real World Wildlife soybeans(from Kilbury's feed in Arkport). Immediately followed by hanging 36 bars of Irish Spring bar soap, and a dozen pie tins, about 1-1/2' ft. off the ground around the perimeter of the plot. I planted these on June 20th (the field being to muddy kept me from planting til then) and hung 2 cameras over the soybeans. To this day not one camera has taken a picture of a deer or woodchuck, there are no deer tracks in or around the perimeter of the whole plot since I put these soap bars out. Where as they were eating clover there, all spring long. The soybeans are about 10-12" tall now and doing great..

 

It does smell like a shower when your on the down wind side but it is keeping the deer out so the plants can grow. I am impressed so far. Especially for the price (my girlfriend couponed the soap, and got 100 bars for 5$ and change  

 

Hopefully the deer will stay out for awhile yet so they can mature, even if I have to hang new bars.. oh well. Haha

 

Thinking of taking the soap/pie tins down in September sometime. So they can hopefully start making a trip in to visit.

 

Just thought I would share this with everyone, instead of spending hundreds on a plot saver, hot fences and or sprays.. So far this is working great. and much cheaper

 

[moog5050]

I heard one report of a hunter that always smelled like Irish Spring.  It took him 30 years to harvest his first deer.  Not saying the two facts are related or that is the only reason it took 30 years, but .... 

 

He did shoot a buck two years ago.  Admirable persistence in my opinion.

[Steuben Jerry]

Sounds pretty creative, but won't the rain wash the soap onto and into the ground, keeping the scent there longer than you would like?

 

Keep us informed if you can as I can't seem to grow anything beyond the sprout stage before it gets wiped out.

[Jeremy K]

It keeps the hippies away too .

[LET EM GROW]

Haha yes, I agree to everything. Its an experiment. I was thinking the rain might wash the soap scent into the ground yes, but just in case it does wash into the dirt, I left a pass the width of my tiller around the border of the plot so I could till that soil up real deep and plant oats at the same time. That was my game plan, like I thought it was interesting so I thought I'd try it. If it doesn't work out I wont try It again. I'm sure if they don't hit it during deer season they will once the snow is on the ground.

 

There are no bedding areas near by so I didn't think id interrupt too much. A month or so before season ill tear it all down anyways. It does sound foolish because I do preach being scent free is #1.. haha oh well. we'll see.

[Five Seasons]

maybe somebody shot all the deer

 

interesting experiment. be interesting to hear your results this fall when the soap comes down.

[LET EM GROW]

Haha, I've got deer tracks all around in the woods but not in and around the plots edges. I don't think it will bother them in the least bit. at least this route it let the beans establish and let me get the round up to them.

[Nomad]

I have used nothing but Irish Spring to shower with my whole life, would love 100 bars for five bucks !

[moog5050]

I have used nothing but Irish Spring to shower with my whole life, would love 100 bars for five bucks !

 

 

And you still kill deer.  Must not have been the soap.  lol

[dbHunterNY]

I have used nothing but Irish Spring to shower with my whole life, would love 100 bars for five bucks !

 

me too... not whole life but pretty common.  I think we've got 10 or so from my wife's couponing in the basement.

 

[dbHunterNY]

if you were to use soap bars like that the deer will just slowly get accustomed to the scent and not fear it.  scent and fear deer have to it is all relevant to where you are and the deer.  if I hunted here in Albany and not too far off a hiking trail in the Pine Bush Preserve the deer would careless unless they spotted me.  I could sit there with a bar in each pocket.  if I was well off the trail, that'd be a different story.  reason why I still use unscented hunting soap.

[Nomad]

And you still kill deer. Must not have been the soap. lol

To be 100% honest last ten years or so I used the scent free soaps, but plenty of times when I'm out of it or shower at work prior to hunting I do use I.S.

I've also eaten Life cereal most mornings for 40 or 45 years.

I'm not against change, I justdont jump right into the first new thing that comes along....

Edited July 24, 2015 by Larry302

[Pygmy]

I use Irish Spring often...perhaps because my birthday is St. Patrick's Day...

Now I know the real reason that deer spook when they get downwind of me...Irish Spring...

For all of these years I thought it was because they knew I was a fat little gnome with a rifle hiding in the bushes trying to kill them..

Edited July 24, 2015 by Pygmy

[Curmudgeon]

Temporary solution at best.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I have done this before, and it does work. After you take the bars away, a good rain washes it out of the area below where they were and the deer will start coming in. It may or may not work next year, but you can also use other scents of soap to do the same thing. Just change it up each year.

[Nomad]

Manly yes but I like it too !

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sQk-imB1m2k

[landtracdeerhunter]

Nothing beats a clean food plot, LOL.

[LET EM GROW]

I'm pretty sure once the soap comes down and or once they get used to it.. there stomachs are going to make them move in. Especially as food gets scarce and winter closes is, if it takes that long. which I don't intend it to. I am going to spray it with round up this week to kill the weeds that have started to grow.

 

I hunt scent free, wash all clothes scent free and shower scent free prior to any hunt unless coming from work ill spray the heck out of that dead down wind bottle.. Never in scented soap. Though non hunting showers I always use Irish Spring. As a matter of fact, my girlfriend just picked up dang near 50 more boxes of the soap off of coupons for less than 10$.

 

 

[landtracdeerhunter]

On 7/23/2015 at 12:43 PM, LET EM GROW said:

Last year I planted nearly 2 acres of Real World Wildlife soybeans... they grew great, and within a few weeks the deer and woodchucks ate every single plant.

 

I did some research during the off season and found that Irish spring bar soap would keep the deer away the best for what my wallet would allow..

 

Long story short,

 

I took out a handful of woodchucks with the rifle this spring, made the plot about 1/2 acre bigger and again planted these Real World Wildlife soybeans(from Kilbury's feed in Arkport). Immediately followed by hanging 36 bars of Irish Spring bar soap, and a dozen pie tins, about 1-1/2' ft. off the ground around the perimeter of the plot. I planted these on June 20th (the field being to muddy kept me from planting til then) and hung 2 cameras over the soybeans. To this day not one camera has taken a picture of a deer or woodchuck, there are no deer tracks in or around the perimeter of the whole plot since I put these soap bars out. Where as they were eating clover there, all spring long. The soybeans are about 10-12" tall now and doing great..

 

It does smell like a shower when your on the down wind side but it is keeping the deer out so the plants can grow. I am impressed so far. Especially for the price (my girlfriend couponed the soap, and got 100 bars for 5$ and change  

 

Hopefully the deer will stay out for awhile yet so they can mature, even if I have to hang new bars.. oh well. Haha

 

Thinking of taking the soap/pie tins down in September sometime. So they can hopefully start making a trip in to visit.

 

Just thought I would share this with everyone, instead of spending hundreds on a plot saver, hot fences and or sprays.. So far this is working great. and much cheaper

 

How did this work out for ya?  I had a deer problem in the row ends of my potatoes. Hung 2 bars of Irish Spring there and ended the problem. I have since removed them since the hays fields have greened again.

[G-Man]

you can leave them in the boxes and just cut end open that faces ground

.the soap doesnt dissolve but scent remains the foil boxes will.last a few years.. friend uses this method in his new orchard to keep deer from rubbing the trunks of the trees..

[LET EM GROW]

11 hours ago, landtracdeerhunter said:

How did this work out for ya?  I had a deer problem in the row ends of my potatoes. Hung 2 bars of Irish Spring there and ended the problem. I have since removed them since the hays fields have greened again.

Yes sir G-man,

I did that this year to keep them lasting slightly longer. I found that crows will peck the heck out of the soap bars as well and they then break down faster. I added pie tins to the operation as well. 2 pie tins that can clang together with a slight breeze, as well as reflect light as the sun hits it. Between the 2 "deterrents" my beans were left untouched. I pulled the "deterrents" down around mid August last year when the beans were almost knee high, to pull them in for a great early bow spot. And that just what it was. A few days after removing the stuff, the deer were in there at all times of the day. I will leave them up a little longer this year unto early mid September, 

I did it again on the small early season plot with beans this year. It is working for the most part but i noticed a small wood chuck in the plot last time i was there.   Not good lol

Pic is as high as the deer let them get once i removed soaps and tins

[moog5050]

1 hour ago, LET EM GROW said:

Yes sir G-man,

I did that this year to keep them lasting slightly longer. I found that crows will peck the heck out of the soap bars as well and they then break down faster. I added pie tins to the operation as well. 2 pie tins that can clang together with a slight breeze, as well as reflect light as the sun hits it. Between the 2 "deterrents" my beans were left untouched. I pulled the "deterrents" down around mid August last year when the beans were almost knee high, to pull them in for a great early bow spot. And that just what it was. A few days after removing the stuff, the deer were in there at all times of the day. I will leave them up a little longer this year unto early mid September, 

I did it again on the small early season plot with beans this year. It is working for the most part but i noticed a small wood chuck in the plot last time i was there.   Not good lol

Pic is as high as the deer let them get once i removed soaps and tins

That is great Bryan.  How big is the plot and how long before the deer crushed it?

[LET EM GROW]

This plot from the trail cam pic, is the same one i mentioned doing this year. And no joke, its probably 1/4-1/3 acre at most. I just put anything out i can to keep the deer out until they can take the abuse. As mentioned, im waiting a few more weeks this year, put on a few more leaves and if possible, set and matur pods.

The does moved in immediately after removing the deterrent. The bucks moved in about a week or 2 later if i remember correctly. Im thinking the doe probably kept checking on it every so often. I think next year I am going to try the plot saver system. Its $50 and ive seen good reviews on it.  Im at the point where anything i have available to plant into, gets soybeans, whether late spring planting, or incorporating with a fall blend. Green soybeans are powerful. 

[moog5050]

11 minutes ago, LET EM GROW said:

This plot from the trail cam pic, is the same one i mentioned doing this year. And no joke, its probably 1/4-1/3 acre at most. I just put anything out i can to keep the deer out until they can take the abuse. As mentioned, im waiting a few more weeks this year, put on a few more leaves and if possible, set and matur pods.

The does moved in immediately after removing the deterrent. The bucks moved in about a week or 2 later if i remember correctly. Im thinking the doe probably kept checking on it every so often. I think next year I am going to try the plot saver system. Its $50 and ive seen good reviews on it.  Im at the point where anything i have available to plant into, gets soybeans, whether late spring planting, or incorporating with a fall blend. Green soybeans are powerful. 

Seems like it would work great in my 1/3 acre plot but I have always been concerned it will be mowed down way before the season starts.  Maybe if I use some the deterrents you mention I could hold them off until season.  How deep do you need to plant soybeans?  I thought a drill is required.

[Merlot]

On ‎7‎/‎23‎/‎2015 at 12:43 PM, LET EM GROW said:

Last year I planted nearly 2 acres of Real World Wildlife soybeans... they grew great, and within a few weeks the deer and woodchucks ate every single plant.

 

I did some research during the off season and found that Irish spring bar soap would keep the deer away the best for what my wallet would allow..

 

Long story short,

 

I took out a handful of woodchucks with the rifle this spring, made the plot about 1/2 acre bigger and again planted these Real World Wildlife soybeans(from Kilbury's feed in Arkport). Immediately followed by hanging 36 bars of Irish Spring bar soap, and a dozen pie tins, about 1-1/2' ft. off the ground around the perimeter of the plot. I planted these on June 20th (the field being to muddy kept me from planting til then) and hung 2 cameras over the soybeans. To this day not one camera has taken a picture of a deer or woodchuck, there are no deer tracks in or around the perimeter of the whole plot since I put these soap bars out. Where as they were eating clover there, all spring long. The soybeans are about 10-12" tall now and doing great..

 

It does smell like a shower when your on the down wind side but it is keeping the deer out so the plants can grow. I am impressed so far. Especially for the price (my girlfriend couponed the soap, and got 100 bars for 5$ and change  

 

Hopefully the deer will stay out for awhile yet so they can mature, even if I have to hang new bars.. oh well. Haha

 

Thinking of taking the soap/pie tins down in September sometime. So they can hopefully start making a trip in to visit.

 

Just thought I would share this with everyone, instead of spending hundreds on a plot saver, hot fences and or sprays.. So far this is working great. and much cheaper

 

Great idea...keep us posted....but I'm sure the EPA will get "wind" of your experiment, shut you down, and 10 lashes....lol.