Polypropylene Deer Fencing

All deer fencing is not the same by any means. Occasionally people build deer fences with polypropylene plastic that is too weak–so that even a very minor assault will burst right through. Obviously, that’s not a good idea. The polypropylene fencing that we sell on this web site is very tough–being one or another of the standard types that are used by all leading deer fence installers who know their stuff.

All of this high-quality polypropylene fencing is made in Italy at one gigantic site through a complex “dual extrusion” process in which many polypropylene pellets are melted, spread out wide, spread out long, and punched (to make a grid) to produce the completed fencing. This is all done in a single operation, thereby avoiding the need for any reheating–something that tends to reduce the strength of the finished product.

There are three grades of this fencing that are suited to deer control. The weakest (and also the least visible) product, referred to in our catalog as “Standard Deer Fence” (items 14-00 thru 14-03) is really best-suited to fencing in small areas (gardens, etc.) that deer can be trained away from fairly easily, areas where direct, high-impact assaults or accidental collisions are unlikely. Of course, this material can be used in conjunction with other defenses–like an electric deer fence dedicated to keeping deer from directly contacting, exploring, and assaulting the polypropylene deer control barrier most of the time, and can also be combined with four-foot metal hexagrid skirting joined to the polypropylene that can take most of the impact from a direct assault. But regardless of the use, this material is weaker than the two other grades, referred to on this site as “Heavy Perimeter Deer Fence” and “Millennium Heavy Duty Deer Fence”.

The intermediate grade, which we call Heavy Perimeter Fencing, is significantly stronger than Standard Deer Fencing and better able to take punishment. For many years it was regarded as the best polypropylene anti-deer product available anywhere. It is true that a deer making a full-power charge at this material may breal the material. Fortunately, such events (most related to interdiction of established deer paths and early deer training) are rather rare.

The strongest grade, Millennium Heavy Duty Deer Fence, introduced most recently, is considerably stronger than the Heavy Perimeter Fence (and also significantly more visible). It is the best polypropylene choice where one is seeking to cope with such things as deer moving along established paths and heavy deer incursions.

Of course, all square-mesh polypropylene deer fencing, including the heavy grade, has certain weaknesses. A square grid is not so strong as the hexagonal grid found in chicken-wire, because a concerted stress tends to break it at the corners. Also, as already noted, small animals will make holes in the polypropylene that deer can then enlarge. And despite UV protection, the sun and weather will weaken polypropylene fence eventually, giving this type of deer fencing an average life of 10 to 15 years.

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