EFFECTIVENESS OF CAPSAICIN AND BITREX REPELLENTS FOR DETERRING BROWSING BY CAPTIVE MULE DEER

Because mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) cause extensive and costly damage to orchards, nurseries, shelterbelts, and ornamental plantings in Colorado, we evaluated 3 concentrations (0.062, 0.62, and 6.2%) of Hot Sauce Animal Repellent(R) (Hot Sauce), habanero peppers, Tabasco(R) sauce, Ani-spray(R), and liquid MGK(R) Big Game Repellent (BGR) as browsing deterrents on tame mule deer from 31 December 1991 to 25 January 1992. While consumption of apple twigs treated with Ani-spray and the 0.062% concentration of Hot Sauce did not differ (P > 0.05) from the control (tap water), a 6.2% concentration of Hot Sauce (100 times the concentration labeled for deer) and BGR reduced (P < 0.05) consumption relative to the control and other repellents. Although the 6.2% concentration of Hot Sauce and BGR were the most effective browsing deterrents, their effectiveness may be relatively short lived if deer are continually exposed to them.