Can I staple chicken wire to trees to make a perimeter to keep deer out?

I have a wooded backyard and am trying to keep the deer out of part of it. I tried a dead hedge, but I can't get it high enough, i.e. don't have enough material to make it 6+ feet high.

I started the dead hedge and it is shaped in a big half circle in the woods, going from tree to tree. So instead of trying to pile up branches, I was thinking of trying to use a staple gun to staple chicken wire from tree to tree to make a fence. The chicken wire is 4ft wide and I would need to do 2 panels, making the height at least 8 feet, maybe more, since my branches, etc are at least 2 feet in most areas. The distance between trees is sometimes just 3-5 feet, but in other areas it is probably 10-20 feet. I guess I will need to put support in those stretches.

I have never worked with a staple gun before. If these are living hardwood trees, will a staple gun work? Do I need to get a certain type of staple gun? Will I kill all the trees? The trees along the fence line are pine, hackberry, birch, and others. This is in the piedmont of North Carolina.

Has anyone done this before? Any thoughts?

Stapling a tree is like putting a staple in your arm.

This causes wounds to the tree that let disease and pests attack the tree.

A string fence would be a better option.

Or putting in some t-posts to attach the chicken wire to.

A dear will jump any fence as I have seen a deer jump and 8 foot fence.

https://permies.com/t/141026/Dealing-deer

Deer have poor depth perception and won’t jump where they cannot judge the landing’s safety. So it can be easier and more effective to do a double fence with fencing runs 4ft apart and 4ft tall. You can use the in between for a path and/or plantings. Chicken wire may be too week, and they could just kick or lean on it to break through, so I’d consider woven wire fencing instead.

What if you tried tying the chicken wire to the trees instead of stapling it? I haven't done this for deer fencing but I have tied chicken wire to other kinds of fencing to keep small varmints from going under it.
Loop some plastic straw bale type or other durable twine through the fencing at top and bottom around the tree. Overlap and lace together when you get to the end of a roll. Might be stronger and it's kinder to the trees.

Jenx Murphy wrote:What if you tried tying the chicken wire to the trees instead of stapling it? I haven't done this for deer fencing but I have tied chicken wire to other kinds of fencing to keep small varmints from going under it.
Loop some plastic straw bale type or other durable twine through the fencing at top and bottom around the tree. Overlap and lace together when you get to the end of a roll. Might be stronger and it's kinder to the trees.

I may be misinterpreting the above quote, and tree species, bark texture and toughness, and age are factors. I am sure Jenx’ intentions are good. Still, tying anything like rope, twine or wire around a tree can girdle the bark, then cambium. The cambium transports water and nutrients and is where much of its cell division occurs, making it essential for the tree’s survival. More than 1/3 of the circumference of a tree’s cambium getting girdled could kill a tree. This is why hammocks and other rigging on trees in National Parks is supposed to be as wide and soft as possible, and should be temporary. With a fence, wind and animals will work that rope back and forth, girdling the tree.

I have stapled and bolted into living trees for use as fence posts where it seemed less damaging than the process of putting in a post. They did bleed sap, but after five years, the trees still look as healthy as they were before, and have largely healed over the eye bolts. I also have made tree guards between the fence wire and tree with sections of corrugated 4” plastic drain pipe. Akin to the old method of supplementing copper with a hammered in penny or copper coated nail driven into a copper deficient tree, I might consider using bolts or fencing staples that are galvanized or coated with a mineral deficient in your soil.

There are many grades of staple guns and sizes of staples, the basic (cheap) guns and T-50 staples won’t.

That will create wounds that should heal. But insects or disease are a risk. The tree will grow around it.

The long term issue is putting metal in a tree that will be cut down in the future. That can ruin a saw or worse, potentially dangerous kickback of a saw.

Thanks for your reply Ben. I was thinking of the OP project as temporary but you are right - trees grow! For a long term fence, girdling is worse than a few staples.

If you staple the wire fence to the trees and leave it a while, the tree will grow out and surround/incorporate the metal fencing. And then it will be there forever and one day, someone with a chainsaw might be an unhappy camper.

Another factor to add in, is that chicken wire can rust out way faster than you think. It should last like 7-10 years... but in the right condition it can rust in 2 years.

For smaller areas, have you considered those motion activated water sprinklers? They make lots of noise and spray water when they detect motion. I have heard it can be effective for deer, but I have not gotten to use one myself yet.

Deer can be a problem for sure.  My best strategy for keeping deer out has been to build a fence that keeps a dog in.  Easier to fence a dog in than deer out!  

I have used LGD type dogs for this.  I’m sure other breeds would work, but the dog has to be outside at night for this to work.  Predators can be a danger to dogs.  As always there are tons of variables.  As always, “it depends”.  It may not fit the OP’s situation, but it’s a good option.