Deer can turn hostas, azaleas, and fresh shrub growth into an all-you-can-eat buffet overnight. These simple scent pouches give you an easy way to discourage browsing without hauling out expensive gadgets or replanting the whole yard. They also take just a few minutes to make, which helps when the deer have already RSVP’d to dinner (rude, honestly).
Here's the easiest and least expensive way that we've encountered to keep them at bay…
Making your own deer repellent costs less than buying ready-made repellents. Using current Walmart pricing, 1 cup of blood meal from a 3-pound bag runs about $1.18, and a 1-yard share of a 2-square-yard cheesecloth package works out to about $2.24, so the consumable portion of one batch lands around $3.42 before optional fasteners. You also control the pouch size, placement, and whether you use cheesecloth or repurposed sheet fabric.
You only need 3 materials for this project: fabric, blood meal, and hair clippings. A pair of scissors helps with cutting the squares, and rubber bands or hair bands secure each pouch. The original method does not specify an exact pouch count, but one yard of fabric cut into 8-inch squares will give you multiple pouches for shrubs and garden beds.
- 🧰 Materials You'll Need
- 🔧 Tools & Equipment
- 🛠️ How to Make Natural Deer Repellent Pouches
- 🔗 How It Works
- 🎨 Customization Ideas
- 🛡️ Safety Information
- 📦 Storage and Upkeep
- 💸 Cost Breakdown
- 🛍️ Need Help Finding Everything?
- ❓ Frequently Asked Questions about Natural Deer Repellent
- 📌 Love this Natural Deer Repellent? Pin it!
- 🖨️ Print-Friendly How-To: Natural Deer Repellent
Deer can destroy landscaping in a short period of time, as an adult deer eats an average of 4-8 pounds of food per day. If you happen to have hosta or azaleas, you’ve likely planted the perfect “buffet” and will certainly need to apply measures to protect your landscaping.
In addition to adding the repellent pouches, it is recommended to plant less palatable plant species throughout your landscaping, such as boxwood, false cypress, nandina, mahonia, spruce, bleeding hearts, catmint, ferns, salvia, yarrow and St. johnswort. While these plants help deter deer, keep in mind that the hungrier they are, the less picky they are. If you need help with other garden pests once your plants are protected, take a look at How to Get Rid of Tomato Hornworms Before They Strip Your Plants Bare and 15+ Ways to Repel Dogs and Cats from your Garden.
Materials You’ll Need
- 1 yard cheesecloth or old sheet, cut into squares
- 1 cup bloodmeal
- 1 cup hair clippings from a beauty salon or barber shop
- Rubber bands or hair bands for securing the pouches
Tools & Equipment
- Scissors
How to Make Natural Deer Repellent Pouches
Here’s the easiest and least expensive way that we’ve encountered to keep them at bay.
- Cut the cheesecloth or old sheet into small 8-inch squares.
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of bloodmeal and a small amount of hair clippings in the center of each square.
- Bring all 4 corners of the fabric together to create a pouch.
- Secure each pouch in place with a rubber band or hair bands.
- Attach the finished pouches to shrubbery or plants in the areas where you want to repel deer.
How It Works
Deer do not like the scent of other “animals.” These pouches rely on scent to make shrubs and planting beds less inviting, especially for ornamental plants deer usually browse first.
Luckily the bloodmeal will last through several rainstorms but should be replenished about once per month to ensure they continue working as desired.
Customization Ideas
- Use old sheet fabric instead of cheesecloth if you want to repurpose something you already have.
- Make smaller pouches for container plants or larger ones for bigger shrubs by adjusting the fabric square size.
- Concentrate the pouches around deer favorites like hosta and azaleas first if you need to stretch the batch.
- Pair the pouches with less palatable landscape choices such as boxwood, false cypress, nandina, mahonia, spruce, bleeding hearts, catmint, ferns, salvia, yarrow, and St. Johnswort.
Safety Information
Caution: Most dogs enjoy the taste of blood meal, which can cause diarrhea or gastrointestinal blockage in dogs so be sure to keep this out of reach of your pet.
If you have dogs that investigate everything in the yard, hang the pouches high enough that they cannot grab them, and skip using them in areas your pets can freely chew. The ASPCA notes that blood meal can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and pancreatitis if pets ingest enough of it, so placement matters.
Storage and Upkeep
- Store unused blood meal in its original closed container in a dry spot.
- Keep prepared pouches dry until you’re ready to hang them outdoors.
- Check the pouches after heavy weather and replace the filling about once per month.
- Swap out torn fabric or missing fasteners as needed.
Cost Breakdown
Using current Walmart pricing, this batch is still very inexpensive:
- 1 cup blood meal from a 3 lb bag at $14.14: about $1.18
- 1 yard of cheesecloth from a 2-square-yard package at $4.47 to $4.56: about $2.24 to $2.28
- Hair clippings: often free from a barber shop or salon
That puts the estimated consumable cost at about $3.42 to $3.46 per batch, plus a few cents if you use new rubber bands or hair ties. Prices vary by store and region, of course, because they always do.
🛍️ Need Help Finding Everything?
- Blood meal at Walmart
- Cheesecloth at Walmart
- Blood meal on Amazon
- Cheesecloth on Amazon
- Hair bands at Walmart
Frequently Asked Questions about Natural Deer Repellent
Yes, those are two of the main plants this project is meant to help protect. If deer already treat your hostas or azaleas like a buffet line, hang the pouches right on or near those plants first.
Refresh the blood meal about once per month. The original method notes that it lasts through several rainstorms, but replacing it regularly keeps the scent strong enough to stay useful.
Absolutely. The project already allows for either cheesecloth or an old sheet, so use what you have. If the fabric is heavier, just make sure you can still gather the corners into a pouch and tie it securely.
Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of blood meal in the center of each 8-inch square, along with some hair clippings. You do not need to pack the pouch tightly. A small amount goes a long way here.
Attach them directly to the shrubbery or plants in the areas where deer browse. Focus on entry points, favorite plants, and the outer edges of beds first if you do not need to cover the whole yard.
No. The original directions note that the blood meal lasts through several rainstorms. Still, check the pouches after bad weather and replace the filling or fabric if the pouch tears or empties out.
Use caution. Dogs may try to eat blood meal, so hang the pouches where pets cannot reach them. If your dog is determined to sample every garden project you make, this is one to place very carefully.
That depends on how many 8-inch squares you cut and how full you make each pouch. One yard of fabric cut into 8-inch squares will make several pouches, but the exact count varies with your layout and spacing.
Use it as part of a bigger plan if deer pressure is heavy. The article also recommends planting less palatable species throughout your landscaping, because very hungry deer get a lot less selective.
📌 Love this Natural Deer Repellent? Pin it!
Did you try these deer repellent pouches? Tell us where the deer were browsing most and what plants you were trying to save.
🖨️ Print-Friendly How-To: Natural Deer Repellent
Natural Deer Repellent
Equipment
Materials
- 1 yard cheesecloth or old sheet
- 1 cup bloodmeal
- 1 cup hair clippings
- Rubber bands or hair bands
Instructions
- Cut the fabric into small 8-inch squares.
- Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of bloodmeal and some hair clippings in the center of each square.
- Bring the 4 corners together to form a pouch.
- Secure each pouch with a rubber band or hair band.
- Attach the pouches to shrubbery or plants where deer are browsing.
- Replace or replenish the bloodmeal about once per month.
- Estimated cost reflects consumable materials only and uses current pricing for blood meal and cheesecloth. Hair clippings may be free, and fastener cost is minimal.
- Most dogs enjoy the taste of blood meal, which can cause diarrhea or gastrointestinal blockage in dogs, so keep the pouches out of reach of pets.
- Bloodmeal will last through several rainstorms but should be replenished about once per month.
