Deer are remarkably agile creatures with a surprising vertical leap. So how high can deer jump?
Whitetail deer, one of the most common species in North America, are capable of jumping as high as eight to ten feet in a single bound!
So How High Can Deer Jump?
Deer can jump as high as 8-10 feet from a standing position in a single bound.Deer can jump up to 12 feet high from a running position.
How Wide Can Deer Jump?
Deer can cover up to 30 feet across in a single leap!!!
The horizontal jumping ability of deer, (so how wide a stretch) is even more impressive.
Other species of deer have similar jumping abilities, although it can naturally vary somewhat based on factors such as age, health, and the individual deer’s size.
Speaking of “jumping”, if you want to get to more info on protecting your garden from deer, you can jump to that section below the videos here.
Videos of Deer Jumping Over Fence
This deer has a rough landing but hops up and keeps on going!
One deer is already on the other side. Then the mother deer jumps over the fence from a standing position in one effortless leap over this 6-ish foot fence.
The young deer aren’t yet ready for that.
Here, a trail cam captures 6 bucks jumping a fence. You can see those that a few who are most cautious, appear be somewhat lame in one leg. Could be from getting caught jumping fences.
Videos of Deer Jumping Over Cars
A buck races the car and jumps over in front of it. You can see how he’d definitely clear the car.
We hope you enjoyed this quick trip answering the question on how high can deer jump. If you have experiences to share with deer, drop us a line.
You may also enjoy this article on a baby deer found nestled in grass, and when to — and not to — rescue them.
Protecting Your Garden From Deer
This ability to leap high fences is part of what makes deer so adaptable to a wide range of habitats. And… what makes it a challenge to protect your yard and garden from deer destruction.
While there are a number of deer repellents and deer resistant flowers you can employ, most agree that the ultimate best way to protect your garden from deer destruction is to install deer fencing.
We’ve lost a number of crops, plants, and trees to deer, including elderberry, sunchokes, squash, fig trees, and even deodara trees. Fortunately, the deer haven’t seemed to bother our fuyu persimmons; the leaves are likely too thick and waxie. So far, (knock on wood), unlike the opossums, squirrels and raccoons, the deer haven’t yet gone for the fuyu fruit. 🙏🏼🦌🤞🏼
As we continue to expand our garden and orchard we’ll definitely need to implement a number of deer resistant measures.
Meanwhile, for our garden area, this solar electric garden fence kit is definitely working to keep the deer away!
See also, some sage advice from a GardensAll community member passed along to her from a seasoned gardener.
Deer Proofing Strategies From an Aged Gardener
~Contributed by Charlene Kay Daub Loftis
“Yes, deer can jump a fence, but if the other side of the fence is not clean they will not jump it. This was our situation at one of our former home. We had lots of deer, but normally they left my fenced in garden alone. Garden was also on a plateau, with a pretty steep hills behind and in front of the garden.I was blessed to have an aged gardener who introduced me to raised bed / lasagna bed gardening. He lived at the edge of a meadow and needed to employ this technique to deter the deer. I did have opportunity to use this at our previous home because the deer were indulging in my flower bed with peonies and roses and other flowers. He told me that deer generally do not like to go through something they can’t see [and taught me what to do]. So I took some 6 foot stakes and placed them around the garden area or individual beds and strung fine fishing line (the clear kind) periodically on the stakes. It keeps them at arm’s length. I tied my line at about 12 inches apart from one pole to another, forming an almost invisible fence around the garden. He told me that it is like us when we walk into a spider web…kind of freaks them out.“
You can see more deer tips in these articles:
- Best Natural Deer Deterrents
- Perennial Deer Resistant Flowers
- Solar Electric Fence Kit (one of the IPMs we’re currently using)
- Baby Deer Found in Grass… what to do?
Wishing you safe and flourishing gardens for many years to come!
