Hi villain -

I just very inexpensive deer netting. It is about $20 for a 100 foot by 7 foot roll of it at our local store. It is very thin and works well.

In regards to making an entrance and such - I just made some supports out of PVC and attach the deer netting to it. Then around the area where we need access to the gardening area is where the two pieces of the netting come together. You could just put a brick or something on the ground where the two come together to hold it in place. Then when you need in, just remove the brick and open.

Something very inexpensive :)

Here is a link that might be useful: BsnTech Gardening Blog

Will this deer netting work for other critters like rabbit or squirrel or will they eat their way in?
We just now got a thick mesh type fence 3 ft high( the gaps in the net are 1" wide) and costed 48$.

I just recently set up a fence for my aunts garden - it's new so I can't speak from much experience yet, but here's what I got:

4foot tall 2x3 or 2x4 14 gauge wire fence: $30/50 feet at Fleet Farm

2 foot tall chicken wire: $10/50 feet ""

U type fence posts: free, were laying around - otherwise check craigslist or the city department if they have old bent ones they can't use.

I bent the chicken wire for a 3 inch over lap on the fence (and attached with wire every few feet) and buried it 6 inches down with hoe made trench around the perimeter.

For a gate I cut a square out about 3 feet across and 2 feet down to the chicken wire (didn't want the hassle of messing with the buried chicken wire so I just step over it. Can't bring in a wheel barrow, and I do trip over it, and get snagged if I'm not careful, but it's cheap, and so far effective, and if I need to bring in a wheel barrow I can always unwire part of the fence and rewire it later) With left over fence I cut out a similar sized square, and wired them to the fence to make a sorta hinge, on opposite sides creating a double door. I'll upload pictures when I can, kinda easier to show you than explain it.

While deer can jump something like 6 feet, they will certainly be discouraged if they can't just lean over and graze on your garden. Also helps to have a white piece of bag flapping in the wind dangling from a stick, since deer signify a moving flash of white with danger (white tailed deer raise their tail when they freak out and run). Or so I've been told.

Also of course smells help if you have dogs or if you cut hair intersperse hair clippings in your mulch. I've also read about leaving old shoes out near the garden so they smell people.

Or leave a dead deer's head in the bed like in the Godfather! Also a great conversation starter, and keeps away the neighborhood kids! Besides were you really going to mount that puny 4 pointer anyway? Crackuh please! You must be trippin'!

No deer at my place, just rabbits. I was to the point of giving up, but decided to try one more time. I built raised beds and at each corner pounded a piece of 3/4" PVC vertically down in the ground ending at the top of the frame and secured them with modified pipe hanger brackets so they'd go right against the corner. Then, I put 1/2" PVC in each of those and attached 24" high 1/2" plastic mesh between them, by weaving small dowels back and forth through the mesh and then securing them to the 1/2" pipe with plastic cable ties. So I have 4 separate panels for the 4 sides that come off easily for access and the rabbits are still around, but have developed a taste for my hostas and lawn - away from the garden. VICTORY! picture on link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Inexpensive fence

Lee Valley has 100' x 7' deer fence for about $24, and you can order online. My dad put some around his garden areas. The rabbit came running down the hill and ran right into the deer fence. It is very fine and hard to see. The rabbit then worked his way around the garden trying to get in all the way, but finally gave up!

Later, a deer tried and tried to get in. The deer managed to push her head through the mesh at one point, but then backed up and took off. We just tied the hole shut and it is as good as new.

The stuff seems to work, and it is really inconspicuous.