Deer Fencing in Auburn and Grass Valley: What Keeps Deer Out
Dominic Vella, Founder · CA C-13 License #979657 · Last updated October 2026
An 8-foot fence is what keeps deer out of a yard, garden, or orchard in Auburn, Grass Valley, and the rest of the Placer, Nevada, and El Dorado County foothills. Fantastic Fence builds it one of two ways: 8-foot high-tensile wire, or 6-foot woven wire with two or three strands of high-tensile wire run above it. Both are open, see-through fences that keep the country look, and both are the most common deer fences we install in rural parts of these three counties.
A standard 5- or 6-foot fence slows deer down; it does not stop them. Below is what we build, what it costs in the foothills, why we won’t just add height to the fence you already have, what the gate needs to be, and which height rules apply depending on whether your parcel is inside a city or in the county.
How Tall Does a Deer Fence Need to Be in Auburn and Grass Valley?
Eight feet. On the foothill properties we fence, a 6-foot fence gets jumped and a 5-foot fence barely registers, so 8 feet is the height we build to when the goal is keeping deer off plants, trees, and gardens.
The deer in this area are not trying to get into your yard for sport; they are following food. A yard with fruit trees, a vegetable garden, roses, or fresh landscaping in Auburn, Grass Valley, Penn Valley, or Placerville is a reliable meal, and a fence that is only mostly tall enough gets tested every night until it fails. Going to 8 feet is what ends the problem.
What Deer Fence Does Fantastic Fence Install in Placer, Nevada, and El Dorado Counties?
Two builds cover almost every deer fence we install: an 8-foot high-tensile wire fence, or a 6-foot woven wire fence on T-posts with two or three strands of high-tensile wire above it to reach deer height. Both are open wire fences, so they keep the open country look and don’t catch wind the way a solid fence does.
- 6-foot woven wire plus high-tensile strands. The most common deer fence in the foothills. Woven wire on T-posts with tension posts handles slopes and long runs, and the strands above it are what stop the jump.
- 8-foot high-tensile wire. Strands of high-tensile wire the full height of the fence. Same deer-stopping height, less visual presence on big acreage and orchard perimeters.
- Chain link and black ornamental iron. For a residential yard where the fence is part of the look, we build deer-height chain link (galvanized or black vinyl-coated) and black ornamental iron. They cost more than wire but they last practically forever and look cleaner along a driveway or front of the house.
Open wire and chain link deer fences commonly last 30 to 50 years if nothing hits them, and iron lasts as long or longer. Every one of these is something we repair as well as build.
How Much Does Deer Fencing Cost in the Foothills?
Most foothill deer fences we build run $30 to $42 per linear foot installed for woven wire with high-tensile strands on top, which is the best value by a wide margin. Chain link and ornamental iron at deer height run two to three times that. These are our installed prices for Placer, Nevada, and El Dorado County projects as of October 2026.
|
Deer fence type |
Installed price per linear foot |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
6-ft woven wire on T-posts + high-tensile strands (7–8 ft) |
$30–$42 |
Best value; works on slopes and long perimeters |
|
8-ft high-tensile wire |
Priced at the estimate |
Depends on run length and terrain |
|
7-ft chain link, galvanized |
$50–$60 |
Going to 8 ft adds about 20–30% |
|
7-ft chain link, black vinyl-coated |
$60–$72 |
Going to 8 ft adds about 20–30% |
|
7-ft black ornamental iron |
$78–$90 |
Going to 8 ft adds about 20–30% |
Total perimeter, slope, truck access, the number and width of gates, and any old fence we have to tear out move the final number. For a ballpark tied to your own footage before we come out, use the Fence Price Calculator. We price flat, in writing, with no hidden fees, and we offer financing.
Can You Raise My Existing Fence to Keep Deer Out?
No, and it’s for a structural reason, not a sales one. We don’t raise existing fences, because we have no idea how deep or how wide the footings under your old posts are. Adding 2 or 3 feet to a fence turns it into a bigger sail, and a footing that was fine for a 5-foot fence can let the whole thing lay over in the first big winter storm once it’s carrying an 8-foot wind load.
If the fence you have is sound, the better move is usually to leave it alone and build a proper deer fence on its own posts where the deer are getting in. If it’s tired, we replace the run with a fence that was designed for 8 feet from the ground up.
What Kind of Gate Does a Deer Fence Need?
A gate as tall as the fence. A 4-foot driveway gate under an 8-foot deer fence is just a doorway, so every opening in the fence line gets a gate built to deer height. For a fence this tall the gate is usually custom-made for the opening, and yes, it can be automated.
Most foothill parcels need at least one driveway gate, and that’s the opening deer use most. If you want it to open from the truck, our automated gate team builds and powers driveway gates on acreage, including properties with no power at the gate.
Do You Need a Permit for an 8-Foot Deer Fence in Auburn or Grass Valley?
Often yes, and it depends on which rulebook your parcel sits under, not your mailing address. An “Auburn” address can be inside the city or in unincorporated Placer County; a “Grass Valley” address can be city or unincorporated Nevada County. The county rules are friendlier to tall open deer fencing than the city rules are.
|
Jurisdiction |
Front / street side |
Side and rear |
Tall open deer fence |
|---|---|---|---|
|
City of Auburn |
3 ft |
6 ft |
Anything taller needs an administrative permit from the city |
|
Unincorporated Placer County |
3 ft (open fence up to 6 ft on RA/RF zoning) |
7 ft |
Open wire ag fence up to 8 ft allowed to protect growing crops in RA, RF, and F zones |
|
City of Grass Valley |
36 in |
6 ft |
Up to 8 ft if the part above 6 ft is open; chain link not allowed in front or street-side setbacks |
|
Unincorporated Nevada County |
4 ft open / 3 ft solid (residential) |
6 ft |
In Rural zoning districts, open fencing (wire, chain link, rail) has no height limit |
Verified against Auburn Municipal Code §159.264, Placer County Code §17.54.030, Grass Valley Development Code §17.30.040 (Table 3-2), and Nevada County Code §12.04.106, October 2026. Statewide, the California Residential Code exempts fences 7 feet and under from a building permit, so an 8-foot fence may need one even where the zoning allows it. This is general information, not legal advice.
Researching the rules for your parcel and getting any permit or HOA approval is the property owner’s responsibility. Bring us the requirements and we build the fence to meet them, and we’ll provide drawings and specs if the application needs them. Our Fence Ordinance Quick Links page collects the planning department links for every city and county we serve.
Does a Deer Fence Near the House Need to Be Fire-Safe?
In the foothills, yes: go with steel or wire anywhere the deer fence comes near the house. Woven wire, high-tensile wire, chain link, and ornamental iron are all noncombustible, which is one more reason they are the right deer fences for Placer, Nevada, and El Dorado County wildfire country.
Where a fence attaches to the house, Cal Fire guidance calls for a noncombustible section closest to the structure, and California’s Zone 0 rules were still being finalized in 2026. Confirm the current requirement with your fire district before the design is final.
What Do Customers Say About Our Deer Fencing?
|
“This winter, we used Superior twice to repair vinyl fencing destroyed by fallen oak limbs, and once to replace 100+ feet of deer-proof orchard fencing. They know what they’re doing, their prices are fair and they came through for us despite unprecedented winter weather.” B. Bayless, Google review Superior Fence Construction & Repair, Inc. is Fantastic Fence’s legal name. |
|
From the owner “We do a lot of work in Nevada County, El Dorado County, and Placer County for people trying to keep deer out of their yards and gardens. They love the deer. They’re just trying to cut down on how much of their plants get eaten and how much damage gets done to their yards and their trees, especially their gardens and fruit trees.” Dominic Vella, Founder, Fantastic Fence |
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to install a deer fence?
A T-post and wire crew averages about 150 feet of fence a day, anywhere from 125 to 200 feet depending on the ground, truck access, and whether there’s an old fence to tear out. A typical garden or orchard enclosure is a one- or two-day job.
Will a woven wire deer fence keep smaller animals out too?
Woven wire with smaller openings at the bottom, which we call no-climb, is the same fence we use for sheep, goats, and poultry, so it keeps most farm animals in and most four-legged visitors out. It is not a rabbit or gopher fence on its own.
Do you install deer fencing outside Auburn and Grass Valley?
Yes. Penn Valley, Nevada City, Placerville, Loomis, Penryn, and the rural parts of Placer, Nevada, and El Dorado counties are all regular deer-fence territory for our Rocklin office.
Need a Deer Fence in Auburn or Grass Valley?
Book a free estimate online, or call or text the Rocklin office at (916) 790-7100. Sacramento (916) 248-5518 · Elk Grove (916) 345-0142. Estimates take about 15 to 20 minutes, and we can walk the property with you by phone or video if you’re at work.
