Last year I planted several blueberry bushes at my camp property. Perfect site: full sun, sandy loam soil with a pH of 4.9, stays reliably moist except for extended drought, lots of native vacciniums already growing in that area. The end goal is to have something of a food forest I can share, as needed, with the wildlife.
For those of you who live in rural areas shared with deer, how bad are they about nipping blueberries? I’m wondering if I should fence the area off somehow. I have access to quite a bit of older 4’ chain link and posts from a pull out job. I could probably sink those posts. Pull the chain link up about 18” off the ground. Maybe run a wire above that to keep them from trying to jump in. What say ye?

I have a "pit" with 6 bushes in it here in N. Florida. I keep mulching them with Oak leaves and Pine needles. This has worked out better than any other of my attempts at growing them.
They always say that if Azaleas grow well on your ground, Blueberries will too. I have not found that to be the case here. Anyway. The Deer who prowl my yard at night have never
shown any interest in these plants. I started watching them close when it looked like they were going to do well. Deer never nipped them one time that I could see. I finally couldn't take it
and fenced them off. I'm not too worried about them attempting to jump inside the enclosure. They have many yards and gardens to raid, and people feed them corn around here also.
I think jumping inside this relatively small enclosure would give them "landing anxiety". I have kin in PA who have the perfect soil for Blueberries. They also have a ton of Deer who will
eat them down to the ground if not fully protected. Good luck Aldeer Brother !

I have 10 plants at our property and the deer have not messed wit them, that I can tell.

Blueberries, native and domestic, are rarely browsed by deer. If they are then there’s a habitat issue that needs addressing.

Thank you for the responses. I’m hoping to have a good group of fruiting bushes in 4-5 years. But I figured that wouldn’t happen if they were getting nipped back every day.

Birds are the biggest enemy to blueberries. They’ll ruin a bush. Mocking birds are the worst imo.
Turkeys will eat a few of the low ones every now and then.

I’m aware that later I’ll have to net a few if I’m going to collect berries for myself. Initially, I’m more concerned about the bushes being browsed to the point they don’t grow up and out.

No, they’ll be fine. Blueberries will grow out of hand if you’re not careful. They send up chutes from the roots and get bigger and bigger.