Drivers in Northern Michigan may spot detergent bottles on fence posts. It turns out, there are several practical and quirky reasons behind this odd trend.
Bottles on a Fence Post
Years ago, bottles on fence posts often signaled milk deliveries. Milk delivery declined in the 1970s as store-bought options became more common.
I have seen many bottles and cans that have been shot for target practice on fences back before they were returnable in Michigan. That practice slowed down once the bottle or can was worth 10 cents.
If you see a bottle stuck on a fence in Grand Rapids, it might be because someone was too lazy to put it in a trash bin. Don’t be surprised if you drive an hour north and start seeing detergent bottles on fence posts, but there is a reason for it.
Why Northern Locals Are Hanging Detergent Bottles on Poles
There’s a house not far from me in Newaygo County that has plastic jugs on all the fence posts around the property. I thought it might be to keep deer out, but I learned there were many reasons for it on the Michigan Reddit page.
I never thought about the snowmobilers, so that makes sense.
I’m not sure if there’s any truth to the ‘Dog Man,’ but it made me laugh.
That goes back to my deer theory. The bottles on the fence post are usually cut so that the wind makes them vibrate, allegedly deterring animals from hopping the fence.
I think I would rather have the mole holes than the ugly plastic bottles going around my property, but if it works, more power to you.
Probably not the reason, but it made me laugh.
This Reddit poster is very confident that this system keeps the moles out of the yard. Moles seem to be the main reason people do this. I will take their word for it and stick to my mole traps…