With the help of two nephews and one their friends we got the 2 strand electric fence (14 gauge) up today round the 28 acres pasture. As we were getting started this morning and the sun was coming up we watched about 25 deer making their way across the pasture. Well of course I didn't think much about them until after the fence was finished and then it hit me, they're probably going to come through again not being used to the fence and destroy it. It's set at 42 inches and 24 inches on the wire height so obviously they can jump it easily but I think they want see it at first. Any advice?
deer and electric fence
- Thread starter tncattle
- Start date
jerry27150
Well-known member
wire pop or beer cans on to the top wire between posts
farmwriter
Well-known member
We put plastic flagging tape on new wire.
tncattle
Well-known member
jerry27150":47lp0yxa said:
What is wire pop? I do have a bunch of extra plastic yellow t-post insulators left over, I could just stick a couple of them between each post on the wire. I guess what ever I put on there it needs to be plastic?
soda pop - soda cans or beer cans can be wired on or just crimped and folded over the wire - fine as long as they don't touch the second wiretncattle":13e691lk said:
That is part of the game with electric fence... can be some what high maintenance.
The farmers use hot wires to keep hogs out of there crop fields. They have to drive it every single morning and make repairs. I even carry zip ties because at night I can see the shorts pretty easy.
The farmers use hot wires to keep hogs out of there crop fields. They have to drive it every single morning and make repairs. I even carry zip ties because at night I can see the shorts pretty easy.
ga. prime
Well-known member
Fine if they do and fine if they don't touch the second wire unless the second wire is a ground. Deer will knock a wire off an insulator here and there every once in a while for as long as you have the fence whether stuff is hanging from the wires or not. You're less likely to get wires knocked off the insulators with a two wire fence than a multiple wire fence. Deer will go through it, over it, and under it. Don't hang anything is my advice.Hippie Rancher":117rwpbx said:
Edit- I just went back and read where you used 14 gauge. My advice applies to 12.5 gauge hi-tensile which is unbreakable. I don't have any advice for 14 gauge.
plumber_greg
Well-known member
Don't know how long you want the fence to stay, but I've found to leave it live at all times, even in the winter, and the deer will respect it a little more. It seems if I shut it off for a extended period of time, they really tore it up. gs
JRGidaho`
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2009
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- City & State/Province
- Central Idaho, in the beautiful Pahsimeroi Valley
I'll echo some of what has already been said here. We have elk, deer, antelope, and occasional moose and many miles of electric fence. After the first couple months here (we are now in our sixth year), we have had virtually no maintenance issues with our fence. We don't even have them kocking down polywire anymore. We've even had wolf turned back by 2-wire electric fence. Here's my recommendations based on our experience.
# 1: Make sure you have enough energizer power to do the job you're asking it to do. Dont' skimp on energizer capacity because of purchase cost. In the long run, oversizing your energizer is the lower cost option becasue of less future fence maintenance. Ground it properly!
# 2: Never leave any segment of fence turned off. Even if cattle aren't going to be there for several months, leave the fence on. Every other critter in the neighborhood will respect it a lot more.
# 3: Use 12.5 ga hi-tensile for all permanent fences. We never use less than 180,000 psi (minimum breaking strength) wire. The common farm & home and Gallagher wire labeled as 170,000 psi (maximum breaking strength) wire is really about 130,000 minimum breaking strength. It might be okay for just deer, but elk pop it like it was string.
#4: Use PowerFlex posts because of their flexibility to absorb animal impact plus they are self insulating. No insulators to get knocked off! If the cotter key attachment pin is installed properly, it is impossible for the wire to come off the post until you take it off.
Keep these guidelines in mind and you should have very few electric fence problems.
# 1: Make sure you have enough energizer power to do the job you're asking it to do. Dont' skimp on energizer capacity because of purchase cost. In the long run, oversizing your energizer is the lower cost option becasue of less future fence maintenance. Ground it properly!
# 2: Never leave any segment of fence turned off. Even if cattle aren't going to be there for several months, leave the fence on. Every other critter in the neighborhood will respect it a lot more.
# 3: Use 12.5 ga hi-tensile for all permanent fences. We never use less than 180,000 psi (minimum breaking strength) wire. The common farm & home and Gallagher wire labeled as 170,000 psi (maximum breaking strength) wire is really about 130,000 minimum breaking strength. It might be okay for just deer, but elk pop it like it was string.
#4: Use PowerFlex posts because of their flexibility to absorb animal impact plus they are self insulating. No insulators to get knocked off! If the cotter key attachment pin is installed properly, it is impossible for the wire to come off the post until you take it off.
Keep these guidelines in mind and you should have very few electric fence problems.
