Starting over, Fencing recommendations

[Red Bull Breeder]

You stick to building your fences I will build mine. Cow that won't stay behind 4 wires has no place here. Lower the fence the easier for deer to jump instead of crawling threw it. All spacing the top wire that wide does is encourage them to try going between it and the next one down. Just leave the top wire off if all your using it for is to make deer jump high.

 

[M.Magis]

You stick to building your fences I will build mine. Cow that won't stay behind 4 wires has no place here. Lower the fence the easier for deer to jump instead of crawling threw it. All spacing the top wire that wide does is encourage them to try going between it and the next one down. Just leave the top wire off if all your using it for is to make deer jump high.

I could be wrong, but I think you may have misunderstood a bit of what he was saying. I don't think he commented on 4 strands not being enough.
And it may just be me being paranoid, but I like my top wire to be at least nose height. While any cows that goes over a 4 strand fence will be at the next sale, that doesn't help me any while I'm trying to get it back in by myself. I prefer to go the preventative route. Not that I don't have a lot of 4 strand fence, but all of my new ones these days have 5.

 

[fenceman]

You stick to building your fences I will build mine. Cow that won't stay behind 4 wires has no place here. Lower the fence the easier for deer to jump instead of crawling threw it. All spacing the top wire that wide does is encourage them to try going between it and the next one down. Just leave the top wire off if all your using it for is to make deer jump high.

I could be wrong, but I think you may have misunderstood a bit of what he was saying. I don't think he commented on 4 strands not being enough.
And it may just be me being paranoid, but I like my top wire to be at least nose height. While any cows that goes over a 4 strand fence will be at the next sale, that doesn't help me any while I'm trying to get it back in by myself. I prefer to go the preventative route. Not that I don't have a lot of 4 strand fence, but all of my new ones these days have 5.

Wasn't trying to build your fence. Was trying to have a conversation.
Good luck to ya. :tiphat:

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Used to build everything 5 strand. I then encountered a critter that was hell on fences. ELK they are not near as hard on 4 wire fences nor is deer. So I build 4 wire fences cause I got lots of deer and elk.

I wasn't interested in conversation just saying what I would do. So go ahead and have your conservation.

 

[fenceman]

Used to build everything 5 strand. I then encountered a critter that was be nice on fences. ELK they are not near as hard on 4 wire fences nor is deer. So I build 4 wire fences cause I got lots of deer and elk.

I wasn't interested in conversation just saying what I would do. So go ahead and have your conservation.

I suspect your a pitiful feller. I feel kinda sorry for you.
If anyone s wondering that wasn't sarcasm

 

[TexasBred]

All of mine are six wires with a pipe every 100 ft. with the exception of the one separating me and another fella with cattle. That one is 7 wire with longer post every 8 foot so the top wire is higher than the head of the cattle....helps keep his bull out. Seems most of the deer I've seen just go under mine unless they've been spooked and then they'll jump it.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Fenceman you can't imagine how little I care what you think of me.

 

[Bigfoot]

My dad has a little lot, with the tallest t post, and 9 strands of barbed wire. Funny looking, but it works. He puts sale barn calves in it to settle down. They stay on their side.

 

[bball]

Seems like each type of fencing has its place. Region and weather matter. Open or wooded matter. Ease of install, maintenace, repair, topography, cost, all matter. Something I notice a lot on the HT fences, is folks seem to place posts much closer than needed or recommended by manufacturer (defeating one of major advantages of this type of fence). I personally wont run barbed wire through the woods again after working with HT and downed trees (finally made up my mind). I have a pasture fenced in 4 strand HT, all open. Kinda wish i had just went barbed wire there (less maintenance on fence row) . Have another pasture that is 2 strand HT built immediately in front of a failing, OLD field fence. Neighbor didnt want to share any costs and didnt want to let me remove the old fence. Works perfectly for that app. Never had cows get out of either BW or HT fence unless pushed, then i have had them get out of both.

 

[fenceman]

My dad has a little lot, with the tallest t post, and 9 strands of barbed wire. Funny looking, but it works. He puts sale barn calves in it to settle down. They stay on their side.

Majority of our perimeter fence. Is ten wire. My grandfather added wire when he got into sheep and goats.
The only thing I don't like about it is it really gives the fawns trouble. With the sheep gone now . I've untied a couple of strands every few hundred yards and tied them up to make a hole for the little fellers to crawl through. I don't want to take any wire off. The sheep have been gone only a couple of months and you can already see the brush coming on. I reckon we will need them back in a few years

 

[Nesikep]

I've found deer jump exactly 4" less than the height of the top wire, regardless of where that top wire is.

There's also different grades of barbed wire.. there's the general purpose, soft crap wire that eternally stretches, with loose barbs that do nothing, and then there's the higher grade, which is double the price. The biggest pain with barbed for me is they always get hung up on the staples as you try to tension it... I've walked miles and miles to go put a couple more clicks into the strainer, then walk the fence and work the barbs through... rinse, repeat.

With HT, if you spring for the $5/ea inline strainers, a 1/4 mile of fence is retensioned in about 2 minutes, a feature I find really helps keep cattle in, because you don't procrastinate to fix it up!
I run all wood posts, and if I have trouble with the cows not staying put, hooking a hot line on the 3 (of 5) wire smartens them up.. it doesn't have to be a deathly jolt, it just has to be uncomfortable enough.

 

[ddd75]

i'd be like george washington and plant locusts as fences

 

[greybeard]

i'd be like george washington and plant locusts as fences

Lots of those type people left around here--too many and I see their stock on the roadside pretty often. I hate trees on a fenceline, and used for posts, but my West side, it's hard to avoid--U.S. National Forest. Cut one of their trees or even a sapling and they come thru and see the stump, you just bought that tree and it's replacement.
I use barb wire, because of the big feral hog population. 12 ga, 14 ga, HT, hot or cold, they don't care--they're going thru it.

I haven't figured out exactly what is twisting the 2nd and 1st strands (from bottom) together--I'm guessing hogs and it don't matter how tight you stretch it or how close the posts are. If it was higher up, I would think a hunter did it so they could crawl thru--or maybe a deer, but it's always down low.

I can't imagine trying to keep elk out.