Fencing Advice Needed

I am in search of advice or input from people who have built a fence. I have been gifted a couple hundred feet of nice black metal fencing. The fencing is 4 ft in height. Due to my elk issue, the ideal fencing height in my area is 6 feet high. I am lacking 2 feet. I was thinking of putting the 4 feet on the top and then running a strand of electric wire on the bottom two feet, probably at one foot up. I heard that bears and Mt lions are deterred by electric fence, it will not 100% keep them out but it will discourage them.

Anyone who has erected fencing, your input would be greatly appreciated. Pros/ Cons, issues you see with design.

The fencing is very much like this- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CPRTP8O/?tag=survivalmonke-20

 

Electric Fence - How To Install

A few things to watch out for.
Is the black fence, stained, or coated?

 

It is a coated black fence. Most I have spoke to say put the 4 feet on the bottom then string barb wire on top. I have tried that before and the elk reach through then get their horns tangled and they yank which loosens my posts.

 

I would put the fence up high enough so they see the inconvenience and the wire low if it is Elk that cause the most trouble. otherwise they may try and jump and break the hot wire if it is on top... not aesthetically pleasing but it would function...

 

Ok, so the fence can not be used, itself, and an electric fence, and it will need to be separate electrically from the electrified section, so it does not short it out.
You are talking about two separate fences mounted to the same poles, with no connection (electrically ) between fences? Sounds like it should work.
Only time I've added electric to an existing fence, it was a full wood fence.
(I've built a lot of fences, wood, or chainlink, but seldom mix styles of fencing. Hope it helps.

 

Got a picture of the alleged black fence material?

 

I haven't had elk issues yet (knock on wood) but they are just down the road. We do get a lot of deer. Like you, most of the folks around here put up fencing that is 6 feet high, others will recommend 8 feet but anyone I have met with a 6 footer has never had problems. What a lot people do is they will get a standard 4 foot chain link and then extend it using steel pipe and heavy gauge wire, same as you use for horse corral. They lash the pipe to the fence post however they wish...stainless hose type steel clamps or whatever... It is the height of the fence that is the deterrent not the strength of the fence.

I would definitely not put barbwire on top as either it is high enough that they won't try it or it isn't. All barbwire will do IMO is wound the animal. And, I don't see the sense in making it electric... Now, having said that I have not had elk - yet - but I would think they would react just like deer but maybe I am wrong.

All the deer needs is to be able to see that it is high and will be difficult to get over. I didn't even use metal fencing on our garden. We made it 6 foot high out of this plastic type fencing, it really is quite thin and it doesn't rot, UV resistant and the deer see it and do not try to go through it or over it. Our stakes are 8 footers drove in 2 feet. It's cheap but works. I had 15 deer today over for lunch. I can post a photo if you want.

I will probably put up a metal fence someday but first I want to be darn sure the wife is NOT going to be doing any more expansion on me because she has already said were increasing the size of the garden this year.

 

A bud says use long barb barbed wire to get the electricity to a bear or due to their thick fur they will never get shocked. Others say use a mesh, YMMV.
As I looked into an electric perimeter fence for our campsite; there are videos at YouTube showing an electric fence deterring Grizzlies. Unbelievable, yet seeing is believing.

Use a metal pole for the height you need with ceramic stand off insulators or use PVC and no insulators. Buy more conductor wire so it can be continuous loop at various heights. Or use a mesh mounted on the insulators or PVC. Due to wind; PVC would be wiser with a mesh.
Horse and dairy farms use metal posts and insulators so it is quite proven. However, I've seen deer easily jump a chain link fence. Their vertical jump would be the envy of a pro NBA player. I have no knowledge about elk.

I've deliberately left a used charcoal grill outside at our camp for over a year. If "critters" (hogs, bear, song dogs or whatever) disturb it because of the food smells; I'll add a solar powered electric fence.

 

Side note : a deer can clear a 12' chainlink fence.

 

@kellory
I watched a small herd of deer walk up to an 8' chain link fence. Put their front legs on the fence, folded their back ones and cleared it. A yearling was with them and cleared also. The yearling seemed to be apprehensive, then went with flow. It made me think were they showing the yearling? Who knows.

It was so cool to watch, I let them pass without harvesting one. I used harvest a lot of deer; however, for the education, they earned a free pass from me.

 

a 6 foot fence isn't going to stop an elk if it wants to munch what ever is on the other side of said fence.
Plant a crap ton of white clover / alfalfa on the other side of the fence. Then they won't care what is on the inside of the fence.

and for bonus points, they will find your clover/alfalfa patch delicious and you can enjoy venison if the need/want arises.

Full Disclosure: I broadcast seeded about 20# of each across an acre area. The bees and the deer love me.

 

I wouldn't use a sword to stop elk... that's what guns are for.... errrm never mind...

 

Can animals hear an electric fence??



Amazing..

 

Perhaps it's a static discharge on their fur

 

@kellory
Could be..

I noticed the bears avoiding contacting the wire. Prior experience or sound is the question.

If our grill well scented with burgers, hot dogs, chicken and more is disturbed; I'd prefer an electric fence to the other alternatives..

Example of other alternatives: Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Ammunition :: Rifle :: Choose by Caliber :: 300 Win Mag :: 300 Win Mag 150 gr GMX® Superformance®

 

That's pretty cool and I never knew that...I thought grizzy would go right through an electric fence. I don't think she has a problem with bears though, right?
@Motomom34 Do you have a bear problem also or is this sort of a nice to have?

@kellory @Tikka Yeah, deer can get over most fences no matter how high. It depends on how hungry they are. But, most of them, at least around here, will not go over something over 6 foot. I do not know why. Honestly! It shocked me also. Maybe they're lazy?
LOL! Honestly, I've no idea. Maybe its a learned trait? No idea... but I do know this is what everyone builds to around here...and it works but there is a lot to eat around here also.
And, @VisuTrac is right - nothing is stopping that elk if he really wants what is on the other side which is one reason why I think no one puts more money into chain link than a 4 footer then raise it with wire as that stuff is darn expensive.

 

Spreading human urine around works very well to keep just about anything out. Send your boys out to sprinkle the property.
You just have to maintain it after it rains. A big dog Like a German Shepard or Lab will keep animals away as well.The 4' fence will keep the dogs in.
Deer and Elk don't like the smell of predators.
We have a lot of critters running around here and my dogs keep my livestock safe.Even Raccoon's and Possum stay away.

 

Sorry, but that is a myth. All urine breaks down to ammonia. It is a myth that has bilked a great deal of money from deer hunter's pockets. I know for a fact, deer will come to the SOUND of peeing off a deer stand (apparently, it sounds like falling acorns) and are not put out a bit by the smell. You can even use your own, to "freshen" a deer scrape on the ground. (It works).
On the other hand, if you need to take a number 2, you had best bury it. THAT will tell anything within scent range, you eat MEAT, and all animals seem to know THEY ARE MEAT.
You want a natural deer deterrent, try dog hair along the perimeter of the property. You can also use it to guard your garden. Deer do not like dogs much.

 

I will try to get a picture later today.

The reason I thought of electric on the bottom was that I spoke to someone up the road who keep chickens and ducks. Their fence was only about 3-4 ft high but they had one strand of electric and they said they had never been bothered. I thought that was odd. My goal is a huge growing area and lots of fruit trees and bushes plus I would like to finally get the chickens I have always wanted. The bear took out 3 coops last summer and the lion killed two goats, a deer and a wild turkey. The game trail is visible from my yard so we have lots of wild life passing by and I would like them to keep going.

Last year when I ordered chicks, my neighbor started laughing and said I had just put the bulls eye on my home. I canceled the chicken order because thee coop I would have had to build would have had to be bear proof and have top fence in the chicken yard because lions can jump also. I figure it I have a border fence with electrical deterrent, one my plants would be fine plus I could look at getting chickens and not having to build Ft Knox for a coop/chicken yard.

Thank you- you all have been really helpful. I won't do chain link because it is really ugly. I want my fence to be semi-appealing to the eye.