Big Bad Bear Fencing

[Skinner Apiaries]

Ok, tips for making a bear fence more formidable. Moving into bear country next month. Ive heard tin roofin under the wire, prebaiting with bacon, and running a radio constantly. Presume 2+ weeks between visits since I'm placing them on the moon. Solar versus battery experience? Post sizes? Wire Gauges? Strand numbers and pattern? Enlighten me with all of your experiences.

[Dale_3rd]

I can't offer much on the bear issue, but as far as a fence controller, I have successfully used a solar powered electric fence controller for about 3 years to keep the deer out of my grapes and blackberry "yard". It's a pretty cheap "3 mile" unit, but I've "tested" it (not intentionally) and I would say that if a bear got the full dose mouth/snout to tin roof, he'd not likely return. Up the unit to a larger model and use some good 12.5 gauge high tensile wire it should deter bears nicely.

[beesohappy]

Do you lay the tin roof under the wire or in front of the wire? I'm placing bees in the El Dorado foothills of CA and was told there's a chance of bears. I'm using three strands of 4 point barbed wire and plan on running 3 strands of electric wire with a Parmak Magnum 12 Solar Pak Low Impedance 12 Volt Battery Operated 30 Mile Range Electric Fence Charger MAG12SP by recommendation from someone on this site. I'm also placing all 100 of my hives in this one basket. on top of that I also have the skunks to battle and the knowledge that a fire has gone thru the same spot and burned up 4 hives a couple years back.

If anyone has any advise on what I can do to lower the risk of grass fires burning up my hives I would really appreciate it. I'll also check throw the site.

[Skinner Apiaries]

Not sure, I figured under and slightly out, so those paws would be on it, something I heard from a friend out of Georgia. I was thinking nail it down with some rebar and see if that helps. As to fire, think about discing a fire break around them? Hell maybe even under them? Would seem if its just grass, and enough of the thatch were turned under youd have a gap from the fire. Not sure about the effect of smoke or heat tho. I would presume if they got really bad off theyd abscond.

Good advice, thats a biiiig charger. Going with high tension?

[Skinner Apiaries]

Anybody got gate ideas? I presumed I would wire and then fill, do I need to just put posts up and wire the next morning?

[acbz]

I've heard that some beekeepers pee in a plastic soda bottle and leave it on its side somewhere in the yard. Supposedly the scent keeps the bears off. Not sure if this is effective, but might as well give it a try?

I did some research on this and supposedly wolf urine is a bear deterrent. It's available online somewhere I think. Of course, you have to pay for it.

[funwithbees]

we run 700 here in central NY. bears are a pain. We use parmak low imp. 6V solar 25 mile fencers,6 strands about 6" apart. I made the mistake of moving a wire and touched ground with the same hand the other day. Much more snap than a cheap 3 mile unit.Wire gauge does not make much diff, as it is the snap, not the strength of the fence. 4-8 ft ground rods work well here, but the roofing or chick fence on the ground there staked will work well in sandy soil.Hire a local teen to stake out your yard just after dusk with a 30-06 for insurance.
Nick

[greenbeekeeping]

We use Solar powered fencers and prefer Parmak as they last longer than the Traingle style of fencers. We run three strands of of Ribbon tape wire around the yard. Ribbon wire is best as bears won't see the galvinized wire until they are in it and might run through when they get zapped. We start the first strand of wire about 6" of the ground and every 6 inches. You can step over the fences. As far as the gate goes. We have 5 t post in the ground. Our gates is a just a fiberglass pole that sticks into the ground and is secured to the t post with a piece of cut off pvc pipe. There is a picture of a yard that I post on Facebook a few days ago Skinner you can see the fence there.

[honeyshack]

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...IMG_0014-1.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...IMG_0017-1.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...IMG_0019-1.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...e/IMG_0126.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...s/125_2530.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...s/125_2531.jpg

Hope the pics help. We live in bear country. Our fencers get over 5000v
Need a good ground rod, ours is in the ground 5 feet
Need insulators on your wood posts and anywhere the wire contacts the wood. Hubby used plastic pipe cut to fit for corners

[Skinner Apiaries]

honeyshack, nice wrapping job. So From what Im gathering from everyone, big charger, wire gauge is irrelevant, use ribbon or I was going to flag it with marking tape. I like the chicken wire idea, I have some of that, and its way cheaper/easier to work with

[loggermike]

It sucks when a charger fails between visits to the yard!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...g?t=1241947172
I have 14 electric fences running right now. Most have 4 strands of hot wire, and chicken wire around the base that the ground wire is hooked to. Some of the yards are just step in plastic posts with steel posts at the corners.. A bear can walk through just about anything, so the idea is to get him to stop and smell the roses ( aluminum foil with fishy cat food) before he walks through the fence. Then a good charger gets his attention. I like the Parmaks right now. They are testing 9600 volts on my tester. the Patriots put out 10,000 with a huge spark, but the batteries do not last as long before running down.
With the step in posts and poly wire ,I can put up a fence in about an hour. Lots different than the old days where we dug post holes and put in cedar posts we split ourselves, and gaucho barb wire!

[loggermike]

Oh and forget the radios.Did that till the bears knocked them over.The critter gitters sold by Mann Lake have been useful on a few occasions,till i could get up a good fence.

[honeyshack]

Hubby will not let me have fences with push in posts. He wants to make his fort knox style fences. Takes him two days to build a yard. However, if I finish my splits before the fences get made...
Our co-op fencers are 6v batteries
Our ground rods and insulators are what make the difference in the charge here.
Thanks Skinner

[tben]

Here's a link to a pdf on the Vermont Beekeepers website about bear proofing. http://www.vermontbeekeepers.org/ima...klet%20PDF.pdf

[Ozone]

I put 54 inch cattle panels around, (grounded with copper, and to the charger ground rod) and hung the insulators off the T posts to the outside. A drawback is it's difficult to put the insulators on with the panels in place.

The theory is a mechanical deterrent that allows the electric fence to do its job.

I can't see the bacon being a help unless you already have a bear, and then it would only work for that one.


Remember that a bear is a 'really big coon'

[loggermike]

>>Hubby will not let me have fences with push in posts. He wants to make his fort knox style fences. <<

I would agree with that approach where the fence is going to be permanent. In our case some of our fences have to be taken down when the bees are moved ,so those need to be more 'portable' . The 'push in post' fences really look flimsy, but have done the job for several seasons.

[jbw]

All this over kill on fences. Wire does not hold back bears. Thin wire and bait. Cook the bacon and they can't resist. Works every time.

[honeyshack]

Wire does not hold back bears.

Nope! But a wired fence with 5000+ volts will. Have had bear scat around the bee yards to prove it

[loggermike]

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...e/100_0708.jpg

This is a typical fence we use. There is a bit of fishy cat food wrapped up in aluminum foil twisted around a few of the wires to keep the bear from walking right through. I have heard some people say this will attract the bear to the bee yard. Not true. A bear can smell ripening honey on the wind for miles. THAT is what brings them in.

Cooked bacon never worked for me(always ended up eating it before I left the kitchen) but we used to save the grease and soak strips of cloth in it then hang that on the fences.

This particular fence tests 9900 volts ( maximum for my digital tester) .It is a Patriot charger with a 12v deep cycle.

[loggermike]

Maybe this is the time to mention that bears are going to become an even bigger problem for California bee keepers. The state legislature is in the process of banning bear hunting with hounds.Besides being a rural tradition, this is the best way to keep the bear population from getting out of hand.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/...-passes-senate