[ericweller]

Hi all,
We are in a mild drought here in North Georgia where 3 of my yards have bear fences that are electrically charged. I regularly check the fences to make sure they are working. Last week in one of the yards, the fence wasn't working so I swapped out the charger with another I had. I tested the removed unit at home and it worked fine. I thought it was a connection issue and didn't think anything about it. The fences were checked again this week when another yard had the same problem. I looked at the soil and saw that it is bone dry and am pretty sure it is a poor ground.
So, I am spending the day hauling water to the yards to soak the soil to improve the ground.
If you are experiencing a drought, you better check your fences to make sure there is an adequate ground. If not, start wetting the ground to improve it.

 

[Fivej]

Good reminder. We have had a drought here too and I have had to water my grounding rods several times. J

 

[ericweller]

I am wetting the soil outside the fence and as well as the grounding rod. The bear has to be in good contact with the soil and dry soil prevents that. I'm also thinking of dissolving some salt in the water before dumping on the ground.

 

[grozzie2]

A couple of other options. Lay chicken wire down outside the fence, and hook it to your ground. Bear will make contact with the chicken wire no matter if the ground is wet or dry.

Our summer location has very dry soil. We use a pos/neg fence to avoid the laying down of chicken wire. Each wire alternates, one hot, one ground. Yogi cant stick a nose in without touching both.

 

[NY14804]

We use a pos/neg fence to avoid the laying down of chicken wire. Each wire alternates, one hot, one ground. Yogi cant stick a nose in without touching both.

That's what I do too. It will always work on dry, frozen or snow/ice covered ground. The bear could be standing on a thick rubber mat and will still get shocked. Also my ground wires are jumpered together and connected to the grounding rods like the traditional method, so if soil conditions are correct the bear will also get shocked through its feet should it touch just the hot wire...it's like a backup system to the pos/neg fence.

 

[Bear Creek Steve]

I use a continuous sheet metal apron on the ground connected to an 8 foot ground rod all outside the "hot" part (cattle panel) of my fence. Every year new bears test it once and avoid it thereafter. Have five different bears this year. Around my apple and peach trees I use a chicken wire ground because it is temporary.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[ericweller]

A couple of other options. Lay chicken wire down outside the fence, and hook it to your ground. Bear will make contact with the chicken wire no matter if the ground is wet or dry.

Our summer location has very dry soil. We use a pos/neg fence to avoid the laying down of chicken wire. Each wire alternates, one hot, one ground. Yogi cant stick a nose in without touching both.

How many hot wires and how many ground wires are on the fence?

 

[grozzie2]

How many hot wires and how many ground wires are on the fence?

ours has 4 hot and 4 cold.

 

[Fivej]

I have an alternating hot/cold netted fence also so I just have to make sure it is grounding well. To look at it, you wouldn't think it would deter a bear but if working properly, it certainly does. J

 

[ericweller]

I have an alternating hot/cold netted fence also so I just have to make sure it is grounding well. To look at it, you wouldn't think it would deter a bear but if working properly, it certainly does. J

Can you please share a picture? I haven't seen a bear fence with netting before.

 

[grozzie2]

Can you please share a picture? I haven't seen a bear fence with netting before.

This is the one I'm using, the pos/neg variety.

https://www.premier1supplies.com/fencing.php?fence_id=149

Couple things to remember if one goes down this road, do not forget to order a few extra posts when you order the fence, they are comparatively inexpensive and add nothing to the shipping. It's a real PITA to be waiting on them later cuz you need to put a corner in s apot other than where the prepared posts are located. In my prior post I mention 4 hot and 4 cold, since went and double checked, it's actually 6 hot and 6 cold according to the website (the link is to the one I'm using).

 

[Grins]

9800 volts in four strands, we're not risking it. Here's a picture of a grizzly walking the perimeter last year.