Electric Fence Question...

[davel]

I am wanting to fence in 2 acres I will plant in a spring/summer plot. I am going to do one strand in front and 2 strands 2-3' behind that. What spacing should I use to place my posts (wanting to use the poly step in as much as possible but we have sandy soil)? Will I need t-posts on the 2 strand line for tension? I have the smaller rod type posts for the 1 strand line. Also, what size solar charger do I need for 2 acres and how many feet of poly tape or rope do I need? I looked it up and 2 acres square needs around 1700ft? The plot is not square.
If there is a site that tells me all this please let me know. I looked but couldn't find a site that answers these questions.
Final question...is this worth it? How much will all this cost? My feeling is it can be reused each year and has to be better than failed summer plots due to deer density. Seed is expensive.
Thanks!!

 

[crackerdave]

Just a tip to make your fence more effective:
Hang foil pouches with peanut butter in them about 10' apart on a strand that is about knee high.The charge will hit the deer directly in the brain and knock him and the fence down.Put it right back up....one lesson is usually enough.

 

[antharper]

I’m watching this also . I’ve been wanting to invest in a solar electric fence system for a few years now .

 

[WishboneW]

We use one around our dove field.

2 strands on the outside. I strand of white tape on the inside 3 ft back. 5 mile solar charger. Covers about 30 ac. On 2 sides
We do have black locust corner posts and at the gate

 

[WishboneW]

I’m watching this also . I’ve been wanting to invest in a solar electric fence system for a few years now .

Come hunt rabbits next week and check out the one around our dove field.

 

[Darkhorse]

We have a large private pond way back in the woods. About 1/4 of the bank has a mowed grass area that extends from the water to the woods. Eventually the hogs found it and started rooting it up bad. I tried shooting and trapping them but never stopped them. Then we tried an electric fence and that stopped the hogs in their tracks. Deer occasionally jumped over the fence to get to the acorns that fell but the hogs never got through.
We had a lot of experience with electric fencing. My father in law with cattle and me with horses. We used barbed wire instead of electric fence wire. You will need to build a reinforced corner at each end of a run and I like T posts between. The corner, or tree, is used to pull and anchor the wire, this is where you get your tension, not from the T posts. You use the T posts to establish the height off the ground on uneven terrain to keep the wire off the ground.
I've never used a solar charger so can't speak for those. But I use the hottest box I can get to control my stallion. When used down in the woods with barbed wire the barbs go through heavy hair to contact the skin. Works real well.

 

[longrangedog]

https://www.farmprogress.com/management/mega-fence-for-deer-hogs

 

[davel]

Thanks guys. I know what type of fence I want to install but need to know spacing for line posts. Especially the poly step in posts. My understanding is when using the poly rope it is very light and you won't need much tension on it.

 

[livinoutdoors]

Thant link above was what i was gon repost in here. That about covers all the details.

 

[Boondocks]

My advise is forget the plot and fence.Spend that money on something else.Deer are wild goats and will eat anything good in the summer no need to feed them.

 

[oochee hunter]

The fence above is pretty similar to the gallager system, has 1 more strand on the inside. I use gallager poly wire and there tape on the outside as you can roll it up with a water hose reel from home depot. I have been controlling deer for 8 yrs with this system. A few will figure it out after year 3 so you can live with it or do something about it. I just live with it, 1 or 2 will not destroy a sunflower field. Also use step in post from tractor supply. If you need an electric or solar charger look at Taylor fence chargers , built in Alabama. There solar chargers are pricey but very powerful, they use car batteries. This system will work, it does on my farm located on the oconee river.

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

Milorganite also works very well..

 

[davel]

Milorganite also works very well..

Tried that. No luck.

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

I have used it several times. From north ha to South Georgia and has worked perfect for me. In fact the deer ended up jumping the electric fence you mentioned doing and the milorganite kept them off of it. In fact we had another track of beans not far down the road had the same fence systems with no milorganite and the grass grounded the fence out and the deer wiped them out.. the beans with milorganite made it no problem. Timing is key with it and you must have it on it before the beans pop out the ground. You usually have to reapply after a good hard rain. Stuff had worked great for me. Sorry you didn’t have good results with it

 

[davel]

I have used it several times. From north ha to South Georgia and has worked perfect for me. In fact the deer ended up jumping the electric fence you mentioned doing and the milorganite kept them off of it. In fact we had another track of beans not far down the road had the same fence systems with no milorganite and the grass grounded the fence out and the deer wiped them out.. the beans with milorganite made it no problem. Timing is key with it and you must have it on it before the beans pop out the ground. You usually have to reapply after a good hard rain. Stuff had worked great for me. Sorry you didn’t have good results with it

I can try it again. I put it down after the seeds sprouted. Maybe that was the issue.

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

I can try it again. I put it down after the seeds sprouted. Maybe that was the issue.

You want to have it down before it pops up or as soon as you see a bean start popping through the dirt. It’s important to reapply after a good rain. When I used it in north Georgia. I didn’t get to one field on a weekend. I was gonna wait to the following weekend as I ran out of time. The deer wiped it out before I could put it down. I decided to go ahead and apply it anyway. The beans came back and the deer wouldn’t touch it. It kinda surprised me as I figured that field was done for. These were smaller fields of less than 2 to 3 acres. The area I planted in beans was about half acre to 3/4. If you have a high deer density you could apply to heavier…the fence will work the only down side is you have to keep it sprayed for weeds and grass or it will get grounded out and it will quit working… as mentioned above some deer will figure it out and jump it and eat them anyways… with milorganite being organic nitrogen it does help the soil too. Beans usually don’t need nitrogen though. It’s kinda pricey to buy so you will need to figure out long term if the investment in a fence is more viable to you.. I think the last I bought was about 15 to 17 a bag. Think they come in 44lb bags

 

[davidhelmly]

Thanks guys. I know what type of fence I want to install but need to know spacing for line posts. Especially the poly step in posts. My understanding is when using the poly rope it is very light and you won't need much tension on it.

The spacing will depend on your terrain and you don’t want it stretched tight, the poly tape is great with some twist and slack in it as it spins and moves when the wind blows. I would do T posts on the corners and the step ins as needed for the inner and outer fence close enough to keep the fence from touching the ground but still loose, some may be 10’ spacing and some may be double that.

 

[davel]

The spacing will depend on your terrain and you don’t want it stretched tight, the poly tape is great with some twist and slack in it as it spins and moves when the wind blows. I would do T posts on the corners and the step ins as needed for the inner and outer fence close enough to keep the fence from touching the ground but still loose, some may be 10’ spacing and some may be double that.

Thanks!

 

[davel]

You want to have it down before it pops up or as soon as you see a bean start popping through the dirt. It’s important to reapply after a good rain. When I used it in north Georgia. I didn’t get to one field on a weekend. I was gonna wait to the following weekend as I ran out of time. The deer wiped it out before I could put it down. I decided to go ahead and apply it anyway. The beans came back and the deer wouldn’t touch it. It kinda surprised me as I figured that field was done for. These were smaller fields of less than 2 to 3 acres. The area I planted in beans was about half acre to 3/4. If you have a high deer density you could apply to heavier…the fence will work the only down side is you have to keep it sprayed for weeds and grass or it will get grounded out and it will quit working… as mentioned above some deer will figure it out and jump it and eat them anyways… with milorganite being organic nitrogen it does help the soil too. Beans usually don’t need nitrogen though. It’s kinda pricey to buy so you will need to figure out long term if the investment in a fence is more viable to you.. I think the last I bought was about 15 to 17 a bag. Think they come in 44lb bags

How much do you put down per acre?

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

How much do you put down per acre?

What I did was put 3 bags on a half acre which would be about 132 pounds. I’m not sure if there is any info that says per acre amount.. I would put at least that. So if your doing an acre that would be about 260 or so… you don’t have to put it down at time of planting. So along as you have it down right as they start to pop outta the ground…
I just watched the rain and if it came. Real hard gully washers I would go out after and reapply. For me I only did it twice . The beans got up to normal height and most all had beans on them. Once the stink wore off they came back in and started eating. Until that happened that would touch it