Down Fencing

[MTelkHuntress]

Recently I hiked a fence line back to the truck to save some time and I was reminded about how important some of these fence clean up projects are. It was disheartening to see miles and miles of fence down and how hazardous it can be to wildlife. The fence was either strung out everywhere or just didn't exist in some places.
It was really frustrating to see and especially frustrating to think lots of people don't even care. I think RMEF is doing work in the area and hopefully something can be done.

To everyone that helps with these fence projects, thank you.



Caught this lovely piece on my foot.

 

[Oak]

An RMBS member took it upon himself to initiate a wire cleanup project a few years ago after several bighorn sheep had been found over the years entangled in old telegraph wire along the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad through the Animas Canyon. The RMBS and local businesses funded the project. You can read about it here.

 

[MTelkHuntress]

What an awful way to go.

After contacting a local chapter working on this area, it seems the landowner hasn't been cooperative. Hopefully they change their mind but it just seems like a bad situation.

 

[westbranch]

This past summer I met someone from US FWS that works on the Partner's Program. They had done some fence removal projects on private land in southern Idaho with matching funds from US FWS for the private landowners. It sounded like they have a lot of flexibility working with private landowners and the matching funds help move projects along. A couple links:

Contact Us | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Welcome to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's home for the National Wildlife Refuge System.

www.fws.gov

Montana Partners for Fish and Wildlife

Welcome to the Visit a Refuge or District page for the National Wildlife Refuge System Region 6 website.

www.fws.gov

 

[Dakotakid]

In Montana it is actually unlawful to leave dilapidated fence laying about, but never heard of it being enforce. I went looking for statute and found this-

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/PA_NRCSConsumption/download/?cid=nrcseprd1080608&ext=pdf