Fencing Ecology

This article overlaps the one you put up @neffa3 ..


Definitely a lot of falling down unnecessary fence that could be removed in the west. I took down about 900 feet of fallen down 3 strand of barbed wire and woven wire a couple weeks ago in the same county mentioned in this article.
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I will probably put in new fencing down the road when and if I convert the field to permanent rotational pasture, but will likely rely more on temporary movable electric fence.
 
Most years I seem to take down a thousand feet or more. Mostly to replace it with 2x4 welded wire with T posts spaced at 8' and wooden 4x6 cedar every 40 ft. Dog fence, and often to keep people out. People make bike trails and hiking trails on private land. Pull out the old T posts too. Everything goes to the recycle guys that cruise the alley. Often enough 500 to 1000 lbs of old barbed wire in neat tight coils.

Moose seem to walk right into it until they learn to remember where it is. Bears climb over and push it down, deer and elk hop it.

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F this fence...
 
I see fence all over the place where I hunt. Its amazing the places you will find old fences that still have wire everywhere. Public land included because of old grazing leases and mining claims. And a lot of it isn't doing anything anymore, its just laying there. I know RMEF puts some of their funding towards removing old fence wire but a lot more could been done in this area.
 
There are plenty of opportunities in MT for fence removal or adjustment projects.

This group does plenty.

They have good leaders.

I know KIP already has some MT fence removal plans for this year. Great opportunity to remove wildlife barriers and meet like-minded people.
 
I was lucky enough to tag along to look at some fence projects in eastern Idaho last week. It was a mix of ID dept of lands, Nature Conservancy, and private land. A lot of old sheep fences with woven wire on the bottom so no way for pronghorn to pass through. They did a combination of wildlife friendly fences and also added laydown fences. The NRCS had funded the fences on state lands and FWS had worked with the private landowners through the partners program:

Still many miles of fences just in that relatively small area.
 
PEAX Trekking Poles

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