Electric Fence for Black Bears

Archimedes1988

Archimedes1988

Member
Location
New York
Occupation
Electrical Contractor - Master Electrician
Hello Electricians!

I have a customer who needs an electric fence set up to keep black bears away from her chicken coop. Do any of you have any experience with that and recommendations on equipment to use? She already has an existing fence; she just wants some juice to deter the bears. Thanks!
 
I have ran miles of electric fence wire, and personally found it to be pretty irrelevant to black bears.

The best deterrent to black bears that I have found have been livestock protection dogs and my scoped .308.

I know some people will build an absolutely solid fence and then run strands of electric wire on the outside. I don’t know if that works or not. I do know that I have seen many many bears climb over, through, and under, electric fencing without a care in the world.

I have had them crumple wire fencing on t posts, and use strong fencing to their advantage to support their weight and climb over it. They are basically giant smelly varmints.

My only regret is we only shot 9 of them before we got the dog situation figured out, and I’ve only had a shot at maybe 3 more in the last couple years, and one was with my .45 at quite a distance so I don’t think I smoked his ***. 😡

My rant about bears is over now. 😂
 
Seven-Delta-FortyOne said:
I have ran miles of electric fence wire, and personally found it to be pretty irrelevant to black bears.

The best deterrent to black bears that I have found have been livestock protection dogs and my scoped .308.

I know some people will build an absolutely solid fence and then run strands of electric wire on the outside. I don’t know if that works or not. I do know that I have seen many many bears climb over, through, and under, electric fencing without a care in the world.

I have had them crumple wire fencing on t posts, and use strong fencing to their advantage to support their weight and climb over it. They are basically giant smelly varmints.

My only regret is we only shot 9 of them before we got the dog situation figured out, and I’ve only had a shot at maybe 3 more in the last couple years, and one was with my .45 at quite a distance so I don’t think I smoked his ***. 😡

My rant about bears is over now. 😂
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Purchase a couple LGD pups. You will not regret. And save running wire. I will say that my LGB will easily scale cattle fence, so you may need a little training to keep them home
 
Electric fences when properly installed and maintained can be very effective in keeping black bears away. Here in NJ the DEP (other states have similar information as well) has issued some guidance on fences.

From the NJDEP:

Electric fencing is the most effective and efficient method of preventing bear damage to livestock, beehives, crops, silage bags, orchards, gardens and compost piles. Fencing is only effective if it is properly installed and maintained.
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Properly installed, maintained, and kept baited at all times, so that when the bear approaches it tried to bite the wire.

That sounds like a rather hellish maintenance procedure. (Every third day walk the fence and apply bacon every few feet. Remember to turn off the fence charger.)
 
winnie said:
Properly installed, maintained, and kept baited at all times, so that when the bear approaches it tried to bite the wire.

That sounds like a rather hellish maintenance procedure. (Every third day walk the fence and apply bacon every few feet. Remember to turn off the fence charger.)
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And an even more ghastly waste of bacon.
 
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