Deer and elk can be destructive to stored hay. Whether the hay is next to your home or in a remote location, deer and elk can locate the hay by smell as well as sight. They are particularly attracted to stored hay when the snow is deep and their natural food sources are difficult to reach. 
 
 

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Fencing to Protect Stored Hay from Deer and Elk

OF ALL THE METHODS used to keep deer and elk from hay, exclusion is the method most likely to keep them at bay. Methods such as repelling chemicals, frightening with gas exploders and hazing are short-term and/or expensive, and have limited success. Shooting is also an option, but normally is governed by hunting regulations. 

An integrated pest management plan using several types of control methods would provide the greatest success in reducing wildlife damage to stored hay. The purpose of this guide is to provide information on the fencing aspect of a full scale management program. 

Is it worth the cost?
Before constructing any type of fence, it is best to determine whether the cost will exceed the damage. This is often referred to as the benefit/cost ratio and is simply calculated by dividing the value of wildlife damage by the cost of the fence. If the value is greater than 1.0, then construction of the fence would provide economic benefits. Other considerations, such as child safety and aesthetic qualities, also influence the decision of what type of fence to use. There are two variations to consider when discussing fencing techniques: repellent and barrier. Repellent fences are not as permanent as barrier fences, but tend to be less costly in comparison. Calculating the benefit/cost ratio will help determine what type of fence will be the best for your operation (Table 1 ).

Barrier fences
Barrier fences are often used in areas where hay is permanently stored and heavy wildlife pressure occurs annually. These fences have traditionally been constructed of wood. However, wood fences are expensive, difficult to build, require high maintenance and have a relatively short life compared to other types of barrier fences. 

Galvanized metal stock panels can be used to protect stored hay. They are attached to posts away from the stack and placed one on top of the other. 

Woven wire fences
Woven wire fences (Fig. 1) are fairly expensive and difficult to construct, but require very little maintenance. Start the fence with rigid corner assemblies and place 14- to 16-foot-long posts approximately four to six feet in the ground. Line posts should be 15 feet apart for elk and up to 30 feet apart for deer. Fasten a section of 48-inch woven wire to the outside of corner posts with steel staples, at ground level. Applying 100 pounds of tension, fasten the rest of the woven fence to the post with steel staples. Repeat this procedure around the fence until complete. Two strands of smooth or barbed wire can be attached to the upper section of the post to get the desired height of 9 or 10 feet 

Repellent fences
Repellent fences are normally constructed of wire charged with electricity. High-tensile electric fences can provide an alternative to permanent woven wire fences. They are still difficult to construct, but are less expensive than the woven wire fences and can provide the control needed for deer and elk exclusion. However, more maintenance is required. As with all electric fences, it is important that it be seen so that large animals like elk do not knock it down, but instead receive a repelling shock and thus learn to avoid the fence. 

The fences may be marked with colored ribbons or other highly visible material. Keeping a clear 12-15 foot border around the fence makes it more visible. For electric fences, it is important that the animal receive a significant shock. To increase the effectiveness of the fences, applying a mixture of peanut butter and molasses to the positively charged wires will increase the effectiveness of any electric fence. In many of the fences where traditional wood posts are used, metal T-posts with extensions can be used to reduce the cost of the fence [see Fig. 5 below]. 

Vertical Multiwire Fences
Multiwire fences are one of the more economical and effective type of fences for preventing damage to stored hay from deer and elk (Fig. 2). Vertical fences consist of 7 strands (72 inches tall) of smooth high-tensile wire supported by conventional posts. The procedure for building this type of fence is similar to other high-tensile fences. Begin with sound corner assemblies and add wires. The bottom wire should be 8 inches above the ground. The distance between lower wires should be 8 inches, increasing to 12 inches between the top wires. Alternating wires should have opposite charges, keeping in mind that the top one should be negative for lightning protection. This type of fence can be effective for high pressure from deer and moderate pressure from elk. Again, metal T-posts with extensions [see Fig. 5 below] can be used to reduce the cost of the fence.

Fig. 2. Vertical multiwire fence

Slanted multiwire fences
This unique variation to a standard multiwire fence can be used when high pressure of deer and elk are present and the value of the hay is worth the added cost (Fig. 3). Start with a sound corner assembly with at least five feet of post above the ground and eight feet apart. There are typically seven wires, spaced 12 inches apart, in this set-up. Angle braces will need to be placed at 60- to 90-foot intervals along the fence with battens every 30 feet to maintain distance between wires. Attach a low impedance fence charger so that charges are alternated between adjacent wires.

Fig. 3. Slanted multiwire fence

Frozen ground fence
The frozen ground fence is useful when driving posts into the ground is impossible because of frost or rocky conditions. Temporary single-  multiple-wire fences can be built. 

Haystacks can be protected with electric fence even if the ground is frozen. Instead of using T-posts to hold the wires in place, steel or fiberglass rods may be used (Fig. 4.) The rods, which are sturdy enough to hold the wires away from the hay,
are poked horizontally into the hay bale itself, with insulator and wire (or polywire) attached. The same principles apply for charging the wires on this fence as any of the corresponding single wire or multiwire fences discussed here. Insulators can be attached to rear so the wires do not ground out. 

Be sure to keep a 12-15 foot open border around the outside of the fence to make it easy for the animals to see the wire.

Gates
Gates for electric fences should also be wired to carry an electrical charge. For single or double wire fences, simple electrical wire fence connectors would suffice. On multiwire fences where a livestock panel is likely to be used, two posts can be fastened to opposite ends of the gate with wires attached to them as on the regular fence. A positive wire from the fence can be loosely attached to any of the wires on the gate with a piece of insulated wire. This allows gate movement. Attach additional wires from the live wire on the gate to others on the gate to provide electricity to all wires. At this point, all wires on the gate will be positively charged. 

Chargers and grounders
High-quality low-impedance chargers delivering more than 5,000 volts powered by AC or battery are recommended. AC power supplies are normally the cheapest power source and the most reliable. In most situations, battery and/or solar chargers are necessary. 

Charging the fence should be done as soon as a section of the fence is built (if not all built in one day). The charger should not be turned off once the fence is completed lest deer and elk learn that the fence can be penetrated, decreasing the effectiveness of the fence. Routine voltage checks and maintenance are also important to make sure the fence is working properly. Where child safety is a concern, timers can be added to turn the charger off during times when children are exposed to the fence. 

The electrical system should be well grounded at the charger by driving four to six ground rods five feet deep and six feet apart. Connect the ground post of the fence charger and the negative fence wires to the grounding system. 

Identify the electric fence with warning signs by placing one sign per side on smaller storage areas, and one sign every 200 feet for larger storage areas. 
 

Other types of hay storage protection
A short-term solution to protecting hay can be done by wrapping plastic barriers around the hay itself. These materials come as 6-mil black plastic or as a netting made of polyethylene. The barriers are attached to stacks of hay by tying baling twine around pebbles enclosed in a fold of plastic at the top of the sheet and tying the loose end of the twine to baling twine on the hay bales. The netting is simply stretched around the hay for protection. Where strong winds prevail, these materials are susceptible to damage. 

Wildlife agencies sometimes recommend a snow fence (Tensar®), which is available in 8 x 100 foot sections that are wrapped around the hay. This is supposed to be longer-lasting and more durable than the plastic or netting wraps.

Another method of preventing wildlife damage to high-quality alfalfa is possible if you have large straw bales on hand. Essentially, a straw fence is built around the alfalfa. Place the alfalfa in the middle, then stack straw bales around the perimeter of the alfalfa, constructing a wall at least 10 feet tall. You will need to move a couple straw bales to get to the alfalfa or install a gate. The straw will likely sustain some damage, but the quality alfalfa will be protected.

Extending fence height
Constructing a 6-foot high fence usually results in having to buy 8-foot T-posts for the line and 8- to 10-foot posts for the corners.

One way to save money on the T-posts is to use existing T-posts for the bottom 4 feet and add a 3/8-inch fiberglass rod for the top 2 feet. To support the fiberglass rod, use a brand of plastic insulator that snaps onto T-posts and has a plastic pin to retain the wire. Remove the pin, drill the holes out to 3/8 inch, and insert the fiberglass rod in the holes to extend your T-post as shown below (Fig. 5).

A fiberglass rod costs about a dollar as compared to over three dollars for an 8-foot T-post. If you are using wood posts, drill a 3/8-inch hole in the top of the post. Insert the rebar or fiberglass rod in the hole to extend the height of the post.

Note 

This information is provided for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply an endorsement of them by the Montana State University Extension Service.