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Author Topic: bear fence for the bee's  (Read 9877 times)

Offline ibeecanadian

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bear fence for the bee's
« on: January 29, 2005, 11:10:34 pm »
what is the best kind of electric fence (battery power) to keep the black bears away from my bee's? right now i have a cheapy with only one 12v car battery. ive had no bears around...yet. would this do if a bear came around or do i need something bigger, with more battery's?

Offline Horns Pure Honey

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bear fence for the bee's
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2005, 02:07:51 am »
I would get a electric fence charger from mann lake, it is solar charged for the battery and it can run a week without light and if needed can power 12 miles of fence, thats alot!!!
Ryan Horn

Offline Archie

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bear fence for the bee's
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2005, 08:44:15 am »
Good morning

a couple of years ago I had a big problems with a bear.  I put a few strands of wire around the be yard and used a battery elect charger.  The bear could have cared less.  walked right thru.

then I went to my locaal farm supply store and purchased a electrifc fence that was made like a net.  I purchased a charger run by 110 volt.  Just ran an extension (a heavy one) from the house.  

Well the bear came back, put his nose on the netting and I haven't seen him sense.  I just love that electric net fence.  

I do have a solar charger and it does a very good job but you have to keep the grass away from the net fence.  

Arhie
Honey, Vermont sunshine in a bottle.

Offline Horns Pure Honey

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bear fence for the bee's
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2005, 01:28:16 pm »
those are all  very good points.
Ryan Horn

pumpkinpiper

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« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2005, 04:35:25 pm »
IMO, a solar power fencer is the way to go. Get a low impedience(sp?) type. it'll give more of a jolt when touched. Also get one that will burn through any grass that hits it.PP

Offline ibeecanadian

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bear fence for the bee's
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2005, 05:53:20 pm »
i realy like the idea of the solar power. what is low impedience? do you still need the power box thing that the battery is hooked up to, or do you just hook the battery up to the solar box? sounds like a great idea eather way.

Offline Horns Pure Honey

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bear fence for the bee's
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2005, 06:07:16 pm »
wouldnt it take a strong amout of electricity to burn through the grass? I have one that when stuff falls on it it turns the spot black but I have never left anything on it long enough to see if it will burn through it. bye
Ryan Horn

Offline ibeecanadian

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bear fence for the bee's
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2005, 06:20:28 pm »
i just use whipper-snippers for the grass, fast and works great.

pumpkinpiper

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« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2005, 12:24:54 pm »
a solar fencer generally has a built in battery for reserve power. Without sun, you still get a few days of "zapping" power. The "low impedience" deals with how the jolt is regulated I believe. The fencer does'nt actually "burn" the grass away(never heard of one starting a fire), but with low impedience, the grass that does happen to touch it won't "short" out the fencer. Mann Lake carries a couple models I believe, but you'll save some good money buy purchasing from your local farm supply. Another option you may look into(if your bee area isn't to big) is to take lumber(I like 1x4's) and punch them full of 2" nails. Lay these around your hive area say 3 or 4 boards wide as a bear deterent. I use these around mine, and also around our food caches when I guided in Alaska. You may get a bear to step on them once, but not twice. It's alot cheaper than buying a fencer,posts,fence and time. Steve

Offline firetool

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bear fence for the bee's
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2005, 11:24:43 am »
Get a fence charger from a farm supply store in your area you will pay less for it and there are better ones out their than the one Mann Lake carees. You want to look at the amount of joules it puts out. The greater the joules the harder it hits. Above all though you need to make sure it is grounded wheal. the better grounded it is the hard it will hit.

 I use three 6 foot ground rods all connected to each other and I drive all but about four inches into the ground. We are drier down here so you might not need as much, But it can't hurt.

 Don't forgett to unplug the charger becouse they hurt when you have a good one. Mine has killed birds that have landed and the nutral wire then touched the hot wire. I run five wires tree hot and two that are grounded out. It keeps the goats in very well.

 If I can be of any more help just ask. I worked for a farm and ranch store and sold fence chargers.

Good Luck,

 Brian

Offline Robo

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bear fence for the bee's
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2005, 12:50:38 pm »
The problem with bear is not how big/strong of a charger you use,  but that you bait it. They don't the difference between electric fence and plain wire.  They will just barrel thru it with no regard. With their thick heavy coats,  they will plow thru the strongest zapping fences without a problem.  

You need to bait the fence so that it gets them where it will hurt.  The simplest way to do this is take some stiff hardware cloth and bend it in a V-shape.  Lay the V upside down over the wire and smear it with peanut butter.  The bear will smell the peanut butter and get zapped on their nose or tongue.  Once they are trained, they will leave it alone.  

I have many bear around me, and this method has worked very well, even with a very small charger.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline Horns Pure Honey

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bear fence for the bee's
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2005, 03:56:15 pm »
We have one from a farm supply for my cows but we have no bears, and yes they are cheaper ant the FS. :D bye
Ryan Horn