# Electric Fence Question regarding bears



## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2005)

Why not run the upper fence wires on a separate 'circut' as the lower
wires so you can turn on the top wires separately? Or will snow on the
insulators short it out?


----------



## Caroga Bee (Jun 1, 2007)

*bears / fence*

I was thinking about that!!! Using clips and just keep pulling wires off the system as the snow builds


----------



## MapMan (May 24, 2007)

I use this type arrangement for thick poly rope as a deer fence - I have five strands, all are separate, and connected from line to line with these:

http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=596&cat_id=42

At the end of the line, I use simple connectors:

http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=427&cat_id=42

The nice thing about them, it is a solid connection - you just connect an insulated wire to the screw in the connector - clips can fall off.

As the snow gets deeper, I just disconnect the line(s) at the bottom.

MM


----------



## randydrivesabus (Apr 27, 2006)

i think for an electric fence to work the shockee has to be standing/touching the ground unless some of your fence wires are 'ground'.


----------



## MapMan (May 24, 2007)

randydrivesabus said:


> i think for an electric fence to work the shockee has to be standing/touching the ground unless some of your fence wires are 'ground'.



Yes, indeed. Water and snow/ice are poor electrical conductors, so you can use pos/neg wires (have the positive and negative in one wire).

MM


----------



## Caroga Bee (Jun 1, 2007)

Thanks for the responses. I think I'm going to look into those clips .
I have no Bee's inside of the fence yet, was worried that the bears would come back so I have 4 new hives set up a couple of miles away. I did leave some frames and cut out dirty comb in a bucket inside of the fence just to bait the bears... So far no bears and fence is intact. Going to move new hives in next week... Hope the bears have moved on or they got a snoot full of the fence and decided that my honey was not worth it.

My buddy, also a Beek thought that I should put spiked plywood (4x8 sheet cut to 2' x 8') all around the outside of the fence so that the bears would also be stepping on sharp spikes too besides the electric fence.

Jerry


----------



## randydrivesabus (Apr 27, 2006)

its important to bait your fence or the bear(s) will just bust through it. and I think they will just step over your spike setup.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Caroga Bee said:


> My buddy, also a Beek thought that I should put spiked plywood (4x8 sheet cut to 2' x 8') all around the outside of the fence so that the bears would also be stepping on sharp spikes too besides the electric fence.
> 
> Jerry


I'm sure that the DEC would get after you something feirce if they knew about this idea and your baiting the bears. NYS DEC is real protective of our bears. 

I don't know where Caroga Lake is, but why don't you try being smarter than the bears and keep your bees where bears are less apt to be. You already have a place for them on Long Island. Then again, if you are well off enough to have a summer home in the Adirondacks I'd be glad to sell you more bees, every two weeks if needs be.


----------



## Caroga Bee (Jun 1, 2007)

We dont live on Long Island anymore, Just have not figured out how to remove L.I from profile and just have it plain say Caroga Lake.

No other place to move my hives to....We are in bear country!!


----------



## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

*Bears & bees*

Out here of course it's dry country. In order for fences to be effective they must have a ground mat ( usually poultry wire 18-24 inch ) around the perimeter so they are stepping on it. Maybe this would help you too. My experience is that once they have gotten a taste, its almost impossible to keep them out. As autumn comes they will be wanting to fatten up for winter, and the fun begins. I would find another site until next year.


----------



## John Fulp (Apr 27, 2008)

I have bear problems here in NH.......esp. Mom and her three cubs. I did not want to bait the fence with bacon because of the friendly dogs so I baited a metal trash can with sunflower seeds, layed it on it's side and used a 2 foot screen, in front, as the ground. When mama got a taste of that....she has returned and looked at the hives but never closer than 100 feet. If my fence failes I'm doomed.

John


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Caroga Bee said:


> We dont live on Long Island anymore, Just have not figured out how to remove L.I from profile and just have it plain say Caroga Lake.
> 
> No other place to move my hives to....We are in bear country!!


Now I understand. Where does your beekeeper friend keep his? And how does he keep them from the bears?

If you ever get to Peru, NY go to Northern Orchards and ask for Jim Lamont. He is the orchard manager and beekeeper. If you ask him nicely, just joshing, he might have time to show you their bear fenced yards. They are the best I've seen and effective.

Richard Crawford, of Morrisonville, NY is President of the Champlain Valley Beekeepers Association. Look him up too. Especially if you live in the northern part of the park. He has bear fence experience too.

 I still have lots of nucs to sell you if you want some.


----------



## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

Maybe it's just dumb luck on my part, but I have solar electric fences around all my bee yards but one (and that will have a fence this next week) and I let the solar fencer run year round. The snow builds up and doesn't impact the unit at all, as far as I can tell. The grass grows up and doesn't seem to impact the fencer either.

I test every fence in every bee yard everytime I am there. I hold a blade of grass with my right hand and lay it on the fence a few inches from my hand. This way I am not blasted by the fence and I know it's working.


----------



## denny (Aug 2, 2006)

In regards to baiting beehive yard fences for bears in NY, here's some feedback from another member of the forum here, MountainCamp, who has hives in Northern NY, and uses a baited fence.



> Baiting a fence does not fall under the regulations for "Baiting" in reference to taking of bears or other game.
> 
> When baiting a fence your intention is NOT to attract the bear, it is in fact to deter the bear.
> 
> ...


...here's the page where that quote is from...
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218129&=bears&page=2


----------



## BGhoney (Sep 26, 2007)

Seems like if there isnt enough ground potential for the bear to get shocked , there might not be enough for your fence to short out.


----------



## Caroga Bee (Jun 1, 2007)

*Bears and Fencing*

Thanks Guys.... Hoping that Mom and Her two cubs dont come back.
To answer to question of where my Beek friend keeps his hives and my hives until I move them..He's on open Farm Land.....I'M in the woods of Caroga Lake NY


----------

