The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Techniques and skills => Topic started by: Steph Hen on October 13, 2020, 04:03:05 pm
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Wondered if anyone has had any deer fencing done that they’d not mind explaining a bit? I’ve to start researching it and always like to at least sound slightly knowledgeable when asking for quotes or discussing with contractors. It’s for roe deer and rabbits and a few km long. Is there anything I should look out for; Type of posts, size of wire, etc.,?
Also can anyone recommend any good contractors for Angus area? Thanks in advance.
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Not an expert but I've used enclosed forestry areas to run my dogs that were deer fenced.
The areas that need rabbits kept out need chicken wire on the bottom half, and some of it dug down into the groud, and bent inwards - to reduce digging underneath.
Then the top half is stock fencing with a wire between the two sections, joined with metal clips. Make sure the clips are also galvanised as well as the fencing wires or they'll rust away in a couple of years and allow animals to push their way in. Strong fence posts/strainers are needed at regular intervals all round. And maybe two gates at each entrance - a pedestrian one which is easy to go in and out of, especially if your hands are full, as well as a 12 foot or so one for machinery
Does that help?
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[member=28951]Steph Hen[/member] - Angus and only interested in Roe deer ? Are you not concerned about Red deer or Sika which would require higher fencing?
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Most deer fencing woodlands I've been in are at least 6 feet, but I've been told some deer can jump that?
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Thanks for replies, just to get get a bit more of a handle on it. Thanks for the advice on the person access and tractor access gates; that sounds useful. Only roe here and on neighbouring ground.
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Thanks for replies, just to get get a bit more of a handle on it. Thanks for the advice on the person access and tractor access gates; that sounds useful. Only roe here and on neighbouring ground.
Six feet should do then
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Thanks for replies, just to get get a bit more of a handle on it. Thanks for the advice on the person access and tractor access gates; that sounds useful. Only roe here and on neighbouring ground.
If you are sure [member=28951]Steph Hen[/member] that you only need to consider Roe deer*, then a fence between 1.2m and (preferably) 1.4m should be OK. Mine is somewhere in between and I've had no Roe encroachments despite having a significant local population of Roe with very frequent sightings and well-worn deer track-ways on my acres !
My fencing comprises UK high-spec' rabbit mesh on the bottom and a 50mm chicken mesh above. The rabbit mesh has an out-turn at the bottom laid over the ground outwards (rather than being buried) and was pegged down on installation. (However, once grass has grown through the out-turn, pegging-down is not really needed.) I also have a high resident population of rabbits, but none have broached the fence or gateway after years.
Gateway: timber plank inserted into the ground under the line of the gate and rabbit mesh/lower timber plank added to gate. To deter Roe deer leaping the gate, some tall angle brackets have been added to top of gate with fishing line strung between. (Deer don't like dealing with stuff they can feel, but can't quite make-out by sight - apparently!)
*If your area has a population of Muntjac deer, then you might need to be rather more careful. Seemingly they can/will climb fences: if they are around in any significant number in your part of the UK you might wish to also consider an out turn at the top of the fence especially on a 1.2-1.4m rabbit/Roe deer fence.
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Correction to my previous post (Reply #7): my deer/rabbit fence is actually 1.45m - 1.47m high and a refresher look at fencing spec's indicates that Roe deer fencing recommendations range from 1.2m to 1.5m depending on the amount of land one wishes to exclude a resident population of Roe deer from. I guess that equates to how desirable the deer consider it to be on the other side !
Another thought [member=28951]Steph Hen[/member] is how desirable it is for your rabbits to also be on the other side of your fence (?) I have gardening clients who had their rabbit fencing renewed a few years back and the rabbits have chewed their way through in several places. Yes, they will chew through wire! Since you are considering several km of fencing I would suggest you consider paying a bit more for premium quality rabbit mesh - it will bump up the overall fencing price obviously, but it might/should reduce the amount of patching you will need to do over the years.
I believe Screwfix still do a Tornado mesh/wire bundle at a very good price (I've bought several bundles in past years) which should be a step up from the cheapest rabbit mesh.
I would suggest you ensure contractors give a detailed breakdown of their materials prices and state the brand/spec' rabbit mesh they will be offering so that you can check that they are not substantially over-egging the cost/price.
(One can get even higher spec'd mesh than the Screwfix bundle, but my rabbits haven't tried/managed to get through yet.)
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Thank you!!
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sounds like goat fencing to me ...... 1.5 m high and reinforced at base :innocent:
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sounds like goat fencing to me ...... 1.5 m high and reinforced at base :innocent:
Surely goat fencing would also need stock mesh [member=26580]Backinwellies[/member] !?
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If running 2 different layers of mesh (as I did) best to have any overlap of the upper mesh behind (in-board of) the lower mesh - this will, theoretically, make it harder for animals (muntjac say) to prise the 2 layers apart to force a gap/squeeze-in between layers. This means installing the upper mesh run first !
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Thanks for this arobwk and everyone else. The kids are back at school on Tuesday so I can start making the phone calls and put the grant together. It’s for tree planting, so no more goats in these bits.
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Ah! If you are seeking a grant [member=28951]Steph Hen[/member] there will almost certainly be a particular spec' to be complied with.
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(Having a Spotify evening - they tend to go on beyond a sensible bed-time - it's so difficult to find that track to end a session on ! .....
So I've been idly looking at spec's for various fencing grants: rabbit mesh will almost certainly need to be the very top spec' - 18 gauge/1.2mm wired mesh.
and right now, St Germain "Sure Thing" and maybe I'll click on something from Little Dragon or Pink Martini before I go shut-eye :) :) )
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Thank you
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A number of years ago I had the task of culling the deer in a fenced woodland that was approx 100 acres.
I was putting the hours in and after several months it appeared that even when everything appeared to be going as planned, there were still deer appearing.
The noteworthy point was a lot of them had healed leg injuries.
What was happening, and this was a 2 metre high fence, was the roe deer were running around the outside, finding a high spot and using it as a point to jump from.
I saw roe jump the fence twice and was almost as surprised the second time as I was certain it would have been a one of the first time.
I suppose the point I'm making is we build fences, but nature always finds a way.