Keeping Cattle out of Feeders

[Okie4Life]

I hunt a little 80-acres that I have sole permission to hunt. I have been deer hunting this place for about 10-yrs free. Seems every year there is a different ranchers leasing it. None of them have had a problem with me hunting, in fact some years we have never crossed paths.

Anyways, due to pathetic forage conditions this years, the rancher is running cattle back into the tree'ed area I hunt.
I don't usually put a feeder but thought it might be a good idea this year.

Have any of you guys put a solar powered electric fence around your feeders? I know they keep cattle in on a wheat field, but I;m not sure it will hold up to a 1200+ cow when there is a pile of corn behind it.

any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[Kingmarine]

I have not tried this but have considered it. I have been told it would work however. I am purchasing a feeder this year to set up next year and have done a lot of research on the matter.

What I am going to end up doing since we hunt private property but the neighbors cows always manage to get on our land, I am going to set up a barbed wire fence around the area I plan to feed. In an attempt to be inexpensive I am going to use some of the trees for the main supports around where I plan to feed with some T-posts for any runs between trees that are necessary.

Just an idea for you.

 

[Parks 788]

We do pretty much wat King' mentioned. In the woods we just put up barbed wire in a big square and use trees a each of the corners.with a tripod feeder our square is probably several hundred Square feet area. no cow problem and the turkey and deer cand get in. Doesn't stop the occasional black bear though.

 

[r00s7a]

Have any of you guys put a solar powered electric fence around your feeders? I know they keep cattle in on a wheat field, but I;m not sure it will hold up to a 1200+ cow when there is a pile of corn behind it. any thoughts or suggestions?

I do just that and rarely have I ever had a problem. Earlier this year I did have to ran a yearling out from under the feeder, but it was partly my fault. The hot wire had too much slack in it, so it was under knee high and he just stepped over it. I use 4 tposts and tilt them outward pretty good so you can put some tension on the hot wire that is on the inside of the posts. Cattle don't seem too determined to get through to the corn in my experience, it isn't like trying to keep a bull out of a pasture full of heifers.

 

[bigcountryok]

I just built a pen out of barbwire. I use landscape timbers (get the cheap culls from hardware store) in concrete (once again, discount torn bags at hardware store) on the corners and use posts I made from cedar trees every 6ft. I use three strands of wire from mid shin to about waist high. Make sure you get the wire good and tight. If you have hogs in the area then that's a whole different issue. After that you have to deal with the racoons.

Good luck. Don't hesitate to ask questions.

 

[swcu_21]

We have electric fence around our feeder, 2 wires of braided nylon electric and haven't had any issues. As long as there is enough moisture to shock them most cow respect electric, just wish the turkeys did. Make sure there is none landing a foot or two from the edge of the fence, that might give them too much incentive to try it.

 

[dlbleak]

go out to atwoods and get the hog panels that are 16 feet long and 5 foot high. t-post them in a triangle and viola,no more cattle. the deer can clear the 5 foot fine,but if you want to make it more easy for the deer,take the top foot to a foot and a half off with bolt cutters. the panels are about 17 bucks and i bet you can come up with t-posts,good luck.

 

[jalapeno]

got 4 of the solar panel hot wires running right now on the lease. we use them to keep the cattle out of the food plots we plant for deer. they work very well. the hog panels work well too have used them in the past. the only down side to the solar boxes is they need sunlight so in a heavly wooded area they may not get charged enough.

 

[Bowhunter]

I've dealt with cattle all season on a new lease of mine. I've had a ton of fence torn down. The trick i've found is the fence must be 4 strands, very tight and a t-post ever 8 ft. Seems a little to late for you to do anything now. If I was you, I would start spreading corn in the area you will hunt the hardest. 1 bag can go a long ways. Cattle cant eat the stuff spread out, they are misssing a mandible in their mouth to pick up small things such as corn. My plan is to spread about 500 lbs. 2 days before rifle. Good luck in what ever you decide to do.

 

[OK Quail Hunter]

I have never used barbed wire or hot wire, but have used the hog panel method before and it worked without a problem. They do make a panel that is only about 3' tall but they can be tough to find at times. The main thing is to make sure that it is secured well enough to withstand cattle rubbing on it.