Perimeter Fencing...

outwardjourney · #1 10/15/14, 12:43 PM

Hello all, I did a search and felt I still needed to ask this as I couldn't find an answer for what I needed.

I am looking to buy some land in Virginia relatively soon. However, the properties we are looking at are NOT fenced. There are several reasons for that I am sure, but the biggest is size. We are looking at a property that is about 20 acres however it does not have a fence.

The reason we're wanting to put up a fence is because the property is right in the middle of logging country and we don't want any "accidental" encroachment from the loggers and such.

The other reason is because we currently live out of the state and there are some potentially historical areas on the property that we'd like to protect as best as we can being several states away.

Can you guys give me some ideas on the cheapest fence for just perimeter control? We will not have farm animals or anything of that nature, however we would not want to disrupt the natural wildlife if possible. There are also two small creek branches that come through, nothing that is remotely navigable, just a spring fed creek branch. It's less than 2ft wide and only several inches deep. I assume I can fence over that area?

Thanks

cappy · #2 10/15/14, 01:10 PM

First of all, any fence will disrupt the natural wildlife. You can put openings in the fence that will help funnel wildlife through. Look for games trails and locate the openings near them. Fences don't mean a lot if there is no one watching them. Even if you live on the property people will cross or cut fences if they want access to the fenced area. Here in SC the logging companies are pretty good about staying off property that they do not have permission to harvest. Sure, there are some rogues but the respectable larger companies mark off the area and stay within the logging area. As long as you don't interfere with the flow of the creeks you should be ok fencing over, but be aware the fence could trap debris and cause a blockage if it is not monitored, especially after spring thaw or heavy rain. You didn't say what the property is (fields, swamp, woods, hills, etc) but by the logger comment, I "assume" it is wooded, so that would make fencing difficult without clearing a fence line. You might consider using the limbs you cut to construct the fence, otherwise you are talking a pretty good expense for normal fencing material. If you want to preserve the historical areas you might consider just fencing around them instead of the whole property. You could use field fence or welded wire or just high tensile wire. Make sure any wire fence you erect is marked with flags of some sort so any wildlife is aware of the fence.

Ken

dizzy · #3 10/15/14, 01:56 PM

If you're not worried about keeping anything in, but just want to mark the perimeter of your property, see what you have growing there. If you have any red cedar, catalpa or black locust, gather up a bunch of dead saplings or good sized branches from any of those 3. Use them as fence posts to mark where your property line goes, then run either baling twine or cheap clothes line to show where the properly line is. As long as you do it low enough, it shouldn't be a problem for wildlife.

outwardjourney · #4 10/15/14, 02:01 PM

Yes, the property is completely wooded. Clearing an area would be the first project. I was able to see where the loggers have come up to the property line. I suspect they're a larger outfit as it seems that they replant pines once they're logged. And tend to do a decent job when operating. The trees on the property we are looking into are mostly hardwoods. I suspect they'd know the difference.

Thank you, I didn't think about debris build up on the creek. I may leave those areas open for animals.

outwardjourney · #5 10/15/14, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dizzy

If you're not worried about keeping anything in, but just want to mark the perimeter of your property, see what you have growing there. If you have any red cedar, catalpa or black locust, gather up a bunch of dead saplings or good sized branches from any of those 3. Use them as fence posts to mark where your property line goes, then run either baling twine or cheap clothes line to show where the properly line is. As long as you do it low enough, it shouldn't be a problem for wildlife.

I was actually considering using something of that nature. We intend to clean out the area near the historical areas and clear an area for other use while we are there and taking that wood to use for posts. I'd like a full fence, but as cappy said, it may be limited on security so a basic perimeter line that's flagged may help make people aware of private property.

From what our realtor has told us, the other half of the original plot of land was sold to a rancher. I need to contact the realtor again because he was trying to find out if he's fencing his side of the property as he mentioned possibly building a horse ranch. I believe it's Virginia law that he has to fence his property if he has animals.

Wolf mom · #6 10/15/14, 04:45 PM

Is the property corners staked?? That's important to be able to fence in your land.

Since you said it's treed, you can run 3 or 4 wire fencing stapled to the trees. Run the wires across/above the stream. That's the cheapest. If so, I'd sure post it. (put up signs). 4 ft high will not impede animals - they'll either go under the bottom wire or jump over the top one. If you are worried about the trees growing around the wire, nail a vertical board to the tree, then staple the wire to that.
If you don't want critters tearing up your fencing when they jump, you can loosen the top wire in their path and connect it with the second wire with a length (5 ft +/-)of PVC piping - slit the piping from end to end & slip it over both wires. It's done a lot around here for the elk.

Rectifier · #7 10/15/14, 05:43 PM

Single wire electric. 14Ga wire, post every 50ft. Cost ~$100 for the wire, $20 insulators, $2 ratchet tensioner. Learn to tie the figure 8 wire knot and don't bother buying overpriced splices.
Nail the insulators to the trees where you can to save on posts and use trees for your corners (they are stronger than any fence brace). Less mess than when barb wire grows into the trees, and the float of the insulators allows the wire to move, prolonging the life of the "fence".

Don't bother energizing it until you get livestock

With the addition of a $60 charger, this fence will even contain a couple of well-trained cows!

cappy · #8 10/15/14, 05:46 PM

If you have mostly hardwoods and it is old growth, you might consider having a logging company clear some of the land for you. I had a client that was in your position and she made a nice bit of change from the harvest of her land. She walked the woods with a company rep and marked the trees for them to cut. They clear cut some and it created a pasture to graze cattle that she then sold to market. Just something to think about for the future.

Ken

driftwood · #9 10/15/14, 06:44 PM

i would paint trees on property lines first year,second year would put posted signs.......one strand of fence is considered posted in wv. tree branchs won't work for fence post.

crazyfarm · #10 10/16/14, 09:50 AM

I'm wondering why you'd buy property several states away from where you live. Do you intend to move there eventually or what is the purpose of this?

PlowGirl · #11 10/16/14, 11:46 AM

Please do not use baling twine , clothes line , poly wire electric or other very flexible materials for strand fencing. These are simply not sturdy enough and will get knocked loose/down by weather and animals. There is a real likelihood that wildlife can become ensnared. If you are going to go to the effort and expense a well constructed fence is cheaper in the long run.

idigbeets · #12 10/16/14, 12:22 PM

If you are several states away... I wouldn't bother. No fence is going to keep people(trespassers) out without someone around to shoo them off. hunters, loggers, thieves, and what not.. .will just hop over it, or take it down.. hell in some areas if you use high tensile, they cut it and take the wire for scrap.

big rockpile · #13 10/16/14, 09:27 PM

Here in Missouri we have Purple Paint Law just go along with purple boundary paint,paint a strip 5 foot up on the trees on the line,same as fence.

big rockpile

motdaugrnds · #14 10/17/14, 05:35 PM

I have read somewhere that here in Virginia, a shiny silver paint vertically put about 5 ft up from ground and being 3-4 inches wide works well as a tresspassing deterrent. If it were my acreage and I didn't want to fence just yet, I would take several colors of weather-proof paint (silver and hunter orange) and mark every single tree I valued that ran all arond the parameter of my acreage.

mrs whodunit · #15 10/17/14, 06:37 PM

Couple of strands of barb wire wont deter wildlife. Everything will go under of over it except for a bear...... they just go through it. Occasionally, moose will also go through a fence.

In our state orange every so many feet is a poperty marker

bergere · #16 10/18/14, 09:51 AM

I am slowly fencing my place with cattle panels and hot wire. Have problems with some dog hunters allowing their animals to run and harm my livestock..... also dislike being shot at, when I am outside working or feeding said animals, on My property.

Do expect the ill mannered hunters (not the good ones) to cut any fence you put up.

simi-steading · #17 10/18/14, 09:58 AM

If you are only wanting to keep people out, then just use silver paint on the trees that are on your property line, then put up POSTED signs.. It's a LOT cheaper than putting up fence.

Fencing is a lot of work to maintain... If you aren't there, fences and silver paint and posted signs only keep the honest people honest.. If someone wants to get on your property, they will, and if they gotta take out fences to do it, it's going to do nothing but cost you money and aggravation..

Here's how to post and mark your property in VA.. http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting...teproperty.asp

JoePa · #18 10/18/14, 06:08 PM

Yes - like SS said - just post the border of the land - putting up a fence when your not around is a waste of time and money -

DEKE01 · #19 10/19/14, 12:19 AM

in some states, like Florida, their is a legal definition for "legal fencing". In FL, that means at least 3 strands of wire and a few other conditions depending on the type of fence. Without legal fence, trespassing is a misdemeanor that will get you a ticket only if the warden/cop is a personal witness. Trespass with a gun of any type across a legal fence is a felony which wardens/cops will go after. So once I got my border fence erected, poaching on my farm went down to almost nothing.

AmericanStand · #20 10/19/14, 08:56 AM

Paint wont even stop UNintentional trespass.

Of course nothing will stop intentional trespass just look at the bank vaults that have been broken into!

Paint is easy and cheep but think about when you are in the forest. head down tracking, looking for mushrooms Etc.
For what you have in mind I think Id use the wide electric tape , Easy to see and fairly cheep. Makes a continuous but flimsy barrier back it up with the paint color for your state.