fence question

[ranger4327]

can i use live standing trees as part of my electric fence system? is there any reason i shouldnt?

thanks !!

[Cindy in KY]

We had a $200 solar fence charger, and we could not use live trees with it. It would ground out and spark. Even tree stumps cut off would not work. We had to make plastic holders that stuck out far from the stumps to hold the wires. Or you can try the thick black plastic water pipes or old hoses to insulate the wire from the arch of the tree stump. Split them, put wire inside, and tape back up. Old hoses work great to take your wires over gates, around corners, etc.

You can see all the sparks at night when it is dark.

[tinknal]

It's a bad idea. Since it is unlikely that you will be able to keep the fence in a straight line you will never be able to keep the fence tight. I would spend the time and money to do it right.

[genebo]

I used a lot of live trees in my electric fence. At first, I simply nailed plastic insulators to the trees, but after 4 or 5 years, the fastest growing trees crushed some insulators and they had to be replaced.

Then, I started nailing insulators to strips of 1x2 board, which I nailed to the trees with 2 nails. I used long nails and didn't drive them all the way in. Years later, all these are still in good shape. If any nails pulled through the boards, just add 2 new nails.

It's cheap, easy and effective.

A drawback is if you leave the nails in the tree, they can ruin a chainsaw blade. Loggers don't like you doing it.

You can even do it with field fencing, using the longest staples and driving them in loosely. You can still stretch the field fence through the staples.

Sometimes it's the only solution. My woods consisted of huge trees, so close together that cutting a clear path for fencing would have taken more effort that it was worth. Many of the trees already had boundary markers attached to them and were part of the legal description of my property!

You couldn't cut those trees down and according to law, if you put your fence inside them you ceded the property on the other side of your fence to the other owner. If you put your fence outside the tree line you were encroaching on his land. So running it right on the boundary, using the boundary trees, was the perfect solution that we both liked.

[myersfarm]

if you put fence to trees your going to get more falling limbs on fence

[SCRancher]

I use live trees in my woods - I prefer wood posts driven in however some times it was just not as convenient as using trees. I use
http://www.kencove.com/fence/Wood+Po...detail_IPL.php
both on my wood posts and on the trees. The biggest problem I have had so far is a batch of screws that I bought that keep breaking the heads off after they have been in the tree for a year.

I have one section that is totally supported by trees and step in fiberglass posts because I have not been able to get my tractor into the area due to the ongoing fight with the beavers who keep flooding the area making it impassable for my tractor.

[CesumPec]

Joel Salatin uses a single strand of electric about a foot off the ground to hold his pigs in wooded areas. The plastic insulators are tied to the tree with twine because he knows that one day he or his son will likely be making lumber from those trees and wants to leave no nails. Also he moves the pigs every few months so that they can a find supplemental food and root up and fertilize a new patch of woods.

I've got some acreage in planted pine, half mile long straight rows. When my herd expands enough to need those areas as silvopasture, I will use the trees as fence posts. I use a block of scrap wood, held with a single nail, to keep the wire from growing into the tree.

[SteveO]

I do if there is a tree in the line. Check the Kencove site they have a screw in eye bolt with a built in insulator. For those larger trees get some tubing from the box stores and use it to insulate the wire. Also get a charger that really packs a punch . Otherwise as you wind thru the trees you will not be able to find the short
And no don't ask me how i know this.
I actually prefer trees if they are not coming out because of rot or? they will outlast any post I could buy. And either way you still have to deal with the falling limbs
But the one make that 2 things I did wrong.
GET a charger with a remote and
2 get a meter that can tell you the direction of the fault as well as the Zapping power. Mine us running at 7400 volts down from the 9300 right out of the box. I never thought a 800 lb cow could sqeal and jump back 3 ft at the same time but she did.

And clean a path at least 4 ft wide through the undergrowth you will be walking it once a week until all the bugs are out of your system.

Sign me
75% fenced and only 4k ft to go
Steve

[ranger4327]

i only plan on using trees as posts for convenience... I dont have a tractor at the moment nor a gas powered auger, so wanted to take advantage of what existed allready....the initial fencing is somewhat permanent for now.....

i got so many questions still..... be patient !!!! :-)

[topside1]

Ranger I use trees all the time. Take SteveO's advice and use the screw in eye bolts. If you need a photo I'll provide you with one. Don't screw it into the tree all the way otherwise the tree will engulf the bolt quickly with growth. I hand tighten my electric wire runs and also use those ratcheting devices to help tighten. Electric fencing is only used to intimidate livestock, not to hold them in....I really like electric, simple to work with. I run 14 gauge aluminum wire....Topside