All,
I've made a couple fences to protect my base camp and food stash. Easy, cheap, small and very lightweight.
I use an AN90 charger for my base camp and food stash- 4D cells. It lasts 2 weeks. It has more volts than the AN20 2 D cell type, but is a little bigger/heavier. I use both of my fences at my base camp so I'm not worried too much RE size. 1 fence around the main tent , 1 fence around the food stash. If you plan to backpack with your fence, then get the smaller AN20, 2 cell charger it is lighter. I believe you can also find lithium D cell batteries if you search the web, they are much lighter than standard D cells which are dry lead/acid.
I made my own fence "posts" from old 3/8" diameter carbon fiber target arrow shafts I cut them into 14" sections or so and linked them together using homemade ferrules, but you could buy fiberglass or aluminum tent rod and ferrules as an alternate. YES- I know carbon fiber and aluminum conduct electricty-- that is why I developed a modified way to hang my polywire from the posts.
You will definitely need a way to put an anchored line at each corner stake to keep the poles from leaning inward due to line tension. I use an extra plastic clip at the top of each pole and run a thin line to a stake or a piece of branch as a stake. Also, to keep your polywire or polytape from grounding to your fence posts, grab a handful of thin plastic zip-ties, then make a 2" loop with a zip tie, put one on each of the nylon poly wire hangers and run your polywire through that loop, this creates a "standoff/spacer" will keep your polywire further away from the carbon fiber arrow or aluminum arrow shafts. Need to do that because carbon fiber or aluminum is an excellent conductor and if your polywires or polytape short to the carbon fiber or aluminum, then your shock charge will be lost to ground and make your fence useless.
Components Overview:
How To Install An Electric Bear Fence
You can get most electric fence supplies at Premier1-- Premier 1
Hope this helps!
Best,
JL
I've made a couple fences to protect my base camp and food stash. Easy, cheap, small and very lightweight.
I use an AN90 charger for my base camp and food stash- 4D cells. It lasts 2 weeks. It has more volts than the AN20 2 D cell type, but is a little bigger/heavier. I use both of my fences at my base camp so I'm not worried too much RE size. 1 fence around the main tent , 1 fence around the food stash. If you plan to backpack with your fence, then get the smaller AN20, 2 cell charger it is lighter. I believe you can also find lithium D cell batteries if you search the web, they are much lighter than standard D cells which are dry lead/acid.
I made my own fence "posts" from old 3/8" diameter carbon fiber target arrow shafts I cut them into 14" sections or so and linked them together using homemade ferrules, but you could buy fiberglass or aluminum tent rod and ferrules as an alternate. YES- I know carbon fiber and aluminum conduct electricty-- that is why I developed a modified way to hang my polywire from the posts.
You will definitely need a way to put an anchored line at each corner stake to keep the poles from leaning inward due to line tension. I use an extra plastic clip at the top of each pole and run a thin line to a stake or a piece of branch as a stake. Also, to keep your polywire or polytape from grounding to your fence posts, grab a handful of thin plastic zip-ties, then make a 2" loop with a zip tie, put one on each of the nylon poly wire hangers and run your polywire through that loop, this creates a "standoff/spacer" will keep your polywire further away from the carbon fiber arrow or aluminum arrow shafts. Need to do that because carbon fiber or aluminum is an excellent conductor and if your polywires or polytape short to the carbon fiber or aluminum, then your shock charge will be lost to ground and make your fence useless.
Components Overview:
- "L" shaped Ground Rod made of bent 1/4" aluminum rod from Home Depot- about 12-16" long. **NOTE**-- Extremely dry ground will not provide a great ground path, same with a gravel sand bar if in AK. If you're on a gravel river shoal in AK or on parched, non-conductive ground you'll need to use both Hot wires AND Ground wires on your fence system. Or you can use "goat fence" style poly wire- but it's bulky and heavy and expensive.
- Poly wire- @Kevin Dill likes the wider, more obvious "polytape". He has to deal with grizzlies. I use the polywire for black bear since it packs up smaller. Either the Polytape or Polywire will be your conductive fence wire, it comes in 660ft rolls. You'll only use part of it. I run a 2 wire system, both wires are hot and the earth is my ground. I run the lower wire about 14" off the ground and the higher wire other around 30". My "Fence" posts/rods are about 40" long and I put them into the ground about 6-8". I installed small steel target points on them to make them easier to push into the soil.
- NOTE- I cut 2 pieces of foam pipe insulation about 1 ft long each and to store my wire, I wrap my wire around it like a reel. Lightweight, works great.
- Plastic line tensioners from any camping tent seller like REI to tension your poly wire and to tension your corner fence post guylines.
- Small metal carabiners so you can unclip your line and make a gate. BE SURE TO SAND OFF ANY PAINT OR CLEAR COAT. I used cheap, tiny carabiners from an online place. REI has also carries small ones used for keys- made of stainless steel. Pretty cool.
- Charger- I use a Speedright brand, AN-90 charger with 4 D cells batteries because it packs a stronger shock. Batteries will last about 2 weeks. Set the shock frequency to fast speed interval on the charger. You can also use the AN 20 with 2D cells, it's lighter but a little less shock.
- Batteries- I use Eveready D cells. I think you can find Lithium D cells online now, they'll be expensive but lighter weight. And if you get depressed during your hunt, you can eat them. [Lithium humor/joke]
- When I set up my fence, I'll break a 'Y' shaped branch off a tree, put a small 2" string loop on my charger and, then jam the branch in the ground and hang my charger off the Y branch inside the fence within arms length of the perimeter of my fence so I can arm/disarm it by reaching through the fence lines.
How To Install An Electric Bear Fence
You can get most electric fence supplies at Premier1-- Premier 1
- Polywire (get low ohm, thin, lightweight wire): Polywire
- (or) Polytape: Polytape
- Fence Post Wire "clips", these clip perfectly to 3/8 inch indoor target arrows- 3/8" Fibertuff Clips
- (smaller) AN20 Charger- 2 D Cells-- AN20 Charger
- (larger/stronger) AN90 charger- 4 D Cells- https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/speedrite-an90-energizer?cat_id=245&option_id[0]=46
Hope this helps!
Best,
JL
