How Much Private Land Is Fenced In?

[Crusader]

Hi guys,

My buddy and I will be antelope hunting in NE Wyoming next month on public land during rifle season. Have done lots of research, obtained maps, GPS chip, etc., and we're in the process of putting together a game plan of where we think we'd want to hunt. Given that all the public land is bordered at some point by private land, I was curious, is it common that private land out there is fenced? What would be your estimate, percentage-wise, on how much of the private land is fenced?

Thanks for your input.

 

[Rich M]

Both public and private is fenced. Hard to differentiate which is which without help.

Typically the game will be on the private side. The older antelope know that the fence means no-one bugging them. It is uncanny. I went in 2017 and watched the antelope hiding from the vehicles on opening day - amazing.

Get the OnX chip or download to your phone. Makes a big diff.

Have a great time!

 

[FURMAN]

Fences are absolutely not a way to distinguish boundaries in the west.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[ClearCreek]

NO, there will not be a fence down every private land-public land boundary. And, in some cases if there is a fence, it may not be on the actual boundary that distinguishes public and private lands. Fences can be built where it is easier to build the fence rather than on the boundary, so it can be numerous yards off the boundary.

OnX can help.

ClearCreek

 

[Fishforfun]

Very high likelihood of fencing. Equally high likelihood it is NOT an accurate representation of the public/private border. Unfortunately the burden is on is to know if we are not trespassing. OnX has been helpful with that and last I heard, WY G&F uses it to determine borders.

 

[bmf0713]

There will be fences running through the middle of public land and no fence on the border of private. It’s kinda weird. OnX is very helpful. You can cross through gates on public land, just make sure you put them back like you found them. Antelope do not like to jump fences, I don’t think they can. Use that to your advantage if they are running around from other hunter’s pressure.

 

[timbrhuntr]

. Antelope do not like to jump fences, I don’t think they can. Use that to your advantage if they are running around from other hunter’s pressure.

They have no problem jumping fences in Montana !

 

[RosinBag]

I have seen antelope jump fences all the time and at full speed or walking up to them. And all the time.

 

[bmf0713]

They have no problem jumping fences in Montana !

I’m sure they can. The ones I witnessed in Wyoming would not jump a fence though. They would get to the fence and just run along side of it and the does acted like they were scared of it and didn’t know what to do when they got to it. I’ve only hunted antelope a couple times but we saw a lot of them and that seemed to be the trend.

 

[ClearCreek]

Old wives tale about antelope not jumping a fence. They jump fences all the time, but usually will try to go under if they can, of course woven wire fences prevent from going under the fence.

ClearCreek

 

[Fishforfun]

Antelope definitely prefer to not jump fences. Will they do it? Of course. But not nearly as easily or quickly as deer. I have seen them do it, but 99% of the time they prefer to put distance between you and them by running down the fence line. If that doesn’t work, then under is their next step. I’ve seen them run a 1/4+ mile to not jump a fence but just run along it.

 

[bmf0713]

When we first started going to wyoming a local guy i talked to said they wont jump a fence. Me and my friends thought he was crazy because we live in iowa and see whitetail deer jump fences like nothing. Then we saw like 50 antelope just running around in circles the first day. Then we cleaned our first one and saw how little of muscle was on their front legs and thought maybe they just weren't that good at it.

 

[All American Boy]

They will jump a fence, but usually go under. I've seen them lie on their side and kick to get under a barb wire fence in about 2 seconds. Crazy fast at that

Don't rely on fences. They are a maze and some land doesn't have it. Use Onx!!!

 

[Crusader]

Thanks for the replies, guys. We've got OnX maps/chip. I just figured that occasionally seeing a fence at least "in the ballpark" of the actual boundary as indicated by the software would be helpful as a visual indicator and was curious as to how common they are.

 

[ClearCreek]

OnX has been helpful with that and last I heard, WY G&F uses it to determine borders.

Would you explain what you mean by "WY G&F uses it to determine borders"?

ClearCreek

 

[Fishforfun]

Would you explain what you mean by "WY G&F uses it to determine borders"?

ClearCreek

It’s been a few years but in some disputes between hunters and landowners the G&F were using OnX on GPS to resolve if there was trespassing. It’s not uncommon for some outfitters to over state what is private land and attempt to push off hunters on public land.