NANFA-- Electric Fences

Jeffrey Fullerton (tcmajorr_at_westol.com)
Sun, 25 Aug 2002 15:12:32 -0400

> Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2002 09:41:16 EDT
> From: IndyEsox_at_aol.com
> Subject: NANFA-- OT controlling nuisance raccoons
>

Electric fences work very well. You can even get solar charged battery
ones that do a good job. I had one protecting my ponds for a few years
before it gave up the ghost. Probably needs a new battery. Luckily I've
not had any unwelcome night visitors for a while- they seem to have
learned to steer clear and it takes them a while to figure out when the
system is down. Or else younger ones wander into the area and are not
aware of the fence.

With a solar powered model it's best to run it at night when raccoons
are active and turn it off to conserve battery strength during the day.
Also it might be prudent to get a spare battery and a charger so you
have a fully charged battery on hand in the event of a long period of
cloudy weather. Or you can get a convetional plug in fencer for backup -
and or when you go on vacation and can't monitor the fencer on a daily
basis.

One note of caution : electric fencers pack a nasty bite and can be
hazzardous to small children and folks with weak hearts. Conventional
models are strongest. Solar models hurt enough to deter large mammals,
but they are weaker. You have to keep track of weeds because solar
fences don't have weed burner features like conventional ones and will
quickly loose charge if they are grounded out.

Also fences with the weed burner may be a fire hazzard under certain
weather conditions.

I used braided plastic and metal wire on plastic fence posts with
multiple tiers to string the wire. I run the wire about 6 inches above
ground level the whole way around the pond area and then double back
along the middle of the post about a foot higher and then back again
along the top ending with a ceramic knob from an old fashioned cattle
fence on the end of my gate which gives coverage but allows me to open
it even without interrupting the flow of current. Still I usually turn
it off before I go up to the gate.

Last but most important item that I almost forgot was the grounding rod.
You need to pound a long peice of metal- either a grounding rod from the
farm store or rebar into the soil and hook a wire to it and attach to
the place on the fencer that is labled "Ground". This is necessary or
the fencer will eventually burn itself out.

Hope this will be of help to anyone trying to protect their ponds and
fish from raccoons and other predators.

Jeff

"If you seek purpose, employ your own sapience to look within yourself.
Your life has only one purpose, my dear, to be lived as you wish. Beware

anyone who claims otherwise : the mystic, the altruist, the
collectivist. One life isn't enough for him; he wants to live his own,
and yours as well".

Mister Thoggosh- "Forge of the Elders" -by L. Neil Smith.
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