Elk-Proof Fence That Works!

 

 

Traditional Elk Fencing. Most elk fencing used in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado and throughout the West measures 7’-8’ tall. Past experience stipulated that going to greater heights or electrifying the fence was the best way to elk and deer out of a designated area. Federal and state agencies use high fences to protect highway frontage, pastures, and elected land. This fencing can be expensive, time consuming and difficult to install, and may not be ascetically appealing for homeowners.

Elk Proof with Double Fence. We have another fence design that is simple, well designed, long lasting,  environmentally friendly,  and attractive. It is a barrier that offers another path toward elk and deer proofing your precious landscaping and gardens. No tall fencing is needed, just smarter fencing. Simply, it consists of two fences – four feet tall and four feet apart.

 

Our first attempt to create a garden for our family gave us plenty of wildlife experiences - but no vegetables. The rabbits, gophers and especially deer and elk destroyed the plants before they grew large enough to ripen. Sometimes the elk would just walk around in the garden, tasting everything, and never actually eating anything. They trampled everything, thus ruining hard work in our garden. The first attempt at garden fencing was a 4 ft tall vintage, looped wire design. It was beautiful, but useless when it came to elk.

 

Our bedroom overlooked the flower and vegetable garden, so we kept our window slightly ajar and listened for the invaders throughout the night. Using this technique, we harvested plenty of sleep deprivation, and gained an education into the nocturnal habits of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni).

Observing these large, horse-sized creatures trying to enter the garden always followed a precise well-learned process, and was usually instigated by cow (female) elk. Below are the methods they use:

 

Sizing up the fence. First the elk push against the fence. This tells the elk how tall and how sturdy the fence is built. Elk prefer to enter a garden or yard by simply muscling their way into the structure. It's safer for them and they aren't as likely to get tangled in wire or fencing material. If the fence is not extremely strong (which many are not) this is a fastest way for the large creatures to get to potential food.

 

Fence Jumping. If the elk are unsuccessful at pushing a fence down, they will attempt to jump from a standing position. The jump is usually easy for them, even at heights of 6 feet or more. Watching these creatures jump a fence looks quite effortless. In reality, they jump only after careful consideration and sizing up the height and width. If they have jumped the fence in the past, elk biologists have told me that the animals have a way of remembering it. As they jump, many elk will “tap” the top of a fence line with a hind foot when they jump. When I heard this, I watched them closely, and many elk certainly do tap fences, especially the cows. Experts believe their brains “remember” each fence in their territory and store its height for reference when fleeing predators.

 

Repeated process. Each night, the elk started their practiced routine: pushing, bumping, leaning, and finally jumping into forbidden area. The elk would enter and exit the garden on the same side, always on the farthest side from the house.

 

Think Outside the Fence. After reading a pioneer Alaskan’s advice on moose fencing, and watching the elk purge our garden night after night, we decided to add another fence outside of the original garden fence. We outlined the fence so that it was 4 feet away from the first one. It was made from cedar poles with 3 rails, measuring about the same height, 48 inches. The results were immediate and unfailing. We had one elk purge the garden fence in 5 years. We left the gate open and she was actually “trapped” between the 2 fences.

 

Size Matters. Elk do not like being restrained in small spaces. They will enter a small area if they can quickly escape - but as prey animals, if they cannot flee, they do not feel. This  game animal behavior is the basis for the double fence design. Our specifications are below. 

 

I   Install the 48-52” high inside fence first. This fence works best if it is made of livestock wire. Our garden was 25 feet square (25’ x 25’ x 25’ x 25’). We do this because we can         purchase a 100 foot roll of fencing. You could have some left over. You will nee to plan ahead for a gate and we left the tops of posts high - up to 72” tall. These tall posts create        nice spaces for bird houses, gathering baskets and other garden décor. 

 

Measure 4 feet from inside fence, and then install the outside fence. (We originally determined this space with one of our horses as a model, standing her between the proposed outside and inside fences. She’s a big mare, and 4 feet was tight for her, so we decided to use the dimensions for our fence separation).

 

 Use split cedar, three-rail or wooden slats for outside fence. This fence should be minimum 48” tall. The tops of the 6 foot posts should be set at about 50”, placing them about 22” deep. Pack and tamp them well. The sturdiness of the posts is crucial. Elk will not jump into the alleyway that is created between the two fences and therefore do not get into your garden.

 

Garden Access. We took an extra step and created a walk-through arbor into the garden with a gate at the second fence. We never had an elk able to walk into the from arbor.

Important Note: if your two fences are different, elk pay better attention to them. I believe they view them as two obstacles instead of one.

 

Prettiest Wire Fence. I love vintage style wire fences, especially the double looped, cottage style, garden wire that surrounds old homes in small towns. Many gardeners are re-stretching the old wire and buying reproduction wire from new manufacturers. The double loop design can be important because the bottom half of the wire is smaller and will discourage rabbits and large rodents. 

 

Updated and republished from 2013

C Haese, copyright 2024