Electric fencing can keep foraging black bears out of bee hives, chicken coops and fruit orchards.
Dale Klotz, a representative of Gallagher Fencing, displayed fencing configurations Wednesday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds during a workshop sponsored by the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension.
Klotz told 15 attendees that backyard fences can be electrified by solar panels, batteries or 110-volt electric current. Fences should be low-amp, high-voltage, he said. An effective fence should carry a minimum of 6,000 volts.
“A bear will try a fence once, maybe twice, but they learn,” he said, “It won’t kill them. It won’t kill a rabbit.”
A solar-powered electric fence costs $200 to $250 an acre, he said.
During a give-and-take discussion with Klotz at the beginning of the program, participants proved to know a lot about bears and the damage they cause.
Jack Peterson, who has fruit trees and bees to pollinate them in the Hermosa area, said an electric fence he installed after a Gallagher presentation two years ago has been effective.
“The electric fence is the only way to go,” said Peterson, who protects 3 of his 6 acres with a fence.
Peggy Morris, who has an electric fence around a couple of beehives at her Grandview home, is looking to the future.
“I’m going to get more bees,” Morris said, “So I’m interested in what is available in fencing.”
Taffy Johnson said bears didn’t start showing up at her orchard in the Animas Valley until about 20 years ago. She had no problems for 10 years before that, she said.
Johnson keeps bears away from cherry, apple, apricot, plum and peach trees with 6-foot fence and shock boxes powered by a 110-volt electrical system.
“It was very interesting,” Johnson said. “I learned something about system maintenance, and I found I need a heavier wire.”
Bryan Peterson, who founded Bear Smart Durango in 2003 to educate the public about living in bear country, said his organization is pushing for electric fencing for small, backyard ranchers who have bees or chickens.
Bear Smart and Colorado Parks and Wildlife are collaborating on a program to help 20 La Plata County residents with the expense of installing electric fencing, Peterson said.
The aid would be in the form of a $100 rebate on the purchase of hardware or $100 of equipment, he said.
daler@durangoherald.com
