Creating a Wildlife Freindly Fence

Photo of bison jumping fence by Henry Holdsworth

We share Jackson Hole with many different species of wildlife and some are unique to this area. Certain animals such as elk and deer migrate between the mountains and the valley floor. Others live as year-round residents on ranchlands or in river bottom corridors.

Property evaluation
Questions to consider: What kind of fence do I need? Location? Type? What function will the fence serve? Do I need to contain livestock?

There are a few things to consider when planning your fencing project. Fences are used for a variety of purposes: to delineate a property boundary, to contain livestock or pets, to prevent trespassing, to enclose gardens and barns. There are many options available to meet these needs. The graphic shown here shows a wood fence with gaps and lay-down rails in the animal travel corridor, a discontinuous fence on the property line, and special purpose fences enclosing only those areas requiring them.

Here are some fencing ideas that meet the needs of both landowners and wildlife:

  • Use natural vegetation in the form of trees, bushes and gardens to delineate property boundary instead of a fence.
  • If the fence is strictly aesthetic, try a low post and rail fence that wildlife can easily jump.
  • Consider fencing only a portion of your property as a child’s play area, dog run or to protect a garden from wildlife. In this case use a tall fence that will not allow wildlife to enter. Wooden plank fences, chain link, or wire mesh fences with toprails work well for these purposes.
  • The height of the toprail should be no higher than 38-40 inches.
  • If wire is desired, only use smooth wire and make sure the bottom wire is at least 16 inches off the ground to allow young animals and antelope to pass under.
  • Choose a post and rail fence over a buck n’ rail fence, which is generally too tall and too wide for wildlife to navigate.
  • Use fencing to enhance a wildlife corridor by using different kinds of fence for different purposes.

Fences act as barriers, and can lead to needless wildlife deaths – something that most people would work to prevent if they could. So what is the "ideal" fence? From wildlife’s standpoint, it is one that can be seen (and not run into) and one that can be leapt over or scurried under without injury.

Here are some fencing ideas that meet the needs of both landowners and wildlife. There are a few things to consider when planning your fencing project. Fences are used for a variety of purposes: to delineate a property boundary, to contain livestock or pets, to prevent trespassing, and to enclose gardens and barns. There are many options available to meet these needs. The graphic shown here shows a wood fence with gaps and lay-down rails in the animal travel corridor, a discontinuous fence on the property line, and special purpose fences enclosing only those areas requiring them.

Evaluating existing fences
You may wish to work with existing fences, but they may need some simple alterations to make them wildlife friendly

  • If you are only using a buck n’rail fence during the summer months to contain livestock, drop the rails every 400’ during the winter months to allow animals a way to pass through.
  • If you have a barbed wire fence, be sure to keep the posts upright and the wire taught and in good condition; considering replacing the top wire with a wooden top rail to prevent wildlife from becoming entangled and to help make the fence more visible. As maintenance demands require replacement wire, use smooth wire instead of barbed wire.

Water Considerations
Fenced waterways can lead to the deaths of large waterfowl such as trumpeter swans, great blue herons and sandhill cranes by blocking critical take-off and landing paths. Swans need at least 100 unobstructed feet to take-off. Swan losses due to fence-related deaths have taken a toll on the struggling population of trumpeter swans in Jackson Hole that already teeters dangerously close to being listed as an endangered species.

  • Highly visible fences with wooden top rails help trumpeter swans avoid hitting fences.
  • Avoid the use of barbed wire at all costs. If no other alternative is available put a plastic PVC sleeve on sections of each strand of wire for better visibility. If all else fails, even the use of inexpensive florescent flagging tied onto the fence will help.

Download a pdf copy of the Wildlife Foundation’s Fencing Resource Notebook.