Elk have the reputation of being hard on fences, and it's the cows with calves that are the culprits. Adults and yearlings can jump just about any livestock fence, but the calves cannot, so the cows break down fences so that their calves can cross.
is correct, but should add that some cows and half-grown calves will hit the top strand as they go over - will break or pull it loose over time. They are creatures of habit and tend to use the same routes, so it's easy to know where to look for breaks. The only times I have seen a bull hit a fence is when hit and trying to flee - but running out of power.
Our place is heavy elk country and we devote quite a bit of time (like yesterday afternoon) to repairing fences - need to keep the cattle out of here when ranchers are grazing the forest leases.
I have found that two things help: 1. Doubling the top strand of barbed wire in most vulnerable places (and tying on small pieces of colored ribbon); 2. Installing "jumps" at the locations where they habitually cross fences. To do this, I either drop or eliminate the top strand and place a thin-walled steel or heavy PVC pipe (white, if possible) over the lowered top strand. So far, this does not seem to let cattle in. Sometimes I create a small opening close to the ground for small elk calves.
In one way a nuisance - in another, we get to watch many of these amazing creatures.
