I guess this is a dumass question. Can Elk jump a regular fence. We see them now and again on our deer lease. There is a place down in a steep draw, the fence is down. I figure they come and go through that place. I didn't think Aoudads could jump a fence until last deer season, when I saw a couple hop right over.
I have a game camera down in that draw. I have the usual game passing through that break in the fence, but no Elk. So, I'm wondering if the Elk can jump a fence? I've walked-ridden the rest of the lease, no breaks.
A healthy adult elk can clear a 6 foot fence...and maybe higher.
Two years ago I watched a large bull jump a blowdown that was 6 ft high and easily 6ft across--he didn't even disturb the 4-6 inches of fresh powder snow on top of the logs......
Casey
Casey
Not being married to any particular political party sure makes it a lot easier to look at the world more objectively... Having said that, MAGA.
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.
Ben
Some days it takes most of the day for me to do practically nothing...
Yes and if they don't like the fence they just take it out!! Cheers NC
How true.......
35 years ago we fed deer and elk on our ranch for the CPW during a harsh winter. When a recent Left Coast Refugee moved nearby and let his dogs run on our property--and chase the wildlife and our livestock--I had to go on a canine shooting spree. One evening when one of the Refugee's dogs were circling about 150 head of elk on our place, I was compelled to shoot the offending dog.
Needless to say the 150 head of elk lined out and headed straight for the Refugee's place--taking out every fence he had
I had to fix my own fence too but it was worth it..........
Casey
Casey
Not being married to any particular political party sure makes it a lot easier to look at the world more objectively... Having said that, MAGA.
Easily, although in a panic they will simply go through. Cookie dropped a cow years back with a single round and the group stood around and went back to foraging. When we finally stood to get to work, they took out about 60 yds of 4-string barbed wire. Went in and repaired it the next day.
Yes and if they don't like the fence they just take it out!! Cheers NC
How true.......
35 years ago we fed deer and elk on our ranch for the CPW during a harsh winter. When a recent Left Coast Refugee moved nearby and let his dogs run on our property--and chase the wildlife and our livestock--I had to go on a canine shooting spree. One evening when one of the Refugee's dogs were circling about 150 head of elk on our place, I was compelled to shoot the offending dog.
Needless to say the 150 head of elk lined out and headed straight for the Refugee's place--taking out every fence he had
I had to fix my own fence too but it was worth it..........
My experience is that the situation dictates whether an elk jumps a fence or takes it out.
Used to work on a ranch that, at times, had over 1,000 head of elk on it. Fixed a lot of fence behind them.
What I saw was if elk were pressured, they would often run right through a fence. If not, they would jump it like it wasn't there. Cows, calves, bulls, didn't matter.
When elk take out a fence, we'd refer to it as an elk-kill. Because when they took one out, it was usually at least a couple hundred yards of fence destroyed and often the fence would be a quarter mile into the pasture.
Buddy's Ranch down in Coleman, TX borders a high fence Ranch with about 40 head of Elk with some really nice Bulls. Twice I've seen those elk jump the high fence over into the Buddy's Ranch.
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
I've also watched them actually climb a fence ... hoof over hoof on the strands. Which, if it's wire strung on wood posts, yanks out the steeples. Not so much on steel ... those fences act more like ladders.
I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it myself ... more than once.
"Don't let so much reality into your life that there's no room left for dreaming"
A lot of ranches that have elk or migrating elk, have drop fences that are held to the post with wire or wire clips. They drop the fence in late fall after stock is moved off.Cheaper than building new fence.Some ranches with NF grazing leases that put in drift fences may be required to drop them. I'm not 100% positive about that though.
If God wanted you to walk and carry things on your back, He would not have invented stirrups and pack saddles
Yes. Aware of some public land fences border the Idaho side of Hells Canyon that are rigged to be dropped. Also beneficial where blowing snow can put heavy pressure on them.
One way of making a drop fence that's fairly common is to use wood posts. Put in 2 extra long staples about 1" apart, 1 above the other. Pound them in about 1/2 way. The wire is held against the post between the staples and a large headed nail is dropped through the staples to hold the wire in. To drop it, simply lift the nails out. Putting that many wood posts in rocky ground isn't as fun as it sounds.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
