Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting bear fence

Have any of you tried out the "Bear Shock" electric fence.If so what gives?Good or bad?I am thinking about getting one for base camp to go around the eight man tipi.Base camp will be packed in prior to elk season then bivy from there.I'm smiling just thinking about elk season!!!
Thanks Koot

I've been thinking about one myself, had a bear rip a few things up last year, it could have been much worse.
The first time Mitch nosed up to the wire he took about three hops and cleared the gate at the other end like a gazelle.

I used one for a couple years, just sold my unit as it was extra gear to pack in (and go back for later). My advice if you want to go this route is to talk to your local farm supply, they usually have somebody who is pretty knowledgeable and can point you the right way.

There are lots of controller units on the market, mine was the Yellowjacket by Zareba. Lots of joules off of 3 D batteries.

One key thing to remember is you need a good grounding stake and moist ground. In some areas this is not a problem but in rocky areas it can be tough. A decent ground rod can be made from .5" alum rod but in packed soil you can ruin it.

I no longer eat dinner in camp if possible but eat dinner during a late afternoon break. Later I burn my trash. In high bear density areas I would just pack a bear canister or use the new electrical bear bag.

MtnHtr

Charlie Russell of the famed Russell family used one in Siberia with great success, he is an anti-hunter where bears are concerned, but, he has forgotten more about Grizzlies than 95% of other people will ever begin to know. I met his legendary father twice, once in the bush long ago and once at Selkirk at the original campus.

I greatly respect Charlie, although I know that many "quad jockies" on various 'net forums do not, you know, the kind that roar up and down the Santa Rosa all weekend every hunting season in full camo in their 4x4s, hunting....... AND I take ANYTHING he says about bears very seriously.

So, I am buying one to protect my base camp this year, this is a Kifaru 8-man, combined with a Hilleberg Saivo plus a couple tarps. The extra weight is worth packing, IMHO, as the increase in Grizzlies makes things a bit more exciting up there at home.

BTW, Dave, did you ever score a pack like you wanted?

That grounding issue is important, especially in that you really want that first bear contact with a wire to be memorable. MT FWP has gone to a self-grounded or closed system, where the fence wire is hot and woven wire panels laid down around the enclosure actually close the circuit. In the educational video they produced, that contact cracks like a small caliber rifle, the bear rolls backwards and then heads out in one motion. It's a beautiful thing to see.

In the Yellowstone eco system outfitters are required to put up an electric fence in some jurisdictions as a precaution. I use high Joule 110V systems on my ranch, and I would encourage anyone to purchase a voltage tester to know just how strong their energizer is. I like my fence for cattle to be over 8kV, and I'd consider that a minimum for bear. High quality Poly Wire is important as well since the 6-8 tiny metal strands conduct the electricity. If those break, then the wire is worthless.

I sleep better at night with the electric fence up.

If you have to get up in the night, you'd do well to carry a good light and mind where you pee.

Dick

any recemendations for a certain type of fence?
Kutenay I have not yet purchased a pack.Is yours still available?
Have you heard the rumblings of the change to our elk season?
crazy! what a [bleep] show it will be in the wk this year if these changes go through.remember the gong show?
Koot

Yes, maybe some return to the old seasons in West Kootenay, but, no real specifics.

I still have the pack, am sending it to the U.S.A. soon for a buddy to sell as it has just sat here since we talked, never been used.

If, you want it, I will take $500.00 for the whole thing, shipped and insured to you in Rland. This rig as I have it is close to $700.00 from Kifaru and this is a very fair price, I just have not tried hard to sell it due to being busy.

I can use the $$$ right now as I just bought another Rottweiler puppy and they DO NOT come cheap! PM me here or phone if you want it, but, soon or it is gone south.

Kutenay You have a pm.
Has anyone looked into a few different models of fences?Living in the toolies as I do,not much chance of getting my hands on any before buying.
Jockc I'll have to try and find the link it sound interesting.
Rock chuck, long live the extra large old elpaso plastic salsa jar.It takes alot of pee to fill that one! My dad has the roll over,don't get up to pee perfected.....well almost.
Koot

The zareba yellowjacket is the one I used. A set of batteries (4d cell) lasted a long time and I got pretty good results with a couple feet of grounding rod, I suspect the surprise/unexpected factor is what makes these work well on bears as well as the fact it's hitting them on the nose. With the goats once they figured out not to put their nose on it and just push under the wire it no longer contained them.
The zareba worked well but was on the lower end of the quality spectrum, switch/case etc. It's the only one I had any experience with.denny

Here's a couple. http://www.waterstrider.com/bear-repellent-portable-electric-fence.htm http://www.electrobearguard.com/

Anyone have any experience with the UDAP bear fence?
http://www.udap.com/bearshock.htm

I use, rent out, and have sold quite a few of the ElectroBearGuard fence that is 2#. I have had nothing but good feedback on it. Guys surround everything from Helicopters to rafts and meat, and it runs on the same AA batt's that you'll probably have along for GPS's and such.

I'm a proponent since I lost a bunch of gear to a black bear a couple years back.

Taylor

Taylor,

What is the cost on the ElectroBearGaurd fence?

I can't remember if it's the same as what has been posted here, but I think Ken had found something that was plausible for a backpack camp.

Just curious, has there been any testaments to bears getting whacked by them?

For all I read about Grizzly's, it's hard for me to understand that they would leave. And no, I know nothing about bears.

Marc- I see the 2 lb kit comes with only four stakes...what happens in between? Is the usable area inside truely 20' x 20'? If so my 8-man Kifaru will fit inside nicely.

I have yet to hear of anyone having bear troubles when using this fence and I know a few people that use them. Ed T, I believe Taylor was getting around $300 for the fence and last time I was in his store he had some available. I've been thinking about getting one myself but I would probably get the regular fence for protecting bigger camps or meat caches.

I have one of the electrobearguards, the bigger kit, I used it on the Alaska Peninsula a couple springs a go




and actually had bear tracks from this bitch of a sow and her 2 year olds (pictured here)




right in the sand just outside the fence where they visited us one night.They stayed in our bay the whole time we were there and had no fear of us, had to fire in the sand one night at 60 yards when the cubs wouldn't turn back. With 50-70 mph winds you dont hear much by way of wildlife walking around camp. I am thinking of buying one of the little 2 lb kits for certain hunts as well. I think it was Marc who had a griz shred his tent on a sheep hunt while they were away from camp in the recent years, and that would suck pretty bad on a fly in hunt.Check out this link and look at all the brown bear tracks around the perimeter of this guys camp in some of the pics he posted.


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