Central Beekeepers Alliance

by Claude Hachey,
Tetagouche, New Brunswick

My area is overrun by black bears — a virtual population explosion that has benefited outfitters catering to hunters from south of the border. All out yards are protected by bear fencing that normally puts out 6500 to 9000 volts of jolt. These fencers are powered by deep cycle twelve volt batteries with the charge maintained with solar panels to avoid having to change batteries every two weeks — with the panels, the battery maintains its charge for about six to eight weeks depending on the grass load.

Winter yards are usually equipped with barbed wire and posts as these are more susceptible to bear damage in the spring — I run 5 strands on these about six inches apart and the wire is less likely to sag under the weight of snow. I power up the strands as they become accessible with the snow melting and usually do not power up the strand closest to the ground. In summer yards, I run four strands with the last strand at hip height. Keep the colonies at least four feet away from the fence as bears will reach under to topple a hive.

A good deep ground rod is the key to a good fence. If the ground is dry or rocky, I will put in several spaced out by 6 feet until the fence puts out good voltage. Anything less that 6500 volts is not acceptable. Battery/solar panel/fencer unit will run around $400. for a good setup but a well worth it when you consider the damage racked up in one night of bear damage let alone multiple visits.

You need to get a voltage tester to measure volt output on the fence (Gallagher puts out a good one for around $80.00) — it’s hard to find hired help willing to manually test the fence on a continuing basis and my faithful companion “Max” now turns up his nose at the smell of bacon baited fences. On this subject, I find that sardine cans work much better than bacon. Partly peel it open and punch a hole through the tin and run a wire through the hole and wire it to a strand nose height for a bear. Two at opposite ends of the enclosure is even better. Bears are no different than Max and they are easily trained to avoid the fence. Many of my yards are handy to old apple orchards and I have seen numerous bears and/or droppings outside the fence even when there was a problem with voltage output.

When all else fails…

In this case, this 375 pounder male got a bad case of lead poisoning. Late Friday afternoon, I found a yard damaged and my only option was to call the wildlife people (seen loading the bear) to ask for the live trap. They were unwilling to set it up before Monday. The fence was checked and voltage output was 8500 volts and was also baited with sardines. Bears will always return once the taste is acquired and usually around dusk. I watched this guy from a distance and he crossed the fence at will even taking the sardines. He went down with one shot to the neck which is the best place to shoot as you either miss or hit but at least you are not looking for a wounded animal in the dark… The shot on his flank was the “coup de grace” to finish him off and dispatch him quickly.

With the use of fencing, I have been able to avoid this situation and have only had to resort to shooting bears twice in the last twenty years. The downside is that solar panels/fencers/batteries are attractive to theives. I can only guess that pot growers are using them and nothing against their enterprise but heck, they surely make more money than I do so I wish they would just buy their own…

A few more thoughts on electric fences…

When setting up your posts, make sure your corner posts are leaning out from the pen so that when you tighten the wires, tension is maintained.

The smallest unit I have is rated for 1.7 joules. Enough power so don’t scrimp on the joules. I use mainly Gallagher fencing units and I have never had one fail. I cannot say the same for Parmac or Bay guard. I did a quick search and found Gallagher dealers in Oregon.

I mentioned earlier how handy a fence voltage tester was. If you are running solar panels with your fencer, you can’t rely on the voltage reading without covering the panel as it will power the fence during the daylight even if your battery is down. Once the sun drops, so does your fencer. I always carry a battery tester and check both the fence voltage and the battery. Some of the Gallagher models have a low battery light indicator which is a nice feature. Some also come with an on/off switch but with a clip to the fence, it is not really necessary. The setup should be kept inside the enclosure anyway to prevent the bear from tampering with it.

To deter the two legged predator — thieves — I set up a good strong nuc on top of the empty super and cover containing the battery and unit. I screw the solar panel to the outside wall of a two story colony. Works every time!!

A Beekeeper’s Bear Fence by New Brunswick beekeeper Claude Hachey of Nectar Valley Apiaries was first published on the Central Beekeepers Alliance website in 2006. We thank Claude for contributing this article and his photographs!