jklaas1

I am going to put a food plot down in a pasture, which is occasionally visited by cattle. It is about 1 acre and I was going to build a barbed wire fence (2 strands) around it. I was just wondering if this is going to be enough to keep the cattle out. I don’t want to spend a lot of money on the fence. ANY SUGGESTIONS?


Thanks

JoeRE

Not enough information really, what are you putting in? Small say yearling cattle or full grown? Occasionaly as in cows are in the pasture every few weeks or every few days? As a rule though I don't think two strands will do it in any situation, especialy if the surrounding ground lacks much grazing and what you are planting looks very good.[&:]

2footroper

Go to your local Farm & Fleet or Big R store and get a small solar electric fence charger and some of the 3 ft. tall round stakes for electric fencing.[1 for every 10 or 12 ft. of fence]and insulaters and a roll of wire. A single wire is all you need to keep the cattle out. The nice thing about this is you can reuse it. Just remember that good pasture makes good fences. If there is grass for the cows to eat they should stay out of your plot.
I use this for keeping horses off areas I reseed in my horse pasture. Good luck.

KansasHuntMaps

I raise cattle and hunt deer. The elec fence will work but deer don't like being shocked any more than cattle. I would not worry about fencing it, let the cattel & deer mix, they do very well. I have deer tracks around my stock tanks all the time. Easy place to get a drink.

Cattle might get into your feed plot but usually by deer season around here(Kansas) cattle are off pasture & in a lot being fed bales.
Jim

chiefks

I've been told deer don't like cattle. If deer are using a pasture and cows are brought in that the deer will move out and go else where. I've seen deer pass through a pasture, but not stay in one unless there were no cows in it.

I used to hunt a pasture. The back corner of it was up against a creek bottom and a rather large block of timber 1/2 mile from the road. Not very many hunters wanted to walk that far. Whichmade it agreat late season spot. Deer would bed in the corner of the timber where the creek bottom was. There was some oak tree's 100 yards from the bedding area that dropped acorns and they got hit heavy late in the season. Also there was a winter wheat field that was200 yards away. Only reason I started hunting that pasture was because I did not have permission to hunt the timber, and I watched the biggest buck I've ever seen chase a doe out of that corner of the pasture. Probably would have pushed 200" pretty easy. Never saw him again though.

Mark

Howler

Around our family farm, the deer have to get along with the cattle. The choice, otherwise, is to stand out in the middle of crop fields, which they do in the evenings and night. All the creek bottoms that have cover, also have grass............. and cows!! The deer won't hang out with the cows, so to speak, but they are all in the same area together, until fall, and then most cattle are moved back to the home place/pasture for wintering and calving which leaves many pastures empty of cattle and the deer have the place all to themselves!

illinoishunter3710

First I agree with what everyone has said to a certain point but, i think i really depends on what the total size of the pasture is. Where I live in west central Illinois we arent getting alot of rain these days. Meaning that the plots or pastures aren't growing that well, so if you have a small pasture thecattle could do damage to the plot if it doesnt have a good start because they will work the pasture faster than a larger pasture. But, as far as, what I would use to block the cattle im not sure whatI would do cuz like what others have said deer dont like being shocked and a 2 wire fence won't keep out smaller cattle. But If your like me if i'm gonna do something I want it to work and last. So, if you really want a food plot you might have to spend more than intended. Good Luck.