creating a sanctuary by keeping cattle out
05-01-2005, 09:07 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 78
creating a sanctuary by keeping cattle out
i would like to create a sanctuary in the middle of a 30 acre cattle pasture that is overrun w/ osage orange trees. i'm considering using either 3 strands of barb wire or 2 strands of electric fence to keep the cattle out of a 5-7 acre area. i'm assuming that once the cattle are prevented from entering the sanctuary, the browse and ground-level brushy vegetation will grow like crazy which should create excellent whitetail cover.
http://muextension.missouri.edu/expl...gin/g01191.htm
http://muextension.missouri.edu/expl...gin/g01192.htm
http://muextension.missouri.edu/expl...ual/eq0379.htm
http://www.kencove.com/stafix/energiser.htm
has anyone put up fence to create a sanctuary in cattle country? i took these pics last weekend of the area i'd like to fence off to create a deer sanctuary.
also, i'm considering killing most of the osage orange trees at some point once the fence is in place. any ideas or suggestions concerning beneficial seedling trees, shrubs, grasses, etc. to plant in the sanctuary next spring?
http://muextension.missouri.edu/expl...gin/g01191.htm
http://muextension.missouri.edu/expl...gin/g01192.htm
http://muextension.missouri.edu/expl...ual/eq0379.htm
http://www.kencove.com/stafix/energiser.htm
has anyone put up fence to create a sanctuary in cattle country? i took these pics last weekend of the area i'd like to fence off to create a deer sanctuary.
also, i'm considering killing most of the osage orange trees at some point once the fence is in place. any ideas or suggestions concerning beneficial seedling trees, shrubs, grasses, etc. to plant in the sanctuary next spring?
05-01-2005, 12:42 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Coffeyville KS USA
Posts: 931
RE: creating a sanctuary by keeping cattle out
harvest the cow that's in the first pic. i think you'll get alot more meat off of it, and it'll be pretty easy to sneak up on the cow without alarming it. you could even use one of those cow silhouette decoys. 
05-01-2005, 06:18 PM
#3
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: La Grange, TX
Posts: 324
RE: creating a sanctuary by keeping cattle out
I've got a 3 strand barb wire fence thats almost 20 years old. For the most part it keeps the cows out of a few acres and I plant my plots in there. The visual temptaion should be there and every so often I'll find that one has crawled in. I'd bet 4 strands should be better but never got that far.
Personally I'd avoid electric. Don't want the deer any spookier than they already are....
Jeff
Personally I'd avoid electric. Don't want the deer any spookier than they already are....
Jeff
05-01-2005, 06:54 PM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ponce de Leon Florida USA
Posts: 10,079
RE: creating a sanctuary by keeping cattle out
I would consider going ahead and hiring a logger with a feller buncher for a couple of days to cut off most of the trees and use a skidder to bunch them up in a pile they could be easily burned. I would do this before putting the fence up. You can then use a chemical to kill the sprouts.
05-01-2005, 08:14 PM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: IA/MO
Posts: 742
RE: creating a sanctuary by keeping cattle out
Looks like you've got some good deer cover there...Also I really like your idea.. Sounds good..I have a spot that I fenced off several years ago from livestock and placed a four strand barbwire fence around it that worked really well... I left the top strand off in a few spots so the deer would use that spot to cross more often and it worked pretty well. I'd say once you fence it off and clear out some strategically place food plots you'll have a nice little spot for yourself.. On my folks farm we fenced off all of our woods from our pastures and it has made a huge difference in the amount of wildlife you see around those areas that use to be frequented by livestock..The state offers a program for this where they pay for part of the cost to fence it. Good Luck..Let us know how it goes..
05-01-2005, 11:41 PM
#6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 78
RE: creating a sanctuary by keeping cattle out
thanks for the replies!
good idea, but that's no ordinary heffer. look at dem beady eyes, paul. that cow is pure evil!
jeff, do you think electric fences cause anxiety compared to barb wire? btw----the entire half section (320 acres) is strung w/ 1 wire electric fence in addition to the ancient barb wire that is falling apart, so i would assume the deer have become acclimated to getting zapped when careless. my primary concern for the fence (either barb or electric) is to create an effective barrier that doesn't require a large investment of my time and money during the installation.
what is the habitat value of a slash and burn approach in a bedding area? sounds like LOTS of work to me! seriously, i don't intend for the fenced in pasture (<10 acres) to be anything other than a nice quiet bedding area. i have two food plots approx. 500 yards from this proposed sanctuary and i'll hunt the travel routes between the bedding area and food plots.
actually, i have buddies who would gladly spend their weekends cutting posts out of the osage orange for fence posts. a good saw man w/ a guy pulling brush and another on the tractor pushing brush/limbs into piles could probably get the job done in a couple of weekends. i'd guess there's a $1K in hedge posts that could be cut within the confines of the sanctuary, but osage orange is a real #%#@8 on workers and equipment. i had anticipated cutting posts to save on the cost of the fence installation and also clearing brush and overhanging limbs that are in close proximity to the fence, but i'm anticipating a minimal amount of cutting.
i'll probably spray most of the osage orange w/ XXX juice to eliminate the tree canopy and stimulate the understory growth, but my plan all along has been to leave most of the trees standing (clear-cutting is too much work for a negligible return). also, by killing the trees and leaving them upright, it will prevent unneccessary ground clutter in the near future when putting up fence and planting tree seedlings and ground cover.
which brings me to my last question: what should i plant in the sanctuary? if the project stays on schedule, then the fence will be operational sometime in mid-june. i don't want to step foot inside that fence the rest of the summer/fall. after hunting season (or early next spring), i'd like to plant some oak trees as well as a variety of shrubs through out the sanctuary to replace the osage orange. sawtooth oak seedlings seem like the obvious choice, but i am curious if i could roto-till "strips" of ground criss-crossing the sanctuary and hand broadcast acorns w/ reasonable success. i'll focus most of my "habitat efforts" around shrub plantings in the sanctuary. the kansas forestry dept. has american plum, choke cherry, fragrant sumac, golden currant, liliac, peking cotoneaster, sandhill plum, and caragana seedlings available which should produce thickets of green browse.
alwyshntn, what state and how much?
harvest the cow that's in the first pic
Personally I'd avoid electric. Don't want the deer any spookier than they already are....
I would consider going ahead and hiring a logger with a feller buncher for a couple of days to cut off most of the trees and use a skidder to bunch them up in a pile they could be easily burned.
actually, i have buddies who would gladly spend their weekends cutting posts out of the osage orange for fence posts. a good saw man w/ a guy pulling brush and another on the tractor pushing brush/limbs into piles could probably get the job done in a couple of weekends. i'd guess there's a $1K in hedge posts that could be cut within the confines of the sanctuary, but osage orange is a real #%#@8 on workers and equipment. i had anticipated cutting posts to save on the cost of the fence installation and also clearing brush and overhanging limbs that are in close proximity to the fence, but i'm anticipating a minimal amount of cutting.
i'll probably spray most of the osage orange w/ XXX juice to eliminate the tree canopy and stimulate the understory growth, but my plan all along has been to leave most of the trees standing (clear-cutting is too much work for a negligible return). also, by killing the trees and leaving them upright, it will prevent unneccessary ground clutter in the near future when putting up fence and planting tree seedlings and ground cover.
which brings me to my last question: what should i plant in the sanctuary? if the project stays on schedule, then the fence will be operational sometime in mid-june. i don't want to step foot inside that fence the rest of the summer/fall. after hunting season (or early next spring), i'd like to plant some oak trees as well as a variety of shrubs through out the sanctuary to replace the osage orange. sawtooth oak seedlings seem like the obvious choice, but i am curious if i could roto-till "strips" of ground criss-crossing the sanctuary and hand broadcast acorns w/ reasonable success. i'll focus most of my "habitat efforts" around shrub plantings in the sanctuary. the kansas forestry dept. has american plum, choke cherry, fragrant sumac, golden currant, liliac, peking cotoneaster, sandhill plum, and caragana seedlings available which should produce thickets of green browse.
The state offers a program for this where they pay for part of the cost to fence it.
05-02-2005, 04:55 AM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: IA/MO
Posts: 742
RE: creating a sanctuary by keeping cattle out
I'm from MO where we have the program.. The Dept. of Conservation will come out and look at your place and see if it benefits or not... They pay eighty percent of the cost to fence it I believe.. But if you do the labor yourself and don't hire it out it is almost 100%..
05-02-2005, 07:13 AM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Bonnots Mill Missouri USA
Posts: 237
RE: creating a sanctuary by keeping cattle out
I am from MO as well. The fencing program is run by the NCRS. It does pay 80% of cost including some allowance for labor. By doing it yourself, it generally covers all the expences. However, there is generally a waiting period to get the practices approved. In my area, it generally takes a year or so to get all the red tape done, but check it out. I don't think they will fund electric fences either, but I'm not sure.
As far as the type of fences, electric is by far the easiest, but has more maintenance in the long run. I would personally go with the 3 wire barb fence, but that's your call. I had storms take out too many of my fencers even with the lightning protection, not to mention falling limbs and the like. As long as the temptation (for the cattle) is limited close to the fence itself, I had few problems with cattle going through 3 wire barb wire fence.
Why provide additional food source in their bedding area? You already mentioned foodplots else where, so why give the deer more incentive to stay inside the sanctuary where you won't be hunting? I would just fence it and leave it alone.
As far as the type of fences, electric is by far the easiest, but has more maintenance in the long run. I would personally go with the 3 wire barb fence, but that's your call. I had storms take out too many of my fencers even with the lightning protection, not to mention falling limbs and the like. As long as the temptation (for the cattle) is limited close to the fence itself, I had few problems with cattle going through 3 wire barb wire fence.
Why provide additional food source in their bedding area? You already mentioned foodplots else where, so why give the deer more incentive to stay inside the sanctuary where you won't be hunting? I would just fence it and leave it alone.
05-02-2005, 11:56 AM
#9
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Roanoke, VA
Posts: 730
RE: creating a sanctuary by keeping cattle out
In Virginia there is a conservation practice called WHIP or Wildlife Habitat Incentive Plan. I am currently cutting trees and brush along my fields to create a field border. I am cutting down a 20+ year old area and planting pear, crabapple, elderberry, and hazelnuts. It is a lot of work, but I am making a little money by doing it myself. They pay for 75% of the implementation costs including: a fence, trees, spray, and cutting the existing vegetation. It's something you should check on. Good Luck!
05-02-2005, 01:57 PM
#10
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 78
RE: creating a sanctuary by keeping cattle out
You already mentioned foodplots else where, so why give the deer more incentive to stay inside the sanctuary where you won't be hunting? I would just fence it and leave it alone.