fences in the middle of the forest

[alexboyprin]

Hello! May be someone can explain the following. Sometimes, i walk quite far in the forest. Far from any habitations (for example, let say 30 kms). Then i suddendly arrive on a fence that seem to be placed there in a survey line. Seems to be coming and going nowhere and have no purposes. Is this to separate administrative boundaries? Or for logging companies boundaries? ...just wondering.

thanks
alexboy

[mjmbc]

fences for cows keep them on thier lease

[KodiakHntr]

Range lease fence like mjmbc said.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Range lease fence like mjmbc said.
Exactly they are called DRIFT FENCES and are butlt and maintained by the Forestry to keep cattle on the range sector that is registered to their brand as the previous 2 posts have said

[KodiakHntr]

Exactly they are called DRIFT FENCES and are butlt and maintained by the Forestry to keep cattle on the range sector that is registered to their brand as the previous 2 posts have said

Not exactly.

Range Tenure Holders can get allowances from the Gov't to build them, but it is up to the Tenure Holder for upkeep.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Not exactly.

Range Tenure Holders can get allowances from the Gov't to build them, but it is up to the Tenure Holder for upkeep.

VERY TRUE...I have spent to much time gettin off and on a horse or quad with fencing pliers I was just trying to keep the explanation general and basic.

[KodiakHntr]

VERY TRUE...I have spent to much time gettin off and on a horse or quad with fencing pliers I was just trying to keep the explanation general and basic.

Fair enough.

Probably more information than the OP really needed I suppose........(grin)

[Foxton Gundogs]

Fair enough.

Probably more information than the OP really needed I suppose........(grin)

Never have to much info never can tell when it may come in handy

[barry1974w]

Or it's private property....

[gibblewabble]

If its private it has to be marked and maintained or it is assumed public land.

[huntcoop]

If its private it has to be marked and maintained or it is assumed public land.

That is a bold statement, never assume while hunting.

[alexboyprin]

..no, i am fine and thankful to all the comments. I am just amazed how far in the forest the owners of these very valuable animals let them roam! How can they all find them when they need too? Are they not afraid about cougars or bears praying on there cattle? Also, when you think about all the work involved: hiring a surveyor to trace the border; pay someone to clear it for miles and miles in straight line; pay someone to build miles of fence; and, afterward, constantly maintaining it and just for a few sparsely spread animals. Amazing! and how much does the government charge as a fee? a few hundred dollars per years?

[Buckmeister]

I know of some areas, high enough to be in the alpine, that are full of cattle. Hundreds in some ranges. Sure, some are lost to predators. When the weather gets cold and the snow starts flying, then the cattle will start moving down which can make the wranglers jobs easier.

[barry1974w]

Private land is private land, it's really up to you to know where you are. But unless land is posted at regular entry points you would probably be able to get out of a trespassing charge. As long as the land isn't in production, cultivated land is assumed to be posted, signs or not.

[Darksith]

..no, i am fine and thankful to all the comments. I am just amazed how far in the forest the owners of these very valuable animals let them roam! How can they all find them when they need too? Are they not afraid about cougars or bears praying on there cattle? Also, when you think about all the work involved: hiring a surveyor to trace the border; pay someone to clear it for miles and miles in straight line; pay someone to build miles of fence; and, afterward, constantly maintaining it and just for a few sparsely spread animals. Amazing! and how much does the government charge as a fee? a few hundred dollars per years?

The cattle know where their meals come from and usually return home in the fall when food becomes short from nature. Also loss to bears and cougars is usually minimal, but also factored in by the rancher in some way Im sure. The Rancher usually doesn't hire outside contractors to build their fences, rather hiring guys locally at a fraction of the cost, but all part of the business of being a rancher, just another day at the office...30km from a homestead doesn't mean 30km from a road/trail or civilization, not really that far honestly.

[wrenchhead]

Lots of times the fences are to keep them out of watersheds. Most of the fences are funded by forestery which contractors bid on to build. I used to build them in highschool on the okanagan, with 2 or 3 guys, a bobcat and a quad you bang them up fast.

[Foxton Gundogs]

..no, i am fine and thankful to all the comments. I am just amazed how far in the forest the owners of these very valuable animals let them roam! How can they all find them when they need too? Are they not afraid about cougars or bears praying on there cattle? Also, when you think about all the work involved: hiring a surveyor to trace the border; pay someone to clear it for miles and miles in straight line; pay someone to build miles of fence; and, afterward, constantly maintaining it and just for a few sparsely spread animals. Amazing! and how much does the government charge as a fee? a few hundred dollars per years?

Ok I'll try to explain as was already stated cattle know where their winter feed is and usually start to drift in come fall the cattle are suposed to be off the range by (and this is general) sometime in oct. dirrerent dates for diffrent areas. The ranchers/cowboys still "round up" the sticky critters that want to tough it out rather than come in using horses dogs quads and tractors with round bales in the "hook" to get them to follow. Cattle are branded and any wayward animals can be reported and gathered. Yes there is some loss to predation. we build our own fences when needed however the forestry contracts out their fencing. and its not a few sparcely spaced animals, a number of ranchers will share a range and each rancher will have (and this is a rough figure) anywhere between 100 and 400 head cow/calves with around 1 bull for every 20-25 cows. The bulls are usually gathered late Aug.-Mid Sept. to prevent to late of calving.
Hope this answers some of your questions but what I have said is kinda "in general" so take it as such.

[CanuckShooter]

Not exactly.

Range Tenure Holders can get allowances from the Gov't to build them, but it is up to the Tenure Holder for upkeep.

I thought that must be where the money was coming from, lots of real nice fences go up for miles and miles in some areas and every year you go past them afterwards there are more and more sections down or falling apart. Always wondered why anyone would spend so much on a fence and then not maintain it.........must be spending someone elses money?

[Foxton Gundogs]

I thought that must be where the money was coming from, lots of real nice fences go up for miles and miles in some areas and every year you go past them afterwards there are more and more sections down or falling apart. Always wondered why anyone would spend so much on a fence and then not maintain it.........must be spending someone elses money?

If they are "Forestry" fences they rely mostly on rancher reports and range rider input to know the condition if they are lease holders fence what you have is usually afamily operation maybe 1 hired man trying to look after up to 300 head of cow/calves, hay, ranch and vehicle/equipment maintenance and countless other things as well as miles of fence. And 1 wind storm can wipe out multiple sections. as for spending money else where any rancher still trying to survive in the post BSE(Mad Cow) cattle market hasnt got a whole lot to spend anywhere. Times are tough in the beef industry BUT you sure dont see the low market prices reflected at the meat counter.

[CanuckShooter]

If they are "Forestry" fences they rely mostly on rancher reports and range rider input to know the condition if they are lease holders fence what you have is usually afamily operation maybe 1 hired man trying to look after up to 300 head of cow/calves, hay, ranch and vehicle/equipment maintenance and countless other things as well as miles of fence. And 1 wind storm can wipe out multiple sections. as for spending money else where any rancher still trying to survive in the post BSE(Mad Cow) cattle market hasnt got a whole lot to spend anywhere. Times are tough in the beef industry BUT you sure dont see the low market prices reflected at the meat counter.

Anyone that has been down the Blackwater in recent years will know what I am talking about, there are real nice brand spanking new wire fences that have been erected in the last couple of years....they run for miles and miles in all directions. From all appearances no one is looking after them, seems strange that you'd invest so much into fencing and then let it fall apart? They don't hold cows back very well when the wire is on the ground either.

I am aware of how rough the cattle business is these days as we have family members that are ranchers and they don't have the spare cash to waste on fencing. So when I see this fencing being left in such disrepair I am assuming there must be some government money involved somehow??

[wrenchhead]

Yup lots of government cash. I know the gov. Gave coldstream ranch 30000 to fence the top of coldstream and deffies creek this spring.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Anyone that has been down the Blackwater in recent years will know what I am talking about, there are real nice brand spanking new wire fences that have been erected in the last couple of years....they run for miles and miles in all directions. From all appearances no one is looking after them, seems strange that you'd invest so much into fencing and then let it fall apart? They don't hold cows back very well when the wire is on the ground either.

I am aware of how rough the cattle business is these days as we have family members that are ranchers and they don't have the spare cash to waste on fencing. So when I see this fencing being left in such disrepair I am assuming there must be some government money involved somehow??

The Govt. tender is probably still out for tender to see which "tendering" company will put out the tender to see by which media the tender will be posted to repair the fences LOL

[alexboyprin]

...thank you. very nicely explained!

[IslandHunterBXL]

interesting stuff. thanks for the info. 2 years ago i crept into my elk spot to sit for the morning, only to find myself in the middle of a stampede! haha

[doubled]

When I was in high school, I worked on a ranch. Our cows knew when it was time to go to the summer range and knew when it was time to come home. We basically followed them up to their range which was usually 10-20km away and almost all needed no direction or help. Once in a while, one would bust off and we would round it up and get it back with the group. Cows are herd animals and there is protection in numbers - they know this. Same thing in the fall. Most would be waiting for us at the first cattle guard. A few salt blocks and 1/4 bales of hay along the trail and it was a pretty easy job.

[hunter1947]

You can find fences almost anywhere in the wild homesteaders put them up before I was boron..

[Foxton Gundogs]

When I was in high school, I worked on a ranch. Our cows knew when it was time to go to the summer range and knew when it was time to come home. We basically followed them up to their range which was usually 10-20km away and almost all needed no direction or help. Once in a while, one would bust off and we would round it up and get it back with the group. Cows are herd animals and there is protection in numbers - they know this. Same thing in the fall. Most would be waiting for us at the first cattle guard. A few salt blocks and 1/4 bales of hay along the trail and it was a pretty easy job.
Yep about sums up cows ok.....cept for the ones that have 4 letter names....LMAO