Montana is home to many types of wildlife, including elk and deer. If you live in the state, you may see these animals cross your property from time to time. The type of fence you have surrounding your property has a big impact on the health and safety of these animals—if you have barbed wire fencing, for example, wildlife can entangle themselves in it and get hurt or even perish. Converting to wildlife-friendly fencing can help these animals in many ways.

Why Wildlife-Friendly Fencing Is Important

When barbed wire fencing in Montana was first built, people weren’t aware of how it impacted wildlife. These fences were built very high to keep livestock contained, but unfortunately, the height of these fences has made it very difficult for wild animals to maneuver across the land. Moose, mountain sheep, and even small animals like birds and foxes can become entangled in these fences and perish. Young animals can also become separated from their parents if the adults can jump the fences and the young ones cannot. 

Creating Wildlife-Friendly Solutions

If you’re building a new fence, a few key features to include are:

• A top rail no higher than 40 inches
• A distance between the top two wires no less than 12 inches
• The bottom wire of the fence no less than 16 inches off the ground

If you prefer modifying an existing fence, consider lowering the height of  the top wire and think about replacing barbed wire with a smooth wire to prevent animals from getting entangled. You can also attach white PVC pipes to fence wires in sections where entanglements frequently occur. 

If you make these modifications to your fence, you can prevent wildlife injuries. Boundary Line Fence has provided the residents of Bigfork, Columbia Falls, Kalispell, Lakeside, Somers, and the Greater Flathead Valley with top-quality fencing construction for the past 10 years. They provide a wide variety of materials, including vinyl, metal, and cedar and have a mission to keep their customers satisfied. To contact a fencing contractor, call (406) 309-5010 or visit their website for more information.