Excerpt from The Pasturage System for Handling Range Sheep: Investigations During 1909

The cost of keeping a coyote-proof fence in proper repair will depend upon the thoroughness of construction and the locality in which it is built. Unless the construction work is well done in every detail there will be a constant need for repair of loose and broken wires and holes under the fence. On the other hand, a fence con structed with proper care on an untimbered area will require little attention, and the cost of maintenance during the first few years Will be almost negligible. In a heavily timbered area the damage done will vary with the intensity of snow and wind storms. Great loads of wet snow may throw a few trees; accompanied by heavy wind they may throw a good many. Wind alone will do little damage except during the rainy season, when the ground is satu rated to a considerable depth and shallow-rooted trees overturn easily.

In 1908 thirty-eight trees fell across the wires along the 5 miles of the coyote-proof pasture fence that runs through a heavy lodgepole and yellow pine forest. They were removed and the fence was repaired at a cost of $10. An additional $10 was expended in repairing holes made by the spring run-off and by badgers. During 1909 only ten trees fell across the fence. They were removed and the fence repaired by one man in one and one - half days, at a cost of Badgers had dug under the wire during the fall and early spring in fifteen places. This damage was rep aired by driving stakes into the holes and then filling in with dirt. Stakes placed close together will discourage coyotes from attempting to scratch out the loose dirt and crawl through. The entire work of removing trees and filling holes required only two days' labor for one man, at a cost of 355.

When the experiment was closed, on October 1, 1909, the fence was in excellent condition.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.