Best Fence For Bear Deterrence

by Jennifer Smith May 13, 2019

Brown bears can weigh up to 900 pounds in comparison to their black bear cousins, weighing in at just 300 pounds. In short, bears are stout animals; and stopping their movement with fencing can be tricky.

Bears will easily bulldoze through most fences. Plastic fencing, while lightweight and easy to manage for deer management, is a joke for bear deterrence. Even metal fencing is usually not strong enough to rid bears from yards. While Steel Hex Fence is stronger than most metal fencing, because of the hexagonal pattern, it will not be strong enough to block a bear that weighs close to 1000 pounds.

The best fence for bears is electric fencing. This fence type will gently sting the bear and shock him/her enough to [hopefully] block pathways to gardens and other growing sites. An electric fence for bear management will need to be 42-54" high and include 5 strands of electrified poly wire spaced approximately 8-10" apart. Electric fencing can be used as a primary or secondary layer of protection to block deer, coyotes, wolves, foxes and other medium-sized wildlife.

Note: Electric fencing will not do much for bird control.