Bears

hilltophermit · August 18, 2014, 09:39:23 PM

Just wondering, in bee magazines and farm catalogues I see advertised an electronic device that when activated is said to repel predators, including bears. It apparently does this by means of red flashing lights. does this really work? has anybody tried them? Do they have any effect on pets? just wondering?

GSF · August 18, 2014, 10:08:30 PM

Hill, I've heard mixed results on electric fencing. Some of those hands up north and in Florida will most likely chime in and give you some good advice.

Edgy · August 19, 2014, 12:17:19 AM

I've seen them too but don't know how effective they are. I put my trust in a good strong electric fence, and we have a lot of bears here both black and grizzly. I've not lost a chicken coop or my hives.

BeeMaster2 · August 19, 2014, 12:31:33 AM

Hilltop,
I have also seen them. Never used them or the electric fences to protect my hives. The commercial beeks have an electric fence, right up the road, for his spring apiary, 2 miles, from me. The same beek puts hives right up against my property with no protection. My neighbor on the opposite side has had problems with bears destroying his deer feeder but I have not. If I was going to install protection, it would be with an electric fence with a solar charger.
Jim

edward · August 19, 2014, 07:14:38 AM

An electric fence will serve as a deterrent to keep a bear from going into a bee yard.

If he wants to he can run the fence down if hes determade to get to the hives.

Modenacart · August 19, 2014, 10:58:31 AM

If you do use an electric fence, be sure to use one that won't kill a wondering kid.

BeeMaster2 · August 19, 2014, 12:48:26 PM

Which one is that. I had one designed for dogs around my chicken coop to keep the local dogs from digging in and killing all of my chickens after they killed 20 of them. That fence killed a rooster and a Ginni hen. Both had their heads burned off.
Being designed for dogs means they are low voltage compared to ones that are good for miles of fence for horses.
Jim

edward · August 19, 2014, 03:22:27 PM

Its the amps that get you

I have 8000 - 11000 volts on my fence, its unpleasant to touch but not deadly

Billy B · August 19, 2014, 03:44:15 PM

If a fence energizer is resulting in burning heads off an animal ... it should be tossed. It's old an unsafe. A modern low-impedance, UL listed energizer won't do that ... much safer and still effective.

But the original question wasn't about electric fences. It's about red blinking lights like:

http://niteguard.com/

I know of folks that swear by them around their poultry yards. I've not heard of anyone using them for bears, but the website above does list them and does have a beekeeper testimonial quote (for what that's worth).

jayj200 · August 21, 2014, 04:02:30 PM

Quote from: edward on August 19, 2014, 03:22:27 PM
Its the amps that get you

I have 8000 - 11000 volts on my fence, its unpleasant to touch but not deadly

Edward
why would you touch that fence? if it is, so you say unpleasant.

do you like that sort of thing? did it make your day? well did it?
just sayen

good thing you live out a state isn't it

Ha ha

edward · August 21, 2014, 06:19:12 PM

If you work an electric fence sooner or later your going to get zapt. ;)

AllenF · August 21, 2014, 11:21:45 PM

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,28105.0.html

rober · August 22, 2014, 12:28:30 AM

when I was around 12 years old I got a guy to pee on a battery operated fence on a dare. he never did that again!!!

BeeMaster2 · August 22, 2014, 05:57:52 AM

Quote from: rober on August 22, 2014, 12:28:30 AM
when I was around 12 years old I got a guy to pee on a battery operated fence on a dare. he never did that again!!!

I wonder what else he couldn't do after that. :-D
Jim

jayj200 · September 03, 2014, 05:53:55 PM

probably beat someones a--

biggraham610 · September 04, 2014, 12:56:51 AM

I am amazed at how the bears respect an electric fence. It would seem something willing to get stung 1000s of times to eat brood, would take the snap or 2 to get to it. A friend of mine took me to an apple orchard in the mtns. They have someone bring in 20-30 hives each year for pollination. The fence is so simple it looks like you could step over it. 2 strands of braided wire. By the time that guy comes to pick up his hives, the ground in the pasture looks like a dirt track around the fence. Amazing. i have seen the electric device you mentioned, but cant give a reply. I picked up a solar charger at an auction the other day for 100 bucks. that will be going around mine. Good Luck. G :chop:

hilltophermit · September 17, 2014, 01:07:06 PM

Thank you all for the replies. Billy B is correct. My curiosity is about the red lights and if they are effective. I have a solar fencer ,haven't put it up in a few years, haven't needed to. To do so now would mean cutting, splitting and sharpening some new posts, something I haven't had time for. Bears, well not common here, are also not rare. a few weeks ago I watched one walk down my drive way and up the road. He didn't go near the bees. I hope my luck holds out, till i can get the fence up.....