Wildlife & Predator Fencing Guide

Overview

Wildlife and predator fencing is designed to protect livestock, crops, and property from animals such as coyotes, wolves, foxes, bears, and raccoons. Unlike standard livestock fencing, predator fencing must prevent climbing, digging, squeezing, and in some cases jumping.

This guide explains how predator fencing works, which fence types are most effective, how height and wire spacing impact security, and when electric fencing becomes necessary. It is intended for livestock owners, hobby farmers, ranchers, and rural property managers who need perimeter protection.

This page does not focus on internal cross fencing or livestock containment systems—it specifically addresses predator exclusion and wildlife control strategy. For livestock-specific fencing, refer to the Cattle Fencing Guide, Goat Fencing Guide, Sheep Fencing Guide, and Poultry Fencing Guide.

YouTube search queries: “How to build predator proof fence for livestock” or “Predator proof farm fence installation tutorial”

What This Guide Covers

Coyote-Proof Fencing for Livestock

Coyotes are the primary predator threat for sheep, goats, and poultry across most of North America. Effective coyote exclusion requires addressing their two main entry methods: digging under and squeezing through. A standard coyote-proof perimeter combines woven wire (field fence or no-climb horse fence) at 48 inches tall with an outward-angled apron at the base (12 inches of mesh folded outward at 45 degrees and staked to the ground with landscape staples every 4 feet), and one or two strands of electric wire on the outside at 6 and 12 inches from the ground.

The outward apron stops digging at the fence base — coyotes dig straight down at the fence line rather than starting further out and tunneling under. The apron forces them to dig outward from the fence to get below it, which they typically won't do. Electric offset strands on the outside deter approach and contact with the fence base. This combination stops coyotes in most regions without requiring extremely tall fencing.

Deer Fencing: How High and What Type

White-tailed deer can clear 8-foot fences under ideal conditions, but consistently jump no higher than 6 feet in most situations. The minimum effective deer exclusion fence height is 8 feet for a single vertical fence — 6-foot fences see regular deer crossing under high deer pressure. High-tensile wire deer fencing with 7–8 strands at 8 feet tall is the most cost-effective permanent deer exclusion for large perimeters at $1.50–$3.00 per foot installed.

Deer are reluctant to jump into narrow spaces. A double-fence system with two 4–5 foot fences 3–4 feet apart is effective because deer won't jump a fence they can't see a clear landing zone beyond. This approach uses shorter, less expensive fence but doubles the linear footage. Electric fence systems using multiple offset strands (a wide, angled configuration rather than a single vertical fence) also exploit deer reluctance to approach uncertain barriers.

Bear and Large Predator Fencing

Bears motivated by livestock or beehives will defeat most conventional fencing through climbing or pushing. Electric fence is the most effective bear deterrent — bears are highly sensitive to electric shock and learn quickly to avoid energized barriers. A 5-strand electric bear fence with strands at 6, 12, 20, 28, and 40 inches from the ground, energized to 6,000+ volts, is effective against most black bear activity. Grizzly or brown bear requires higher voltage and more strands.

Bait the electric fence to ensure early learning: spread peanut butter or bacon fat on the fence wire near nose height so investigating bears contact the wire intentionally before they're motivated by livestock smell. A bear that receives a strong initial correction from a baited fence learns the association faster than one that contacts the fence accidentally. Livestock guardian dogs in combination with electric perimeter fence provide the most comprehensive protection against persistent bear activity.

Rabbit and Small Animal Exclusion

Rabbits destroy vegetable gardens and orchards by gnawing bark and consuming seedlings. Effective rabbit exclusion uses 1-inch mesh chicken wire or hardware cloth at least 24 inches tall, with the bottom 6 inches bent outward and buried or staked to prevent digging under. The small mesh size (1 inch or less) prevents rabbits from pushing through, and the height exceeds normal rabbit jump height for cottontails and jackrabbits.

For tree protection in orchards or forest plantings, individual tree guards (18-inch plastic cylinders around each trunk) are more practical than perimeter fencing. Hardware cloth wrapped around individual trees (24 inches tall, 1/4 inch mesh) provides permanent protection against rabbit and vole gnawing without requiring perimeter fence infrastructure. Inspect tree guards annually and expand them as trunk diameter increases.

Mountain Lion and Wolf Deterrence

Mountain lions and wolves represent the most challenging predator fencing scenario because of their size, strength, and climbing or jumping ability. No fence reliably excludes a determined mountain lion — they can climb 12-foot barriers and clear 6-foot fences from standing positions. Livestock guardian dogs are more effective than fence for mountain lion and wolf protection; experienced LGD breeds (Kangal, Anatolian Shepherd, Pyrenees) deter and alert to predator presence.

Night penning in a solid-sided structure (not just fenced) provides the most reliable protection against mountain lion attack during the highest-risk hours. Electric fence with multiple strands and high voltage deters approach and reduces risk but is not a complete solution for large cats. In wolf-occupied ranges, working with state or federal wildlife agencies provides current guidance on legal deterrence methods and available compensation programs for verified losses.

Best Fencing to Keep Predators Out

The best fencing to keep predators out combines physical barriers with behavioral deterrents to address multiple threat types simultaneously.