With electricity the animal needs to complete the circuit between the hot wire and the ground. Electric netting has a lot of horizontal hot wires and uses the soil as a ground. The soil needs some moisture in it to conduct electricity so in dry areas that might not work really well. Snow can insulate it also. One recommendation for mine is to keep the ground where the ground rod is driven in damp.
Electric fencing can be set up different ways. If it is on a metal fence you can connect your ground side to the fence (Chain link, welded wire, whatever) and insulate your hot wire from that. On a wooden fence you might need to run both ground and hot wires. They need to be positioned where the critter will touch both at the same time.
I use electric netting. The down on chicks and feathers on adults will insulate them from the electricity but if they touch a hot wire with their comb or wattles while standing on the ground they jump back, squawk, and soon go about their business. A predator covered with fur can be insulated from the electricity but the pads on their feet, their tongue, or their nose makes really good contact. Most predators will investigate the fence before climbing or trying to cross so if set up right it is extremely effective. But the key is to set it up properly for your conditions.
Embuck I have traps set right now and I’ve been known to shoot something occasionally. Out here it’s not a big deal to hear a gunshot, no matter the time of day or the season. In many places guns are more problematic. I am all in favor of permanently removing any critter that is actively hunting your territory. That reduces the predator load but it is not the long term solution. There are always more, either already out there or being born and weaned. And just because you trap one doesn’t mean you got the one that was actually causing the problem.
To me the long term solution is barriers. What kind of barriers are best for you will depend on a lot of different things. The bigger the area the more challenging it becomes. Your risk tolerance factors in. If you have trees with interlocking branches a ground level fence can be bypassed. There are so many different things to consider. Reading this thread I’d think electric fencing, not netting, is probably the best way for you to go, but I’m not sure what the correct configuration would be.
Electric fencing can be set up different ways. If it is on a metal fence you can connect your ground side to the fence (Chain link, welded wire, whatever) and insulate your hot wire from that. On a wooden fence you might need to run both ground and hot wires. They need to be positioned where the critter will touch both at the same time.
I use electric netting. The down on chicks and feathers on adults will insulate them from the electricity but if they touch a hot wire with their comb or wattles while standing on the ground they jump back, squawk, and soon go about their business. A predator covered with fur can be insulated from the electricity but the pads on their feet, their tongue, or their nose makes really good contact. Most predators will investigate the fence before climbing or trying to cross so if set up right it is extremely effective. But the key is to set it up properly for your conditions.
Embuck I have traps set right now and I’ve been known to shoot something occasionally. Out here it’s not a big deal to hear a gunshot, no matter the time of day or the season. In many places guns are more problematic. I am all in favor of permanently removing any critter that is actively hunting your territory. That reduces the predator load but it is not the long term solution. There are always more, either already out there or being born and weaned. And just because you trap one doesn’t mean you got the one that was actually causing the problem.
To me the long term solution is barriers. What kind of barriers are best for you will depend on a lot of different things. The bigger the area the more challenging it becomes. Your risk tolerance factors in. If you have trees with interlocking branches a ground level fence can be bypassed. There are so many different things to consider. Reading this thread I’d think electric fencing, not netting, is probably the best way for you to go, but I’m not sure what the correct configuration would be.
