How to install deer fencing in granite boulders?

[Mesa2011]

I live on an extinct volcano, 6 acres of wilderness around me with lots of deer, that I'm trying to keep out. They are super destructive. Part of the mountain is surrounded by steep granite walls; the rest is rocky slopes. I don’t have the money to fence all 6 acres; would be a horrendous task given the terrain and I don't want to have visible fence on top of the mountain to preserve the panoramic views. So my idea is to install wire fencing only in the areas where I know the deer usually access, which is still a good stretch in total. Part of that wire, I want to install directly into the boulders to a) save the fence posts, and b) save the work of installing fence posts in rocky slopes that are inaccessible other than by foot. I think I could drill holes into the boulders to use them as anchors for the fence; each boulder would get 4-6 holes vertically about 1.5 feet apart to reach a height of about 8+ feet. The deer don’t like to jump in difficult slopes, so I hope thats enough. I then want to string the wire from boulder to boulder where possible, using the boulders as my fence posts.
What I don’t know is: What drill should I best use? What wire? And most importantly: how do I anchor the wire in the rock? What kind of anchors? Do I cement them in? Epoxy? other? Any better suggestions other than shooting all the deer?

Another part of the property has simple wood fencing - 3 rails in posts; not high enough. I want to extend that fence in height by screwing in some extender and than stringing wire through it so the wood fence is topped off by another segment of wire. Any idea of what to use for post extensions?

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To the forum from Alabama. Since all my fencing around my 11.5 acres is normal wood and T-post with 4 strands of barb wire, I can't really help you with your problem.

 

[HCJtractor]

I think you are wasting your time. I think your goal is impossible.

 

[texasjohn]

Building a deer proof fence is a tough job...here is a review of problems and successes experienced.

Evaluation of Farmer- Versus Contractor-Installed Deer Fencing

 

[Cat_Driver]

You cold use a core drill that will take out 2-3" hole. Then you can use typical steel fence post, fill the hole with either epoxy, or cement.
Request Rejected

Scroll down here look at a core removed
Drilling: what, why, and how - Mountain Beltway - AGU Blogosphere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIllP-rDNRM

 

[big bubba]

formidable task. what is their damage? to trees? are you trying to fence out a garden? how much of your property do you want fenced? pics of the areas you want contained in fence would be helpful. useful link re: deer, solar fences, etc if it's trees you're trying to protect from rubs, this is a great product. best of luck

Spiral Tree Guards | Spiral Tree Wrap | Tree Bark Protectors

Electric Deer Fence Chargers - Solar Powered

 

[Egon]

Consider metal T posts and using a rotary hammer drill with a bit that is slightly larger than the post. Check out your local hardware for grout that can be used.

( I'd just use some thinset or straight Portland cement with some sand added. Might be about the cheapest. )

 

[Western]

You might want to consider 2 electric fences set 3'-4' apart. Deer have poor depth perception and 3'-4' seems to be the magic number. Maybe make them a 4 strand hot wire to 48".

As far as the existing fence, if you have a welder, you could fashion a metal post cap, with a 1" steel tubing extension welded to the cap, then drill on the sides where the cap covers the post top. Just remember, raising the fence will change the dynamics of the post as far as leverage, may be possible that a jumping deer would have enough inertia, to push the fence over.

 

[ZAR2USA]

Have you considered going with alternatives to fencing?

How about a propane canon, it's set on an adjustable timer, auto rotates, adjustable decibels, can be moved and stored, inexpensive and it really spooks the deer. One would be enough for your 6 acre property if it is rectangular in shape and not going 5'000 ft in one direction.

Another idea would be to install battery or solar motion detection with animal sounds as an alarm to scare them away; i.e., prey.

Now days you can buy high frequency equipment that will scare away deer and kids but can't be heard by adults. Lots of municipalities install these equipment at troubled areas to keep pest and adolescents away at certain hrs of the day. Focused it on the area you want.

If you have solid granite, not crumbling and the rocks are boulder size, immovable by hand tools, then consider using an epoxy like "click-it" (primarily made for military, best product out on the market) to secure U-shaped brackets to the boulders, from there you now have anchoring points for your wire that you can electrify, or use the brackets to secure a post.

Use high tensile wire from Kensington out of Pennsylvania, US Made, you will need very few posts in between. Electrify them, to insure deer stay out.

 

[EddieWalker]

I was in South Africa over the summer and they have a lot of game proof fencing through all kinds of rocky and difficult soil. Most of them use smooth, high tensile wire every six inches to create the fence once the posts are in the ground. Not knowing your rock, or what they have there, from what I saw, they use hammer and chisel to get down as far as they can, install the post, and fill with concrete.

For posts, they use everything from wood, to steel pipes to really big rebar to scrap steel. The question is what's available in your area?

I have a SDS Max for drilling into concrete. It goes through concrete and rock like nothing. Very fast and easy to use. You will need a generator for power, and the right sized bit for what you want to do. I don't know for sure, but my bits are not long enough to get you very far, so you would have to brace every post if you where to use the drill. Just depends on how much time you have an how much you want to keep the deer out.

Do you have any trees that you can use as part of the fence?

From what I've read, most deer will respect a 6 foot fence. The 8 foot height is for places that want to keep the deer in and if pressured, will try to jump out. Even an 8 foot fence isn't a guarantee. Many a deer has jumped over that height when panicked and wanting out. I would just go 6 feet if I was you.

Eddie