Fence question

[RTII]

I'm getting ready to put a fence up around the back of the property. On the back property line there is a 4 strand barb wire fence already in place that I assume is my neighbors. I have never met the owners of the property and in fact the property looks unused except for the occasional gun shot from hunting. No buildings (looking at google satelite), no livestock, etc. The fence I'm putting up is for the purpose of keeping my dogs in and the feral pigs out so will be a mesh wire. This is probably a question for Texans since it will be state law but any one with experience with the situation I would welcome input. My question is can I use the t-posts and cedar posts already in place and attach the mesh to my side of the fence since the fence is on the property line.

Thanks for any help......................

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I'm getting ready to put a fence up around the back of the property. On the back property line there is a 4 strand barb wire fence already in place that I assume is my neighbors. I have never met the owners of the property and in fact the property looks unused except for the occasional gun shot from hunting. No buildings (looking at google satelite), no livestock, etc. The fence I'm putting up is for the purpose of keeping my dogs in and the feral pigs out so will be a mesh wire. This is probably a question for Texans since it will be state law but any one with experience with the situation I would welcome input. My question is can I use the t-posts and cedar posts already in place and attach the mesh to my side of the fence since the fence is on the property line.

Thanks for any help......................

You need to talk to the other property owner. It's a courtesy thing. The last thing you want to do is get into a peeing contest with a neighbor.

I usually try to set the fence a couple of inches inside the property line. That way the neighbor gets the advantage of the fence, but can't do something like what you're wanting to do. The fence might appear to be on the property line to you. But it might not be.

 

[RTII]

You need to talk to the other property owner. It's a courtesy thing. The last thing you want to do is get into a peeing contest with a neighbor.

The fence might appear to be on the property line to you. But it might not be.

I agree with your statement as to the courtesy and want to be a good neighbor but don't know how to find the owner(s). My thoughts were that I would be improving the fence line in that area. Replacing week posts and reinforcing with the wire. I would not remove the barb wire.

As to fence location, according to two surveys (the one that came with the property when I bought the place and one just completed) the fence is dead on the property line for most of it and about 10' of it is actually on my side about by about 4 inches.

 

[jinman]

Reily, I would take what Harvey says and say it over and over until it became my fence mantra. You just cannot replace the good will of discussing your fence plans with a neighbor. You might even find that they are willing to share costs. I certainly would not depend on old satellite photos in Google Earth for making my decision. If you are not sure who owns the property or how to contact them, start with the Grimes County Central Appraisal District website and see if you can look them up. Most likely you will find an address where you can mail a letter. Start the letter off with, "Hi Neighbor! I'd love to meet you," or some such upbeat language. Complement the folks on their fence and explain that you feel the need to do more to prevent the feral hogs on your property and your animals roaming off your own property. Tell them that you want to do something beneficial to both of you, but I would not ask them to share any cost. If they offer, fine, but I would not ask.

Anyhow, these are just my suggestions. I have found that most folks respond well when you try to be friendly and go out of your way to keep them informed. You aren't seeking their approval really, you're just honoring their right to know and extending your offer of friendship. That can go a long way. It sure would with me.

 

[RTII]

Jinman, Harv,

Good advice and well recieved. Thanks for the reality check. I will make more of an effort to locate these neighbors and get their input prior to starting the work and if I can't touch base with them I'll just put my own fence inside of the property line. Guess I was just tryin to take a short cut and save some cost with out thinking the situation all the way through............ There may well be a lot of long term value in getting to know them if I can find them.

Reily

 

[blueriver]

Neighbor relations are important. I talked to mine on the South and suggested we need a new fence, he advised me he didn't. Told me he had no livestock to keep in and if I felt a fence was necassary to do it myself. We did agree that it was to go on the line ... so I proceeded to do it.

A few weeks later ... he bought cows!!

 

[brin]

I always have built my fences 6 inches inside my property line...based on the actual survey so I always had control of the fences...Once this came in very handy when I had a new neighbor tell me he was going to tear down about 600 ft. of 4 board fence along our property line...I told him the fence was on my property and had cost me thousands of dollars to put in..( all pressure treated 6x on 4x6 pt posts ) He said he would have it surveyed - I showed him my survey but he spent the money and verified the fence was on my property...and he did leave my fence alone....smart man. by the way he was not a nice person and is not to this day...He took the wrong approach with me..telling me what he was going to do and he did not have his facts...Best to always spend your money on your own property even if you have a good neighbor now....they may sell and you may end up with a not so nice neighbor on the next go round...

 

[beppington]

Complement the folks on their fence and explain that you feel the need to do more to prevent the feral hogs on your property and your animals roaming off your own property. Tell them that you want to do something beneficial to both of you, but I would not ask them to share any cost. If they offer, fine, but I would not ask.

I'd leave feral hogs out of the conversation; He might take it that you want to keep the feral hogs not only off your property, but on his, which he may not like. I'd just mention keeping your own animals in.

 

[beppington]

More in favor of a good relationship with those on the other side of the property line: Depending on the fence you're putting up, it can be helpful or even downright necessary to actually get on your neighbor's side of the property line when installing a fence.

With T-posts & wire/ mesh installed on your side of the line, you can probably install it all from your side.

 

[jbooth]

In Kansas when you are facing a property line fence you are responsible for the 1/2 portion on your right. That is pretty hard to enforce if you are the one needing the fence and your neighbor doesn't. I doubt you will have much luck fencing out feral hogs with woven wire. We did OK by putting rings in the hog's noses, but expect that would be difficult with the wild critters. I would think an electric fence might work better for the hogs and maybe even the dogs if spaced right. Be less expensive and labor intensive also.

 

[MicroPilot]

...Be less expensive and labor intensive also.

Initially maybe, but electric fence takes a lot of time and effort every year to keep clear so that it works as it's supposed to.

 

[jbooth]

Initially maybe, but electric fence takes a lot of time and effort every year to keep clear so that it works as it's supposed to.

Woven wire or mesh fence will also have quite a bit of upkeep if fencing for feral hogs. Don't know the size of the dogs but I would think at least 3' - 4' high. I doubt woven wire will stop hogs or dogs from rooting or digging under. I spray my electric fence 2 times a year with round up and thats all it takes to keep it clear.

I will admit my experience is with domestic hogs, but I can't imagine the ferals to be easier.

My dog experience is with hunting dogs and the only way I was able to keep the dogs from digging under a woven wire was to pour a conctete curb around the entire fence line. At that point the dogs climbed the 6' fence and I ended up with electric around the top anyway.

 

[woody]

I agree with your statement as to the courtesy and want to be a good neighbor but don't know how to find the owner(s). My thoughts were that I would be improving the fence line in that area. Replacing week posts and reinforcing with the wire. I would not remove the barb wire.

As to fence location, according to two surveys (the one that came with the property when I bought the place and one just completed) the fence is dead on the property line for most of it and about 10' of it is actually on my side about by about 4 inches.

are you sure the fence is not yours? if 10 feet of it is 4 inches on your property and the rest is on the line it sounds like yours to me.

 

[beppington]

Woven wire or mesh fence will also have quite a bit of upkeep if fencing for feral hogs. Don't know the size of the dogs but I would think at least 3' - 4' high. I doubt woven wire will stop hogs or dogs from rooting or digging under. I spray my electric fence 2 times a year with round up and thats all it takes to keep it clear.

I will admit my experience is with domestic hogs, but I can't imagine the ferals to be easier.

My dog experience is with hunting dogs and the only way I was able to keep the dogs from digging under a woven wire was to pour a conctete curb around the entire fence line. At that point the dogs climbed the 6' fence and I ended up with electric around the top anyway.

Wow, concrete?!? What about something like this "hinged" wire mesh fence? 4' high with a 12" apron that lays on or under the ground to deter digging.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Does Texas have property taxes? If so, the county assessor will know how to contact the owner. Otherwise check with the county clerk.

 

[dmccarty]

Our county has a GIS website that has all sorts of interesting information including who owns what, the owners address(which may or may not be local), maps and aerial photos with the lots lines, and a whole lot more.

Our tax assessor would have the address of the owner but not the maps and photos.

The GIS site can overlay fire districts, water features, terrain, etc. Very nice.

Later,
Dan

 

[jbooth]

Wow, concrete?!? What about something like this "hinged" wire mesh fence? 4' high with a 12" apron that lays on or under the ground to deter digging.

Height was the reason I did not turn a portion of my 6' wire under. My dogs had demonstrated they could jump a 4 ft fence rather easily. My dog pen were small, probably 60' X 60'. Concrete and my labor was inexpensive at the time.