Fencing my property

[Michael In Tennessee]

What I know about fencing is that I don't know about fencing.

I have 24 rural acres in east Tennessee subdivided 25 years ago off a larger parcel. Its two adjoining parcels. I would like to fence the property so that in the future I can have a few animals. Probably just a cow or two. The wife wants goats, but as pets. I don't need pets.

I'd also like to assure the two legged animals are properly restrained.

Most of the perimeter is wooded. Along one side and the back are well aged barbwire fencing that may or may not be on the property line. It is not in good enough condition to save. Those two sides are wooded the side is mostly small trees. The back has some trees approaching 2' diameter that are on the property line. The second side is lightly treed with a few medium trees likely on the property line. The front is half lawn, half useless brush of no consequence. I'd likely not fence the front lawn and fence off the back of the property behind the house for animals.

I would need to get a new survey to verify property lines. The property is also a bit hilly and I cannot see from corner to corner. I would need intermediate stakes to get good sight lines.

Questions I do know...

fence line etiquette: When encountering trees on the property line, how do you fence around them to avoid neighborly disputes while making sure your neighbor knows where the line really is? Mechanically, how do you fence around such trees? Jog the fence? Stop the fence short and restart on the other side and fill in with untensioned fencing?

What type of fence? I do not plan on horses or the like. The Grandson wants alpacas, but he ain't getting any. Do I want a woven fence? high tension wire? Barbed wire? I'd like the fence to be cost effective and low maintenance.

What do I not yet know?

I have a tractor (obviously) and I think I want a hydraulic post hole digger. We have rocky soil. I might consider a post pounder, but they are not as versatile as as PHD.

My current thought is a 4 or 5 wire high tension fence. Heavy wood corner posts, properly braced. Medium sized wood post every 100 ft or as needed due to hills. T-posts between as needed.

 

[fishdrivel]

Knotted field wire. Shop around! wide range of prices.
Knotted is best. Welded rusts at the joints and fails.
Usually, 330 ft rolls but I have seen in 1000 ft rolls.
330 is enough for 1 man to handle.

https://www.plumbersstock.com/keystone-wire-70207.html?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&scid=scbplp611584&sc_intid=611584

 

[RUSTBUCKET BRONCO]

I was in a similar boat. I talked to my neighbor about trees on the property line and we both decided all should come down. I had an existing fence line I had to pull out first (actually 3 built on top of each other) After cutting the trees in the way and clearing the old fences I went with 5 strand hi-tensile fence. I found some fairly new telephone polls that were used for dock pilings for a year then removed. Those are the corner posts, as for the intermediate fence post I used mostly T posts then every 15-20 I would sink another wood post. I have goats on my side of the fence and they stay in the electric fence just fine. They do need a training area first, to show them not to mess with the fence.

 

[Oaktree]

fence line etiquette: When encountering trees on the property line, how do you fence around them to avoid neighborly disputes while making sure your neighbor knows where the line really is? Mechanically, how do you fence around such trees? Jog the fence? Stop the fence short and restart on the other side and fill in with untensioned fencing?

Looks to me like you're asking 2 different questions. As far as fencing cows, goats, etc. there's no need to go into the woods...just put the fence around the perimeter you want the animals to stay inside of.
Property line in the woods, I'd just go with flagging. If you need more than that to delineate your property it's time for a talk with the neighbor(s).

 

[bcp]

^^^^^^^^

It's handy to have your fence inside the lines so you could drive around on the outside for maintenance, etc. Check on the animals and fence without having to go inside. You can pick a line that avoids trees and boulders, instead of a boundary fence that runs into them.

Mark the property line with an occasional T-post.

Bruce

 

[rgr33]

Too late for me now, but I really wish I had set my fence line in about 5-6 ft off boundary. I paid a lot for my property, and wanted to use every available inch of it at the time.

now, I feel I have to clear it with neighbor in order to work on the other side

 

[9973720wb19]

Stop the fence short and restart on the other side and fill in with untensioned fencing?

this is what I'd do...kinda shows his trees (or whatever) is on the line and now part of your fence... I'd also casually let the neighbor know your putting up a fence the the reasons...that it's not about him...your needs have changed.

 

[ChuckT]

One - you're gonna have neighbors whether you like them or not.
Two - you want them to respect your property as much as you do theirs.
Three - clearing enough to allow you to maintain the fence is cheapest NOW and EXPENSIVE later.
Last if you make an agreement with your current neighbors you should NOT assume a new neighbor will agree.
So, from experience, establish the actual property line(s) clear cut - now - a narrow road width into your property taking down all trees and brush. If the trees are big enough you might be able to sell them to a local logger and split the $ with neighbors.
Better be prepared for push back. And if a neighbor is an out-of-town land ownership it'll take some time so DOCUMENT everything. Don't succumb to the noble "gentlemen's agreement" aka suicide.

 

[ChuckT]

One last thing - don't let yourself get trapped into some emotional feud/spitting match, life's too short to be a child longer than needful.

 

[LouNY]

A high tensile fence with tension ratches will bounce back from tree limbs and such,
A barbed wire fence will break.
A page wire or woven wire fence will be a mess.
A line fence can be constructed on the property line,
a fence for keeping livestock in an wanders out can be inside the line a bit as long as all property owners are aware of the actual line.
Myself I would prefer to keep my roadway on the inside of the fence, otherwise it needs to be set back far enough to allow very
vehicle and tractor and mower operation around the fence.