Indomitable Spirit

I tried attaching this video to yesterday's update but kept having technical difficulty.  If you don't succeed try, try again.

Ross and I spent the day sourcing electric fences.  The guys from the Department of Environmental Protection told us we should install a electric barbed wire fence.  This would be the greatest deterrent to a bear.  I read online that this could be dangerous to both livestock and humans; if you get caught in it and have trouble getting out your in trouble.  The user manual from one of the manufacturers we looked at also warned against it.  Finally the clerk at the Tractor Supply store said that it would be possible to hook barbed wire up to the fence controller, but it could burn out the system since barbed wire is a different gauge than the recommended wire (gauge has to do with size of wire and the power it can draw).  Lots to think about, but it looks like we will be going with a regular electric fence and maybe add some non-electrified barb wire.

Prices weren't as bad as I had thought (who really has a reference point for how much and electric fence costs except seasoned farmers and prison wardens).  The item with the biggest cost to use ratio will be a $60 crimping tool.  Anyone have one we can borrow?   I think that by Spring we will have the fence up and running.  Our biggest hurdle to installation will be cutting down the trees next to the fence.  I had a revelation today as I walked the path; if bears can easily climb trees then what is to stop them from using trees next to the fence as a ladder?  Worse, how do they get back out?  It looks like we now know where we will be getting next year's firewood.

Our last stop today was to pick up the supplies to fix the chicken coop.  The last door was a solid piece of plywood with trim on all four sides.  The hinges were attached to the trim, and the bear easily pulled the trim from the plywood which is what gave him such easy access.  I modified the new door so that it was two solid pieces of plywood with no trim making it harder to bust straight through.  It seems much sturdier.  We lowered the latches so that the door's pivot point would not allow it to swing open from the top like the last one did.  I replaced the hinges and used longer screws to make it harder to pull out.  I also used bolts with washers instead of screws for the hinges and latch hardware that attached to the door.  On the last door, the handle was bolted through the door to keep it from pulling out as we used it. On the new door the handle is screwed in with shallow screws so that it can pull out if someone would try to use it as leverage when forcing the door open.  It is amazing how much thought can go into a simple rectangle!  Finally, Ross threw a quick coat of paint over all the damaged areas  and the new door so they could withstand the weather.  All in all it feels good to reclaim the coop.  It really helps the psyche heal from our ordeal.