This ARTICLE claims that the reason the Bontebok escaped extinction is due simply to the fact that they can't clear a cattle-fence.

But I expect that they are like a lot of other African antelope which could easily clear a cattle-fence if they wanted to. They just don't.

I base this on the BWPA minimum requirements for so many animals being a simple 1.37 meter, 12-strand game-fence ...(including Gemsbok, Red Hartebeest, Roan, Sable, Springbok, Tsessebe, Wildebeest and Zebra).

The BWPA doesn't cover Blesbok or Bontebok (which, I expect, are no different in their jumping ability) - but if there are any game-ranchers here who could shed some light on this I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

Interesting.
I'm picking you wouldn't have much left if you only conformed to that fence height.
I've got stock that could clear 1.36m all day.
Odd that the minimum is so low.
Thanks - good article.

quote:

Originally posted by Ridgeman:

I've got stock that could clear 1.36m all day.

It's that additional 0.01 meter that gets 'em!

Interesting question.

They might be like the Pronghorn. They can easily jump the standard cattle fence. Most of the time they look for a place to crawl under.

I've seen a very large water buff clear a standard cattle fence with only a walk up.

Pronghorn can slip upper a fence at some speed. Whitetail do it as much as they jump over.

Even a fat old white face bull can jump a 6' fence, or over the stock rack of a truck. I've seen it happen more than once. AND they're not wild animals most of the time either.

Now dealing with elk, I really don't think they have a clue where their feet are. It don't matter if the fence is single strand 6" high or 12 feet. They'll hit the top wire everytime. We solved the problem of them breaking it by putting a cable thru holes in the post for the top wire anchoring only on the corner posts and with just a bit of slack too. Never had it knocked down, loose or broken after that.

George

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Kudu and eland will clear a 10' fence from a Standing start every time. Seen it many times.

Impala, zebra, oryx and wildebeest will more likely go thru a fence rather than jump it.

Springbok, bles and bonte do not jump fences and rarely go thru them. Fact.

Two farming friends hold bles and bonte and they just dont go thru, under or over their catte fences.

C

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quote:

Originally posted by Bakes:
I've seen a very large water buff clear a standard cattle fence with only a walk up.

That would be a rare sight... usually the buggers just walk right through!

Years ago, I watched a nyala bull run and slam into the bottom of a high fence near Hluhluwe so hard that it slid under it without slowing down. When I tried to lift the bottom of the fence at that point, I could create only about a six- to eight-inch gap. How that animal got under it still is a wonder.

Bill Quimby

I was in Limpopo and watched a herd of Impala jumping the high fence, was like a wave going over. With the PH we waited to see if what was chasing them followed. It made for a few exciting minutes but nothing showed.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Charlie64:
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... ... ... bles and bonte do not jump fences and rarely go thru them. Fact.

Two farming friends hold bles and bonte and they just dont go thru, under or over their catte fences.

C

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That's exactly the information I was looking for.

Thanks. Much appreciated.

quote:

Originally posted by Charlie64:
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Kudu and eland will clear a 10' fence from a Standing start every time. Seen it many times.

Impala, zebra, oryx and wildebeest will more likely go thru a fence rather than jump it.

Springbok, bles and bonte do not jump fences and rarely go thru them. Fact.

Two farming friends hold bles and bonte and they just dont go thru, under or over their catte fences.

C

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I appreciate your eye witness account but do not believe any animal out there can jump a 10' fence standing next to it. I have witnessed numerous kudu and eland attempting to get over a 6' fence and could not. Usually that ran into it and broke through, but never jumping it.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:

quote:

Originally posted by Charlie64:
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Kudu and eland will clear a 10' fence from a Standing start every time. Seen it many times.

Impala, zebra, oryx and wildebeest will more likely go thru a fence rather than jump it.

Springbok, bles and bonte do not jump fences and rarely go thru them. Fact.

Two farming friends hold bles and bonte and they just dont go thru, under or over their catte fences.

C

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I appreciate your eye witness account but do not believe any animal out there can jump a 10' fence standing next to it. I have witnessed numerous kudu and eland attempting to get over a 6' fence and could not. Usually that ran into it and broke through, but never jumping it.

I should probably let Charlie speak for himself, but I expect he meant an eight-foot fence. In fact, I doubt (though I could be wrong on this) ... I doubt that there are very many (if any) ten-foot fences on game-ranches. I don't think Bonnox, probably the most prolific game-fence builder in SA, even makes one taller than eight-feet (2.44 meters, actually).

I would add, however, that I have read or heard of eland clearing eight-foot fences many times, and I know of at least one small ranch up near Maun where Kudu regularly jump the fence to get INTO the ranch because the fodder is so much better there.

Yes, a 2.5 meter/8-foot fence is about as tall as they normally get. A large, determined whitetail buck can make it over if the doe on the other side is in the midst of estrus. But plenty such bucks have been found dead, hanging by a hind leg twisted between the top two wires.

Ol' Bossy, the milk cow, can clear a 4.5-foot barbed wire fence when she takes a mind to do so, but always from a standing start. If a bovine has a running start they can't get much height and will just plow through a fence. Multiply 2000 lbs times the velocity of a bull running at 25 fps and see if you think that momentum can be arrested by a twisted strand of two 12-gauge wires.