Updare Answer : Little Metal Bait Containing Help ?

  Within Britain, badgers are particularly numerous in much of the south-west of England, and also in parts of the south-east and Wales. The Eurasian badger occupies a wide range of habitats. In Britain, numbers are highest in areas where there is a lot of old, well-grazed cattle pasture, but they also occupy mixed and arable farmland, forests, moor lands and coastal habitats such as sand dunes and cliffs. In addition, they also live in urban areas.

A large part of the badger's diet consists of earthworms and grubs which they find in areas of short turf such as cattle pastures. In dry conditions during the summer, or in hard weather in winter, badgers may turn to gardens, Golf greens and fairways as substitute pastures, and excavate numerous holes in them as they dig for earthworms, leatherjackets, cockchafer grubs or other insect larvae. Sometimes the damage can be quite serious, with lengths of turf rolled back like carpets and left looking like giant brown and green Swiss rolls.

There are two methods of badger exclusion and both involve fencing. Firstly is the high tensile type that is highly ornate, involves burying the wire in to prevent badgers digging under and very expensive.

The next solution is to use an appropriate electric fence to give the badgers a sharp, but non-lethal "sting" on the nose if they try to get into a protected area. This can provide value-for-money for ceremonial gardens, putting greens, bowling greens and cricket pitches; for commercial planting schemes/shared allotments; and for large gardens. Electric fencing has been shown to be over 90% effective in excluding badgers in scientifically sanctioned trials.

There are two types of fencing applicable to excluding Badgers.

Strained-wire fences consist of a series of electrified parallel conducting wires at varying heights above the ground. The conducting wires of strained-wire fences can be made from either polythene twine interwoven with steel strands (poly wire) or galvanised steel. The steel wire is a better conductor, far more durable and is cheaper but harder to work with.

Electric netting fence consists of a woven net of poly twines containing electrical filaments. These are very easy to erect and move, very effective but are more intrusive and require larger energisers.

If both fence types are maintained properly they are equally effective. However, galvanised steel fences appear to be more effective than their poly wire counterparts.

Electric fencing systems are very light and simple to understand so lend themselves comfortably to DIY possibilities.

The strained-wire fence system is constructed of four electrified parallel conducting wires at heights of 10, 15, 20 and 30cm (4, 6, 8 and 12 inches) above the ground. The wires, which are all live, are held by adjustable plastic insulators supported on wooden stakes. A very viable alternative is to use plastic "tread-in" posts similar to those employed in horse yards as they provide both the posts and insulators in one item. The corners and ends are normally more robust wooden posts with insulators applied.

Electric netting fences vary in height and mesh size, and come in 50m rolls fitted with spiked posts at regular intervals and a clip at each end to join rolls together. Pegged guy ropes are also supplied with each roll to support the fences at the ends and at bends. These fences are very easy and quick to erect and dismantle but do require stronger energizers and require more maintenance to keep the vegetation away from the bottom strands.

The electric fence needs to be used between dusk and dawn for at least a few weeks (i.e. until each visiting badger has had a "sting" on the nose). The best guesstimate is that they will remain effective for at least 95% of badgers who have been stung (as exceedingly few like to receive a second sting). This means that after the initial few weeks, you can take the risk that the fence can be left in situ, but left non-electrified during the day and operated at night.

Electric fences must be powered by a specialised energizer (which gets its power from the mains or from a 12v battery). If you use a 12v battery, you will need two batteries, so you can charge one up on a trickle-charger, whilst the other one of electrifying the fence. An alternative is to use a solar panel.

When badgers encountered the fences for the first time their initial response is the same as would be expected for any unfamiliar object. In most instances, badgers approach the fences cautiously before investigating, usually with their noses, which are poorly insulated and highly innervated. Any individual touching an electrified fence with their nose will, therefore, receive a sharp shock and subsequently learn to avoid the area. Investigatory behaviour of this nature should therefore be encouraged and a number of approaches are being used to achieve this. The best solution to this is to attach specific bait caps to the fence. These have an absorbent centre that is then soaked in an attractant such as syrup or neat Apple cordial for the first week or so.

Badgers that have definitely been seen to touch the electrified wires generally responded by retreating immediately to the nearest harbourage. This response was most marked when the badgers concerned touched the electrified wires with their noses. Badgers do not appear overly stressed by the receipt of an electric shock and will move in the close vicinity of the fence without touching it again.

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Deer have become an increasing problem in nearly all areas of the United Kingdom and the deer population is thought to be higher now than at any time in history. Coppice re-growth and natural regeneration of trees is impossible in many places without fencing or other protection. In some areas muntjac deer are causing significant damage to the ground flora of woodlands. Where they choose to feed, rub, walk, scratch and breed is a habit learned over time and reinforced every time they do it safely. To exclude a deer herd from a food source, area or route that they habitually use, forces the herd to break this habit. Thus the first day, week and month of denial of use (by a fence) is the key period. Once the habit is broken, the change in routines and location is easier to maintain. However, don't expect success in persuading a starving deer herd to feed elsewhere if your site is its only food source.

There are four basic approaches to controlling deer damage to woodlands, which may need to be used in combination:

Conventional fencing is difficult to erect, cumbersome and expensive. Alternative source of food may be supplied. Culling the herd, not for the squeamish Electric Fencing is highly effective and being intrinsically lighter than conventional fencing is substantially cheaper and easier to erect.

Electric fences deter the deer's brain instead of the body and siting and erecting the fence should bear that in mind and should be managed with an awareness of how a deer herd interacts with your area and the new fence.

Permanent Fencing. These generally utilise wooden posts combined with suitable ring insulators. Plain hotShock wire is the most suitable due to its longevity and most important, its excellent conductivity. The number of strands depends on the type of deer being excluded. The UK is populated by three varieties, Muntjac Deer are small (size of a medium dog) at 50cm, through Fallow Deer 100cm to the taller Red Deer at 130cm. The first wire goes in at that height as that is the nose height at rest and the nose is what animals use to investigate un-familiar objects. Muntjac have the habit of going under wire so put in 2 lines below that and one 20cm above. So for Muntjac spacing would be 15,30,50 and 70cm above ground. Red Deer have a habit of jumping so 5 wire fence is preferable at 50, 80,110,130 and 170cm.A total exclusion fence for deer would therefore be a combination of the two and require 7 strands. (It is important you read the section on Training the Deer)

Deer have a natural insulation due to the hooves and hair and this has proved to be a problem in the past. Electric fencing has in the past been thought to be not totally effective but this has been rectified by new technology and improved exclusion techniques. hotShock or HoriSmart energisers have been developed to cater for natural insulation qualities of some animals. These run at higher voltages than standard models to enable them to bridge this natural insulation. (Again the section on Training the Deer is important)

Temporary Fencing. Poly Posts are very useful in temporary situations. They are very simple to use and are quite adequate. Use the longest available, especially for Red Deer and at 150cm above ground they are adequate for most situations. The ends and corners still need to be wooden posts to enable you to tension the wires adequately. Poly twines or rope is preferable to wire as they are easily handled and easily wound onto reels for transporting to another site.

3 Dimensional Fences. There are reports coming out of the USA where an additional single line 1 meter on the pressure side of the fence greatly improves fences that are less than 150cm high. The principle is based on the belief that deer have less than ideal depth perception so are more tentative with wide fences rather than tall. The Australian technique of leaning the fence probably replicates this.

Training the Deer. There are two methods of increasing the effectiveness of the fence. The first is by clearing the brush about 3-5 meters away from the fence. The smaller deer have an inbuilt tentativeness crossing open areas that is reinforced by contact with the fence.

Red Deer in particular have a habit of not investigating the fence and simply jump over it. This is in common with the Springbuck and Impala of Africa (both of which do comfortably clear a 2 meter high fence) and consequently an effective technique has evolved whereby the fence is initially baited to attract the target to investigate the fence. With deer this is done by two methods;-

Little metal bait caps containing cotton wool soaked with an apple scented essence attached to the fence. (Neat apple cordial works well.) These may be left on the fence and re-baited when necessary.

Lengths of kitchen foil smeared with molasses/treacle or syrup wrapped around the wires at strategic positions of the fence. These should be removed and replaced if pressure on the fence re-occurs.

The animals sniff the bait with their sensitive noses and get an effective sting from the fence. This then creates the psychological barrier in the animal that they are unable to see and consequently do not know how high it goes. To illustrate this further, foxes, rabbits and badgers do not dig under electric fences for the same reason. The deer seldom attempt a second try. This may sound harsh, but the technique is VERY effective and after the first few animals get a sting the rest will learn from their experiences, termed "Socially Conditioned Avoidance," and the fence will be left alone. The bait may be removed after about a week. Baiting may be necessary again if another herd comes into the area, the deer begin to test the fence again or after the fence has been off for a while.