# Beekeeping with bears, deer and mountain lions



## Hitch (Oct 19, 2016)

Over the years I've thought it would be cool to have a couple of bee hives. However, we don't live on the property and have a lot of wildlife. Is if possible to have hives out in the open or would they need to be within a fenced area?


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

I suspect you would need a good electric fence around them.


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## fireweed farm (Dec 31, 2010)

I think you should try it. You NEED a good electric fence or don’t waste the money on bees and equipment. You can have success with a decent solar fence charger. 

If you click the link and scroll to the last page you’ll see a “bear posi/neg” fence, I’ve used this for a couple years in black bear and grizz country so far so good. It’s hot. And rocky ground and it still works great.
Mountain lions and deer won’t mess with your hives. 


https://www.ferrisfencing.com/_files/ugd/f0ee4c_3daaf114dd1043f3ad885e308165a861.pdf


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## Wyobuckaroo (Dec 30, 2011)

Like Fireweed Farm says.... You NEED a GOOD electric fence... We are quite a bit farther north then Fireweed Farm and have a neighbor about 2 km down stream from us that keeps a LOT of hives... I tease him saying ...keep up the good work as you keep the bears away from our place... Most of the time... 

Back to electric fence.... What they don't tell you is electric fence for bears has to be barbed wire and strong enough to contain buffalo to get through bear fur to give them a jolt... Bears routinely walk through light duty fence no matter how powerful the fence shocker.. Again.. The possitve, negative thing in the link for bear fence is to get through the fur and tough skin on the feet... 

Our neighbor built a sun deck of sorts on top of a shipping container for his hives... The bears have not learned to set up the extension ladder to get to the deck... But the container has scratches in the paint all around.... This seems to work well as I don't hear his 300 magnum any more.. 

The now barn, formally an airplane hanger, where he overwinters his hives is virtually surrounded by "bear mats" This a 1/2" of 4x8 plywood with many hundreds of 2" deck screws in it, points up... At times we use "bear mats" under the windows in our chicken and rabbit barns... 

Good luck...


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