This photo shows a typical five wire barbed wire fence that is typical of ranch fences throughout the state. They can be built with steel or wood posts depending upon landowner preference and price of materials at the time of construction. The typical span is 16.5 feet between posts which is equivalent to one rod.

Note that this fence is constructed with steel posts however there are braces where ever the fence has a substantial change in elevation. Wood braces are necessary to keep the fence wires tight.

This photo shows an example of a suspension fence that is very popular in elk country since it allows for a lot of give in the fence without breakage. Typically the post are set in the ground every forty feet. Wooden stays are then spaced every ten feet to properly space the wires. The wooden stays are just set on top the ground. They improve the visibility of the fence and are considerably cheaper then treated fence posts.

This type of fence also works good in heavy snow country since the fence can give under snow weight. The wires for this type of fence need to have a high tensile strength.

This photo shows an example of a split rail fence that is popular with some landowners in Montana. It is typically used as a yard fence but some landowners prefer the attractiveness of the fence for a boundary fence. It is extremely expensive to build since it takes considerable material and labor. To keep the rails from sagging over time the posts should be set no more than ten feet apart.

Besides the expense, the fence can sometimes act as a barrier to wildlife since there is no give to the rails and sometimes the top rail to too high to allow younger wildlife to jump the fence. It this type of fence is used in a boundary situation, the top rail should be no higher than 44 inches.

The jackleg fence was historically used as a fence over very rocky or steep ground where it was difficult or impossible to set fence posts. It also allows landowners to built a fence out of material that was available locally without the hassle of treating posts.

Lately it has become popular with some landowners for the beauty of the fence and for its wildlife friendly rails.

The disadvantage of the fence is the expense, the labor it requires to build, and its vulnerability to blowing over in the wind. The fence does need to be braced every 200 feet to keep the fence from falling parallel.

Here is a photo of a power fence that is powered by a New Zealand type charger typically in a building. A charger can charger miles of fence and is very effective in keeping livestock where they belong. In addition the fence serves as a predator deterrent due to the high shock of the wires.

This fence is constructed of four high tensile wire with strainers to keep is tight. The posts are 3/4 inch fiberglass rods with holes drilled for the cotter pins that hold the wire. Steel or wood posts can also be used by fiberglass will never cause a short in the fence.

The key to a fence that begins tight and stays tight is a quality brace. The brace pictured here is a double brace. A double brace will allow you to strench a longer section of fence but a single brace may be sufficient for small parcels. The posts should be set at least 2.5 feet in the ground and many prefer three feet. The brace pole should be at least six feet long to form a good triangle. Long deck screws work great for attaching the brace pole to the post.

This brace wire covers the entire brace. Some prefer two brace wires, one for each brace. Note the short peice of rebar that is used to twist the brace wire so the brace is pre-stressed prior to pulling on the fence wire. When stretching the wire, start with the middle wire, top wire, bottom wire and then the two remaining wires.