Fence Lines

   / Fence Lines #31  
In Illinois it used to be each owner had to pay for half the cost of the fence. If you stood and looked at the boundary line from your side you paid for the right half. I was told by a lawyer this was no longer the case, the person who wanted the fence had to pay.

This varies by state and the op would be smart to get the surveyor back to mark the line.
 
   / Fence Lines #32  
Indiana still has the fence law pertaining to a landowner maintaining the right half of a partition fence.
 
   / Fence Lines #33  
Not a Texan but as a member of our township board (in MN), we needed to referee a dispute with a farmer's cattle getting onto his neighbor's property. Ended up that the farmer bought the posts and wire and several of us volunteered to run the fence along the existing line (not the best because 100+ year old fence lines may be far off line). When we got to the forested portion, we found the other landowner had it logged several years earlier and the loggers had felled trees over the ancient fence line. This is where tracks showed cattle had been crossing the most. In our county it is the cattle owners responsibility to pay for and maintain fences unless the adjoining property owner does something to damage the fence. In this case it was the responsibility of the logger who felled trees over the fence to make, or pay for, the repairs even on a woven wire fence over 100 years old.
 
   / Fence Lines #34  
In Texas, the owner of livestock in closed range areas is responsible for containing said livestock. The owner is fully responsible for keeping the enclosure properly maintained to prevent livestock from trespassing onto other properties and public roadways and is responsible for any damages livestock escaping might cause. If you are on good terms with your neighbor, I'd suggest inquiring if he carries a rider on his home owner's insurance policy for a just in case situation. A $1,000,000 is easily obtained and inexpensive. It can also be deducted at tax time as a part of business expense. BTW, I live in South Central Texas for what it's worth.
 
   / Fence Lines #35  
We used to have this problem a lot. Ours would get out on the road. But the neighbors would get into our hay fields. We helped them with fence repair, but they were not very interested in doing a good job as long as we were on the case.
It all got solved when my brother married their daughter. Do not ask me about the pre-nuptual doc, but it seemed to work.
 
   / Fence Lines #36  
Around here back when all the neighbors had cows the line fences were a shared affair, usually you maintained half and the neighbor maintained half.
Now that many do not have cows and the farm has switched to beefers which take a better fence then dairy cows did, all the main fences are 5 strand high tensile with usually 2 some times 3 strands hot. Going along the property lines we leave the old broken down fence and move in a few feet for the new fence we also use many trees for posts. The hi tensile wire is quite strong even when tree limbs fall on it often recovering itself when the limbs are cut off and easy to repair if broken. Many of the dividing fences are two strand poly wire as it is quite to put up and take down and move.
 
   / Fence Lines #37  
My property is timber thus I don't need a fence and only have it on 1 of the 4 sides. My neighbor's is pasture. My neighbor just sold his property and the new owner is moving cattle onto it. ... Anyone, especially in Texas, know what is required?
I'm in SE Texas. I have cattle and have 2 neighbors have cattle. In 25 years, this is what I have experienced and learned:

If the fence is within property lines, the owner has the right to do anything he wants, and has no right to ask for cost sharing. If it is on the line, check your laws. Where the benefit is one sided, it would be unreasonable to split the cost, unless law says otherwise. Instead, if you want to be a good neighbor, a limited amount can be offered, but I suggest giving input of what you want or do not want. Put that as well as maintenance in writing for the memory and good of all.

I have tried electric wire thinking it would save me time. Over and over (and over), the fence was disabled - by weeds, falling tree pieces, deer, cattle pushing each other. Never again - PITA.

I have tried to maintain barbed wire, sometimes to the point of adding extra wires to keep heads from poking through - as in 9 wires in some areas. I dislike barbed because of the heads-sticking-through problem, which puts pressure on the fenceline when the neighbor's cow eats my grass. Makes me stop killing weeds on my side. Solution is field/hog type fencing, which also permits posts to be up to 20 feet apart. I like 15 feet. Never leaning because never pushed. But it needs a 4 point barb wire on the bottom and top to keep heads and necks from tunneling or pressing down.

Neighbor #1, the largest, has cattle that keep getting into my pasture, especially if their grass situation is poor. Todate, I have returned well over 30 animals - I trap them then call him to come get them, but have been known to take them to his place just to get them out of here. Problem is old barbed wire fencing that is always in need of maintenance. A down tree or situation where they can (and will) jump over are most common. Legally I can charge him a trapping fee, say $100/head. I should do this, for this guy will never do anything if I complain that his cows are in my pasture. He seems to depend on me to help him out, and never does anything with the fences we share.

Neighbor #2, has a grazing lease and his motto is never do anything unless forced to. All of our common fence was brand new 5 wire 4 years ago, paid by the landowner, and is in sorry shape with lots of sloppy unprofessional fixes. When the fence was replaced, the landowner wanted things done his way, so he paid it all; didn't even tell me beforehand. Hired a dozer which took out all of the fencing and associated trees plus 30 feet of thicket on his side. My side was clean. I asked him to leave a tree here and there, but ignored me. I have learned that if you don't want trees to take down fences, make sure nothing is close by, so I ended up liking the clean fenceline. The barbed wire is a problem. 6 wire would be better, but the best is field/hog wire. The fence is now leaning my way because I have no cattle in my side along that fence. His bull came through once to smell my passing cows by stepping through that fence. He made the wires look like rubber bands.
 
   / Fence Lines #38  
I don't live in Texas but I've had similar issues with a leaser on the property next door. This same guy leased the property I now own. Here there is a "leave it lay" law. Means if you have live stock causing damage to your property you can shoot it but not move it or use it. We are also a "fence in" area meaning, not open range.
You can be nice and offer $ or help with the fence but if the guy isn't acting responsible or responsive now you are wasting your time. Learn ALL the laws in your area before jumping in. In my case I let the wayward owner of the livestock know (documented) of the damage and my expectations(ignored for 7 months). Next I let him know I could have shot all but 50 of his cows so far and starting shortly I will be dropping them on the fence line so no more of my fields are damaged. My side of coarse. That, finally got a reaction and I've had no issues now for a week. Cows will get out and occasionally is fine, when it's become a way of life it's not. I was running 13 a time (different ones) multiple times a day, repairing the fence line the same. It got old fast. By the way, it's my fence they are wrecking. I had it charged for a while until the unit "disappeared", and they just went around anyways. I'm no longer willing to spend my time and money on his problem. Maybe I went off topic :)
 
   / Fence Lines #39  
I've hassled with fencing rights and obligations when farming/ranching in TX some years back. (on both sides and once when called to sit on a jury over a long-standing fence dispute)

A rancher in TX is REQUIRED to keep his cattle confined. On farmland where you graze winter wheat, you will often install and remove electric fence each season. The adjacent landowner has no obligation to share in the fencing, either temporary or permanent.

If I had wooded land and the livestock owner wants to bulldoze trees to build a fence, we would have it surveyed and then he would only be allowed to bulldoze trees on HIS SIDE OF THE PROPERTY LINE. There is no reason you should lose trees for him to build a fence. Further, he's going to need that open width along the fence on his side in order to drive along to check and maintain the fence. I would see that the dozer operator ran the edge of his blade right down the property line.

It is so much better to have fences installed properly and on the exact line to begin with than to deal with the hassle of mislocated fences later. BELIEVE ME!
 
   / Fence Lines #40  
I'm in SE Texas. I have cattle and have 2 neighbors have cattle. In 25 years, this is what I have experienced and learned:

If the fence is within property lines, the owner has the right to do anything he wants, and has no right to ask for cost sharing. If it is on the line, check your laws. Where the benefit is one sided, it would be unreasonable to split the cost, unless law says otherwise. Instead, if you want to be a good neighbor, a limited amount can be offered, but I suggest giving input of what you want or do not want. Put that as well as maintenance in writing for the memory and good of all.

I have tried electric wire thinking it would save me time. Over and over (and over), the fence was disabled - by weeds, falling tree pieces, deer, cattle pushing each other. Never again - PITA.

I have tried to maintain barbed wire, sometimes to the point of adding extra wires to keep heads from poking through - as in 9 wires in some areas. I dislike barbed because of the heads-sticking-through problem, which puts pressure on the fenceline when the neighbor's cow eats my grass. Makes me stop killing weeds on my side. Solution is field/hog type fencing, which also permits posts to be up to 20 feet apart. I like 15 feet. Never leaning because never pushed. But it needs a 4 point barb wire on the bottom and top to keep heads and necks from tunneling or pressing down.

Neighbor #1, the largest, has cattle that keep getting into my pasture, especially if their grass situation is poor. Todate, I have returned well over 30 animals - I trap them then call him to come get them, but have been known to take them to his place just to get them out of here. Problem is old barbed wire fencing that is always in need of maintenance. A down tree or situation where they can (and will) jump over are most common. Legally I can charge him a trapping fee, say $100/head. I should do this, for this guy will never do anything if I complain that his cows are in my pasture. He seems to depend on me to help him out, and never does anything with the fences we share.

Neighbor #2, has a grazing lease and his motto is never do anything unless forced to. All of our common fence was brand new 5 wire 4 years ago, paid by the landowner, and is in sorry shape with lots of sloppy unprofessional fixes. When the fence was replaced, the landowner wanted things done his way, so he paid it all; didn't even tell me beforehand. Hired a dozer which took out all of the fencing and associated trees plus 30 feet of thicket on his side. My side was clean. I asked him to leave a tree here and there, but ignored me. I have learned that if you don't want trees to take down fences, make sure nothing is close by, so I ended up liking the clean fenceline. The barbed wire is a problem. 6 wire would be better, but the best is field/hog wire. The fence is now leaning my way because I have no cattle in my side along that fence. His bull came through once to smell my passing cows by stepping through that fence. He made the wires look like rubber bands.
Best fence for cattle

Are you referring to the High-Tensile Fixed-Knot Wire?
 

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