By Seth Wilson

Seeley Lake, MT — July 13, 2006 - The Blackfoot Challenge in partnership with Defenders of Wildlife, MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and the Seeley Lake Solid Waste Management District have constructed a new power electric fence around the 1,500 foot perimeter of the Seeley Lake Transfer site to deter grizzly and black bears.  The fence was constructed to address the common problem of keeping bears out of garbage.  Once bears find an unsecured attractant like garbage they will typically revisit a location, can become a nuisance, and are often killed by wildlife managers.  Black bears have gained access to the transfer site in the past and MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks Grizzly Bear Management Specialist, Jamie Jonkel, was concerned that it was just a matter of time before grizzlies visited the site.  
 
Fencing contractors Tim Jacobsen and Mark Smith worked with site manager, Mike Lenz, to design a removable section of fence so that slash burn piles could be easily accessed by the public.   Lenz also wanted to make sure that heat coming off of burn piles would not damage the new fence so the contractors came up with an innovative gate-handle-turbo wire system that can be easily set up and taken down.

The Blackfoot Challenge’s Wildlife Coordinator, Seth Wilson, helped to design, coordinate, and oversee construction of the fence.  Defenders of Wildlife paid for all materials and labor through their Proactive Carnivore Conservation Fund, and MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks covered the cost of the energizer.  Special thanks go to the Board of Directors of the Seeley Lake Refuse District for the support and cooperation on the project.

Technical Notes:  Fence is 48” tall, 6-wire alternating hot-cold, uses Gallagher electric fence system specifications, and an M-150 Energizer