Where should an electric wire be placed to help prevent climbing and burrowing around a woodchuck exclusion fence?

Where should an electric wire be placed to help prevent climbing and burrowing around a woodchuck exclusion fence?

• A. 4-5 inches off the ground and the same distance outside the fence
• B. 8-12 inches off the ground
• C. 2-3 inches off the ground
• D. 10 inches off the ground

Answer: (A)

Woodchucks are both diggers and climbers, so an effective exclusion setup needs to block both paths. Placing a live wire a few inches above the ground targets the moment the animal would touch the barrier while trying to pass at the fence line, delivering a deterrent shock exactly where contact is likely. Extending the same distance outside the fence creates a second contact point that prevents the animal from slipping around the edge by digging or squeezing through just outside the barrier. About 4-5 inches off the ground hits the critical contact zone for crossing attempts, whereas wires set higher won’t contact them as reliably and can be bypassed. A very low wire (2-3 inches) is easier for them to contend with or crawl under, and a high wire (8-12 or 10 inches) won’t deter the approach effectively. So, the combination of a low height and an outside offset best deters both climbing and burrowing around a woodchuck exclusion fence.

Woodchucks are both diggers and climbers, so an effective exclusion setup needs to block both paths. Placing a live wire a few inches above the ground targets the moment the animal would touch the barrier while trying to pass at the fence line, delivering a deterrent shock exactly where contact is likely. Extending the same distance outside the fence creates a second contact point that prevents the animal from slipping around the edge by digging or squeezing through just outside the barrier. About 4-5 inches off the ground hits the critical contact zone for crossing attempts, whereas wires set higher won’t contact them as reliably and can be bypassed. A very low wire (2-3 inches) is easier for them to contend with or crawl under, and a high wire (8-12 or 10 inches) won’t deter the approach effectively. So, the combination of a low height and an outside offset best deters both climbing and burrowing around a woodchuck exclusion fence.