It is my
experience of 60+ years that there is nothing you can do that will be 100% effective against all predators. Save one. ...Remove any predator.
I do a certain amount of prayer. I do a certain amount of very clearly expressing my intent. I make it very clear to all spiders that if you come in our house you will die. My house is my space. Stay out. I also make it clear to all spiders that if I see you outside I will leave you alone. That is their space. I do the same with coyotes, foxes, raccoons, possums, weasels, hawks, etc. I will leave you alone, I will not hunt you, if you keep to your space. But the chickens and sheep and goats and
rabbits are mine. Bother them and you die. Very quickly. It seems a fair deal to me. Respect each others space. Be clear about the rules. Its up to them to abide by them, because I certainly will. For me at least, all life, all events are connected. If you are very clear about your intent then things tend to work well. ...So best of luck with your fences. They may work fairly well for a time. But, it is my experience that sooner or later things will fail and you might have been better off dealing with situations more directly.
---I like to tell stories, so here is are a couple of short ones that aren't exactly on point, but they talk a little about four leggeds and two leggeds understanding each other and getting along. I don't know if this is true or not, but I was told that Sitting Bull, of the Húnkpapȟa, got his name because he was brave enough to walk and sit with the bull buffalos (bull buffalos can appear to be totally calm one moment and the next run you over). Sitting Bull was able to let the buffalo know he meant no harm. And they understood and allowed him to be amongst them.
One time I was in the Black Hills. I was up on a hill looking across the valley below. I sat for awhile and then saw an enormous old bull come walking up the valley. He walked, taking his time, until he was directly opposite me. He stopped, pawed the ground for a bit, then looked up the hill directly at me. He pawed again. Then walked on down the valley a little ways. Then he stopped and looked at me again. It seemed a bit strange (actually not strange at all), and then I heard the voice. It said to go down the hill to see what he was pawing at. Now this didn't seem to be a particularly good idea since if the buffalo got a mind to he could run me down easily. But, hey, when the voice says move, I tend to move. So I walked down the hill to the flat were he had pawed the dirt, ...the whole time the bull watching in the near distance. And there, in the loosened ground, were 12 uncovered buffalo bones. The voice said to take them home to Ohio. So I gathered them and walked back up the hill. When I reached the crest I turned to wave and say Thank You, and the bull buffalo shook his head (in seeming agreement) and turned and sauntered off on the rest of his day's journey.
At home one of my gardens is 12
raised garden beds arranged in a circle. I (re)buried those 12 bones, one in each bed. And those beds have grown vegetables like you wouldn't believe. That to me is
permaculture. Recognizing the Life in everything, the Spirit in everything, the Wisdom and Knowledge of all things. And working with All, ...the Stones, the Plants, the Animals and the Walking Uprights, to live a more balanced and productive life. So, as I suggested, be clear about what you want. Let all the others know your intent. Then live by it.
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