Fence types for acreage
- Barbed wire. The traditional cattle fence, and the cheapest per foot.
- Woven wire, or field fence. A mesh of wire that holds goats, sheep, smaller animals and dogs that barbed wire won't stop.
- High-tensile wire. Smooth wire stretched very tight between braced posts. Long runs, less sag, and it's often electrified.
- Pipe fence. Welded steel pipe posts and rails. It's very strong and long-lasting, and common along Texas ranch frontage and arenas.
- Livestock panels. Welded panels for pens, gardens and smaller areas.
- Deer fence. A tall fence, often around 8 feet, to keep deer out of gardens and landscaping or to manage wildlife on larger properties.
Braces and terrain
A wire fence is only as good as its corners. H-braces at corners, ends and gates hold the wire's tension. Around here the ground decides a lot of the cost. On the Hill Country side, posts often need holes drilled into limestone. On the clay side, braces need to be set deep enough to hold when the soil shrinks. Creek crossings and draws need water gaps that let floodwater through without taking the fence with it.
Comal County's eastern quarter, below the Balcones Escarpment, is rolling Blackland Prairie with loam over clay subsoils. The rest of the county is rugged limestone Hill Country.
What ranch fencing costs
HomeGuide puts barbed wire fence at $3 to $6 per linear foot installed. At that rate, a quarter mile (1,320 feet) comes to about $3,960 to $7,920. Woven wire, high-tensile, pipe and deer fence vary widely with post spacing, materials and terrain, so get a site quote.
The 811 rule applies on rural land too. Texas law requires a call at least two business days before digging, and buried lines run under ranch land as well as subdivisions.
Common questions
What fence keeps goats in?
Woven wire, or field fence, with small openings, kept tight, with no gaps at the bottom. Goats test fences, so it's worth asking a contractor what spacing and height they recommend.
Do I need a permit for ranch fencing?
Outside city limits, usually not from a city, but check deed restrictions and any easements on your plat. Inside New Braunfels, fences in a drainage easement, and any fence over 7 feet tall, such as a high deer fence, need a building permit.