River bend fence build

The previous 'fence' was two strands of barb wire on short 2 by 4 boards pounded in the ground.  The 'fence' was on Wyatt's property and went from my property on this side of the river to my property on the other side of the river.  The bend in the river's east channel goes into Wyatt's property.

When I first started to have cattle the 'fence' on Wyatt's property was mostly some strands of old rusty barb wire on a few standing posts and a number of posts laying on the ground.  It was much easier to maintain a fence across this short area than build a fence all along my river boundary.  Wyatt didn't mind.

It wasn't easy for the cattle to get to Wyatt's property.  They had to cross the river from my property to the island; then from the end of the island re-cross the river to Wyatt's property.  Wyatt's property is mostly trees and you'd think the cattle wouldn't be interested, but think again.  Ever so often some of the cattle would get a wild hair and want to explore.  And if you remember from this Summer after I finished the south pasture fence rebuild, within hours the cattle walked around my rebuilt fence by island hopping.

As I said, I 'maintained' a fence on Wyatt's property.  When I started the 'fence' I didn't have many fence posts so I used two by fours for fence posts.  As the fence was right on the river bank it didn't have to be high.  Cattle couldn't jump over the fence when standing down in the river.  Well... over the years the river changed.  Eroded some here and deposited dirt there.  Now I have a short section that when the water level is low that the cattle can stand on ground and hop over a short fence.

When I rebuilt the south pasture fence I replaced the 5 1/2 ft metal t-posts.  I replaced 32 of them.  Guess how many posts I need to build a proper fence on Wyatt's  property?  Yup.  32.  Exactly.

I waited to do the rebuild until now for a few reasons.  Mainly I waited until Fall as this area along the river gets no wind and is very hot in the Summer and warm in the Fall.  The recent frost also killed the mosquitoes.  And I didn't want the cattle to watch me build the fence as they then would have to check out my work.  The cattle are currently out of sight in the north pasture.

Today I finished the new fence. All the posts are metal - no more rotting wood posts.  The fence is taller.  I hung five strands of barb wire on the new fence.    The new fence should keep the cattle off Wyatt's property.  But... with cattle never say never.

Looking to the island

I added three more t-posts.  The log leaning on the post marks my property line.  On the other side is my property, what I call 'the thumb'.  I added the three posts over to the remnant of the leaning tree trunk to make it harder for the cattle to reach the thumb.

A 27 second video of the fence and river bend: https://youtu.be/pK-7ytwpAVE