tall@wide
PMA Member
I had a neighbor a few years ago call me and say you need to repair part of the fence that runs along your property line. He kept cattle on his farm and mine was just a hunting farm. I called him back and left a message saying I was going to plant multifloral rose or a similar shrub instead of putting a fence up. I never heard from him again about a fence. This was in Illinois.
Matthewfox_45
Well-Known Member
I’m having this exact same issue almost to a T! Our farm is for hunting, neighbor has cattle, creek blows out his fence, and we fix it yearly because he just doesn’t. Well this spring we fixed it and unknowingly fenced out 3 of his cows that were hiding from us…we also herded 6 back in, so we thought we had them all. The other neighbors have also had issues with the cattle and the sheriff has been called. And yet, the cows remain loose.
I’m about done with the feral cows and am ready to solve the problem myself.
I’m about done with the feral cows and am ready to solve the problem myself.
Copenhagen Tob
PMA Member
Sounds like someone should start a , best way to process Beef thread
The whole thing runs me the wrong way. I was raised to take care of my responsibilities. If I decide to have livestock, I'd be mortified if any of my animals got out, even once. I'd walk the fence line frequently and make sure everything was in order. If I reached a point where I couldn't maintain, then I'd hire someone or sell my herd and be done with it.
I wouldn't put the burden of caring for my livestock on the shoulders of my neighbors, and expect them to just shrug off the damage caused.
Makes me steaming angry just thinking about it again.
I wouldn't put the burden of caring for my livestock on the shoulders of my neighbors, and expect them to just shrug off the damage caused.
Makes me steaming angry just thinking about it again.
Windlooker
Well-Known Member
My neighbor also approached me about paying for half the fence. I don’t have livestock. I said fine just so I receive half the proceeds when he sold his cows. That was the end of it.
hillrunner
PMA Member
I happily paid for 50% of a new fence with one of my neighbors about 10 years ago. Good fences make good neighbors .
Windlooker
Well-Known Member
I disagree. Not paying to keep someone else’s livestock on their property. Their responsibility.
bigbuckhunter88
PMA Member
Unfortunately that's not how Iowa law reads
Matthewfox_45
Well-Known Member
I tend to agree. But it gets frustrating when the non livestock owners…us…do all of the shared fence maintenance.
I'd fight it if I were presented with a bill for thousands of dollars for 50% of a property fence he hired a crew to install, but I wouldn't be against providing labor and / or a few hundred dollars for 50% of materials if he / we installed it.
My opinion about the Iowa fencing laws is this...
If I install a pool in my yard, I'm required to install and maintain an adequate fence around it. My neighbors aren't required to cover 50% of the cost. It's all on me, because I chose to install a pool on my property.
I don't see why the same doesn't apply to livestock. If I choose to have livestock on my property, then I should be required to install and maintain an adequate fence around them. My neighbors shouldn't be required to cover 50% of the cost / burden.
My neighbors didn't have any say in if I decided I wanted a pool or livestock on my property. Both were my sole decisions and my sole responsibilities.
My opinion about the Iowa fencing laws is this...
If I install a pool in my yard, I'm required to install and maintain an adequate fence around it. My neighbors aren't required to cover 50% of the cost. It's all on me, because I chose to install a pool on my property.
I don't see why the same doesn't apply to livestock. If I choose to have livestock on my property, then I should be required to install and maintain an adequate fence around them. My neighbors shouldn't be required to cover 50% of the cost / burden.
My neighbors didn't have any say in if I decided I wanted a pool or livestock on my property. Both were my sole decisions and my sole responsibilities.
I dont disagree with your opinion, but that's not the law.
Windlooker
Well-Known Member
The law was written when most had an 80 with livestock in the mid 1800’s. Times have changed and so should the law.
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Exactly, and I completely agree.
So would anyone that wants the law changed be willing to repay the neighbor for fencing 100% of your hunting tract if the next guy you sell it to runs cows on your tract and pays a premium TO YOU for premium perimeter fence? Remember there are two sides to this and the hypothetical here happens A LOT. Right now Iowa law makes each landowner responsible like it or not. And insurance companies know it so I have saw claims denied because it was the non cow owners side of the fence. Just food for thought.
Windlooker
Well-Known Member
What?? If I sell my place tomorrow and the buyer wants livestock, he should pay to install the fence on borders with non livestock owners. If there are property lines with mutual owners they can arrange to pay half each. It’s common sense and common courtesy.
The spirit of this law, written in the 1850s, was to prevent one livestock owner from taking advantage of another cow grower who paid for fencing on shared lines. Pretty simple. If that common variable is absent it shouldn’t be applied.
Now of course we’ll have the letter of the law interpreters who share a line with a non cow grower, know what’s right, but still ask for half of fencing cost. What you can do and should do are often in conflict.
But hey we’ve evolved into one size fits all easy button society with zero common sense.
The spirit of this law, written in the 1850s, was to prevent one livestock owner from taking advantage of another cow grower who paid for fencing on shared lines. Pretty simple. If that common variable is absent it shouldn’t be applied.
Now of course we’ll have the letter of the law interpreters who share a line with a non cow grower, know what’s right, but still ask for half of fencing cost. What you can do and should do are often in conflict.
But hey we’ve evolved into one size fits all easy button society with zero common sense.
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madplotter
PMA Member
Good luck with the trustee route, that is a complete joke in Iowa. It should be an easy fix but Iowa has horrible fence laws. Good luck.
One of my township trustees called me on Friday. He's a 4th generation in this township and a 2nd generation trustee. Neither he or his father recall ever having a property fence case. He was a nice guy to talk to, but I could tell he didn't really want to intervene if he didn't absolutely have to.
I told him that I'd give it one more shot in talking directly to my neighbor, so I did Friday evening.
On another note, while riding my motorcycle to bible study this AM at 5:30, I saw 2 of his young calves on the other side of the highway in front of our properties. No idea where they got out or where mama was. My phone was at home on the charger and I wasn't going to chase them around and take the chance of running them out into traffic. Good thing is that there isn't much traffic that time of the morning. I had a guy text my neighbor from study group and the calves weren't there when I returned home at 7.
These calves were the size of big dogs, so probably wouldn't do a ton of damage to a car, but if mama strolls out onto the highway, it could kill people. I could see a lawsuit follow something like that and my neighbor losing his property to pay legal fees. Maybe I'm wrong, but hopefully this lights and retains a fire under his butt.
I told him that I'd give it one more shot in talking directly to my neighbor, so I did Friday evening.
On another note, while riding my motorcycle to bible study this AM at 5:30, I saw 2 of his young calves on the other side of the highway in front of our properties. No idea where they got out or where mama was. My phone was at home on the charger and I wasn't going to chase them around and take the chance of running them out into traffic. Good thing is that there isn't much traffic that time of the morning. I had a guy text my neighbor from study group and the calves weren't there when I returned home at 7.
These calves were the size of big dogs, so probably wouldn't do a ton of damage to a car, but if mama strolls out onto the highway, it could kill people. I could see a lawsuit follow something like that and my neighbor losing his property to pay legal fees. Maybe I'm wrong, but hopefully this lights and retains a fire under his butt.
Matthewfox_45
Well-Known Member
If I shoot it and I then bought it, we will call it even for the damage to the orchard and clover plots. I’m guessing my neighbor doesn’t know or care that they are loose.
Nightvision
Active Member
Just get you one cow and hand him the 50% bill.