The Absaroka Fence Initiative is planning a work day on Paint Creek Saturday and is looking for a few good volunteers to help.

Working in cooperation with willing landowners and land managers, the organization aims to ensure fences are functional for livestock management and wildlife movement across the landscape through on the ground projects, public workdays and outreach to the community.

“Fencing is an essential piece of our landscape, yet when wildlife and fences intersect, the result can be costly for both wildlife populations and landowners,” the organization reports on their online site.  

“By bringing together the expertise and resources of our partners into a shared initiative, we can more effectively enhance wildlife movement and livestock functionality by adding, modifying or removing fences.”

The event starts with a briefing at 8 a.m. on Aug. 27. The fence work starts promptly at 8:30.

Volunteers are asked to bring bear spray, gloves, eye protection, work clothes, close-toed shoes, water, snacks and tools like a bucket, bolt cutters and fencing pliers if you have them.

From Cody, travel north 25.1 miles on Hwy 120. Turn left on Road 7 RP. Then drive 3.5 miles and turn right to stay on 7 RP. The staging area is .1 mile from the intersection.

The organization is a partnership of federal agencies, private landowners and local volunteers with a common goal — to enhance wildlife movements and reduce wildlife mortality, while still meeting the needs of livestock producers.

“The group is not just trying to raise money to pay somebody else to do the work. We want to be hands-on as well,” said Tony Mong, wildlife biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

It will take years to make all the changes needed, he said as the group was first organizing. Research that Game and Fish biologists were already undertaking — watching migration corridors by collaring hundreds of animals — gave them a head start in identifying priority areas among the thousands of miles of fence in the area, Mong said.

The initiative is the first of its kind in Wyoming and took over a year of partnership building, the group reported. 

The group has hosted several public workdays removing unneeded fence on public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Several smaller projects have also been completed on private land and in the Shoshone National Forest. 

“The Absaroka Fence Initiative fosters good neighbors, enhances wildlife movement, maintains livestock functionality, and helps evolve and share knowledge of effective fence designs in Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem,” said Jenny DeSarro, who serves on the group’s steering committee.

Saturday’s work will be over easy terrain and a free barbecue lunch will be provided. For more information, please visit: absarokafenceinitiative.org/events or email Tony.Mong@wyo.gov.

More projects are currently in the planning phase. Events will be posted on the Absaroka Fence Initiative’s Facebook page and website.