Thomas Chant’s family has ranched for generations in Sweetwater County, and he always knew that woven-wire fence his grandfather installed to contain sheep was problematic for wildlife, particularly antelope.
“Historically, we knew it was a huge impediment for wildlife,” Chant told Cowboy State Daily.
Things came to a head during the terrible winter of 2022-2023, when a massive pile-up of wind-driven snow made it even more difficult for antelope, deer and elk to move around and find food.
Across the region, tens of thousands of animals froze and starved to death.
Chant said that some of his property reeked of death as the snow finally receded late that May, revealing countless rotting wildlife carcasses.
“It was absolute carnage,” he said.
Rather than waiting for a repeat of that disaster, Chant jumped at an opportunity to join a coalition of wildlife agencies and conservation groups in replacing roughly 24 miles of the old woven-wire fence with wildlife-friendly fencing that’s much easier for animals to crawl under or jump over.
“It’s neat to see the antelope come up against that fence, and then just duck under it,” he said.
The Chant family runs a cattle ranch in Sweetwater County, and saw countless antelope die on or near their property during the brutal winter of 2022-2023. It’s hoped that 24 miles of new wildlife friendly fence on the ranch will stop that from happening again. (Courtesy Thomas Chant) 
The Chant family runs a cattle ranch in Sweetwater County, and saw countless antelope die on or near their property during the brutal winter of 2022-2023. It’s hoped that 24 miles of new wildlife friendly fence on the ranch will stop that from happening again. (Courtesy Thomas Chant)
‘Unwired’
There are countless miles of fences throughout the immense Red Desert in South-Central Wyoming. That’s created problems for wildlife trying to move about or migrate between summer and winter range.
A recent study spearheaded by researchers from the University of Wyoming suggests that impassable fences might have greatly increased the death toll among antelope during the winter of 2022-2023.
Chant said his family’s ranch switched from sheep to cattle a long time ago, but the woven-wire fence his grandfather had installed remained.
And radio-collar tracking data for antelope compiled by researchers indicated the ranch had become a chokepoint for wildlife.
“It (the fence) has always been an issue. I’ve seen it my whole life, and I heard generational stories of it being an issue,” Chant said.
But the problem is, fencing is expensive. Replacing miles upon miles of it is beyond the budget of many ranching families.
So, Chant said he was thrilled when he was approached by the Wyoming Migration Initiative at UW, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust and others willing to pitch in the funds and manpower to get the old fence replaced.
The re-fencing of a section of his family’s ranch is the centerpiece of “Unwired,” a short film produced by the Wyoming Migration Initiative.
Replacing the woven-wire fence with fencing more passable for antelope gave the animals access to 10,000 acres of habitat that they couldn’t get to previously, according to the film.
Deer and elk are more apt to jump over barriers they encounter. And wildlife-friendly fence sets the top strands of wire lower, lessening the chances that their legs will get snagged when they jump.
Antelope like to crawl under fences. Chant said the new fence has a smooth bottom wire, so antelope don’t get snagged on it.
Setting An Example
Chant said he hopes that sets an example of what could be done on ranches across the Red Desert and beyond.
He’s also modest about the part he played, saying it was simply the right thing to do, and his family never could have done it without the help they received.
“They (the film’s producers) want to say I had some big part in it. But it was really everybody else I’d like to give credit to,” he said.
In addition to the other groups and agencies, Chant said the Little Snake River Conservation District made a huge contribution.
The district suggested “H-braces” made from welded steel pipe at key points in the fence line. Such anchor points, commonly called stretch panels, are usually made from wooden posts, nailed together and secured with wire.
The H-braces feature four steel cross-supports, two of which can be removed when cattle aren’t in that pasture, Chant said.
That gives antelope plenty of room to crawl under, or deer and elk a much easier spot to jump over, he said.
The Chant family runs a cattle ranch in Sweetwater County, and saw countless antelope die on or near their property during the brutal winter of 2022-2023. It’s hoped that 24 miles of new wildlife friendly fence on the ranch will stop that from happening again. (Courtesy Thomas Chant) 
The Chant family runs a cattle ranch in Sweetwater County, and saw countless antelope die on or near their property during the brutal winter of 2022-2023. It’s hoped that 24 miles of new wildlife friendly fence on the ranch will stop that from happening again. (Courtesy Thomas Chant)
Lots Of Work Still To Be Done
Chant said he has a great affinity for wildlife and habitat conservation, which he hopes to pass along to his two sons, now ages 15 and 12.
“I believe that any good ranchers, or any forward-thinking ranchers, we’re conservationists. That’s what we are, that’s what we do,” he said.
“I hope that the day I give the ranch to my boys, it’s in better shape than when I got it,” he said.
And the new fence plays a huge part in that, Chant said.
After two years “where we literally didn’t see any antelope” following the massive winter die-off, the herds are coming back, Chant said.
And it’s gratifying to see them developing the “learned behavior” of how to safely get past the new fence and into the vast habitat beyond.
The re-fencing project on his ranch is hardly scratching the surface of what needs to be done, he added.
“I’m telling you, we could spend the next 20 years improving fences in Wyoming to make them wildlife-friendly,” he said.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
