Battle At Bellyache Ridge

Fence Removal 

By Briant Wiles

It was the end of May 2024, and the BHA stewardship team was riding high after victories at Meeker, Rabbit Mountain, Perins Peak, and the momentous Beer, Bands, and Barbwire Strands event. I might say that we were a little bit smug having battled everything from 4 strand wire in scrub oak to woven wire embedded in thick sage. Overconfident and foolhardy I plunged the Toyota off the pavement onto the dirt road leading up Bellyache Ridge above the town of Eagle Colorado. These past experiences prepared us little for the meanest fence we were ever to encounter, but we were here, and we would fight. 

It is easy to see removing old fences in terms of wins and losses. Struggling to overcome what decades have done to an old fence can be mentally draining not to mention physically exhausting. The fence on Bellyache Ridge runs for miles on the edge of BLM and private land and has been an ongoing BHA project for two years now. At an elevation of 8,000 ft the fence cuts through the all-important transition zone between the evergreen forests to the sage covered valleys. We find juniper studded hillsides with clumps of service berry, mountain mahogany and the ubiquitous sage. Basically, it is the ideal habitat for deer and elk. If it means a battle, then BHA will bring the cavalry. 

This fence is one of the most egregious barriers to wildlife I have encountered. It is more than 6 feet high in places with four strands of rusty barbed wire topping the mesh like woven wire. To makes matters worse the fence sits on the boundary of private land where the property owners had a new fence constructed. This would be good news except for the fact the new fence was located about 20 yards to the east and running parallel to the existing one. While the new fence was not built to wildlife friendly standards it’s a far cry better than the old one. Combined it is bad and worse running right through the center of the deer and elk’s home.  

In 2023 BHA did a project here with Nick Jarmilio of the BLM and Jake Stanton from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. With the help of a dozen volunteers they successfully removed .5 mile of the 4.5 miles expected to be there. For Jake, the District Wildlife Manager, removing this fence is something more personal having grown up in the valley below. He has seen the encroaching resort development in the area and now works hard to protect what is left. For Nick, who has brought his 9-year-old son along, it is a lifetime of fighting the good fight for ensuring the resources are protected for the next generation. Together they process a deep well of knowledge and are powerhouses of hands-on conservation. Jake, Nick and BHA were back and this time the fence angles away from the access road increasing the difficulty of removal.  

Our campaign headquarters was my tent tucked under juniper on the very edge of the ridge. The sweeping views of the Eagle River valley fell away on three sides and when the last searching tendrils of the day slowly recede, twinkles of light spread over the habitations below. The breeze that follows the sun shakes the branches for a moment then the air is still and fragrant with sage.  

In the morning 13 smiling faces assemble to receive marching orders. After a round of introductions and sunscreen we gather the tools of our siege and dive in on a short section of 4 wire fence. As deft as a troop of seasoned veterans it disappears in minutes, and we turn our attention to the woven wire. At first glance it does not appear to be anything particularly difficult. But soon, progress slows to a creep and sweat stains blossom under faces streaked with strain. The top wires are dispatched easily enough but the woven wire is most decidedly happy to not to be disturbed. Thoroughly fused to the land, the fence comes up in small sections. Put there some decades ago it has sunk into the earth and where breaking it free becomes too much we snip the wires leaving bits and pieces for some future archeologist to puzzle over. If it is not the ground holding on to the mesh like structure of the fence it is the shrub community that presents the biggest challenge. Separating plants and metal takes much energy and we make slow progress as the sun moves overhead.  

A short break for much needed fuel in the form of sandwiches and we are right back again struggling to make progress. To add to the task the fence moves further away from the road, and we soon find ourselves carrying the fence material a quarter of a mile one way. But on we go and keep going until finally the day is spent. Tired, scratched, and dusty we raise a water bottle to toast our day. We removed just over a half mile of the fence. Maybe not a resounding victory but we did make progress, and have reconnected habitat. One causality was the mangled pruning shears that were indiscriminately used on metal and branches alike in the heat of battle. We retire for the day to treat our wounds, sharpen the tools, and plan our next assault. We will be back again and again as much as it takes to know we are doing what we can to protect a resource that gives us all so much. In the fading light of that day surrounded by a pile of removed fence we watch a cow elk casually stroll over the ground we just covered. The sight was more than enough to leave us wanting to do more.  

A big thank you to Jake Staton from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Nick Jarmillio from the Bureau of Land Management for putting this together and to all the BHA volunteers my heart felt thank you for your help and commitment. We will see you at the next one.