Best Bear Fences for Beehives (2026): Energizers, Kits and the Agencies' Specs
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A bear fence for beehives is specified by the wildlife agencies, not by the sellers, and the specification is short: an energizer of at least 0.7 joules (Maine; Montana; BearWise for grizzly country), at least 5,000 to 6,000 volts on every hot wire (Penn State; Maine; Montana; Massachusetts' test figure), three to five strands with the bottom wire 4 to 8 inches off the ground (Kentucky; Massachusetts; Vermont), ground rods driven 6 feet (Maine; Massachusetts), and bait on the wire, because, in Vermont's words, the fence is not effective unless baited. The Gallagher portable bear fence kit ($180: Turbo wire, fiberglass posts, a ground rod, a reel, signs and a case for a 130-foot perimeter, energizer not included) is the fence body; the CimoroWin 2-joule kit ($65, 12 kV, AC or 12 V DC, with insulators, wire and a copper ground rod) and the MorningRo 1-joule plug-in kit ($90) are energizers that clear the joule bar on their listings' figures; the Zareba 5-mile solar charger ($130) is the well-known solar unit, and at 0.10 joule by Zareba's own page it does not meet any state's bear specification, which this guide says plainly.
Parmak's Magnum Solar-Pak 12 (1.1 to 3.1-plus joules, 11,000 volts, three-year warranty on Parmak's page) is the solar energizer that does meet the bar; it was not priced for this guide and is named in the table. Every joule and volt figure for the Amazon kits is the listing's.
Our top picks at a glance
1. Best fence kit (add an energizer)
Gallagher Portable Bear Electric Fence Kit (G46611), energizer not includedOutput: None; energizer not included (per the Amazon listing) · Power: Takes any compatible energizer (per the Amazon listing) · Included: Turbo wire, fiberglass posts, ground rod, reel, warning signs, carrying case; 130 ft perimeter (per the Amazon listing)
2. Best energizer kit by the numbers
CimoroWin 2-Joule 12 kV Electric Fence Charger Kit with Wire, Insulators and Ground RodOutput: 2 joules, up to 12 kV (per the Amazon listing) · Power: AC 100 to 240 V or DC 12 V (per the Amazon listing) · Included: Charger with adapter, 50 insulators, socket tool, 250 ft 17 AWG aluminum wire, copper ground rod, fence leads, battery clips (per the Amazon listing)
3. Best plug-in energizer kit
MorningRo 1-Joule 110 V Electric Fence Charger Kit with Wire and InsulatorsOutput: 1 joule maximum, 25-mile rating (per the Amazon listing) · Power: 110 V AC plug-in; not solar or battery (per the Amazon listing) · Included: Charger with adapter, 50 insulators, socket tool, 250 ft 14 AWG aluminum wire; no ground rod (per the Amazon listing)
4. Known brand, not a bear charger
Zareba 5-Mile Solar Low Impedance Fence Charger (ESP5M-Z)Output: 0.10 joule (Zareba); 6 V, 5 W (per the Amazon listing) · Power: Solar with battery; up to 2 weeks without sun (per the Amazon listing) · Included: Charger with mounting bracket for T-, Y- and round posts (per the Amazon listing)
| Pick | Output | Power | Included | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallagher Portable Bear Electric Fence Kit (G46611), energizer not includedBest fence kit (add an energizer) | None; energizer not included (per the Amazon listing) | Takes any compatible energizer (per the Amazon listing) | Turbo wire, fiberglass posts, ground rod, reel, warning signs, carrying case; 130 ft perimeter (per the Amazon listing) | Amazon |
| CimoroWin 2-Joule 12 kV Electric Fence Charger Kit with Wire, Insulators and Ground RodBest energizer kit by the numbers | 2 joules, up to 12 kV (per the Amazon listing) | AC 100 to 240 V or DC 12 V (per the Amazon listing) | Charger with adapter, 50 insulators, socket tool, 250 ft 17 AWG aluminum wire, copper ground rod, fence leads, battery clips (per the Amazon listing) | Amazon |
| MorningRo 1-Joule 110 V Electric Fence Charger Kit with Wire and InsulatorsBest plug-in energizer kit | 1 joule maximum, 25-mile rating (per the Amazon listing) | 110 V AC plug-in; not solar or battery (per the Amazon listing) | Charger with adapter, 50 insulators, socket tool, 250 ft 14 AWG aluminum wire; no ground rod (per the Amazon listing) | Amazon |
| Zareba 5-Mile Solar Low Impedance Fence Charger (ESP5M-Z)Known brand, not a bear charger | 0.10 joule (Zareba); 6 V, 5 W (per the Amazon listing) | Solar with battery; up to 2 weeks without sun (per the Amazon listing) | Charger with mounting bracket for T-, Y- and round posts (per the Amazon listing) | Amazon |
Best fence kit (add an energizer)
Gallagher Portable Bear Electric Fence Kit (G46611), energizer not included
Gallagher's bear kit: Turbo wire, fiberglass posts, a ground rod, a reel, warning signs and a carry case for a 130-foot perimeter, from a fence maker, $180.
- Output
- None; energizer not included (per the Amazon listing)
- Power
- Takes any compatible energizer (per the Amazon listing)
- Included
- Turbo wire, fiberglass posts, ground rod, reel, warning signs, carrying case; 130 ft perimeter (per the Amazon listing)
- Weight
- 10 lb (per the Amazon listing)
Pros
- A fence maker's kit, with the ground rod and signs the state guides call for
- 130 ft encloses a two- to six-hive yard with the 4 ft clearance Massachusetts asks for
- Portable: rolls up on the reel
Cons
- No energizer; budget $65 to $200 more
- Only 7 in stock when read
- Strand count and heights are not on the listing; lay it to a state diagram
Gallagher's Portable Bear Electric Fence Kit (model G46611) is listed with Turbo wire, fiberglass posts, a ground rod, a reel, warning signs and a carrying case to build a 130-foot electrified perimeter, energizer sold separately. Gallagher is a fence company, and the kit has the parts the state guides assume: a ground rod (Maine: driven 6 feet; Massachusetts: 6 feet), posts and conductive wire. Lay the strands to a state diagram (Vermont: at least four strands, at 4, 16, 26 and 36 inches; Massachusetts: bottom wire 6 inches, then every 8 inches to 36 to 42) and add an energizer of 0.7 joules or more.
Best energizer kit by the numbers
CimoroWin 2-Joule 12 kV Electric Fence Charger Kit with Wire, Insulators and Ground Rod
A 2-joule, 12 kV charger on AC 100 to 240 V or 12 V DC, with 50 insulators, 250 ft of aluminum wire, a copper ground rod and leads, $65.
- Output
- 2 joules, up to 12 kV (per the Amazon listing)
- Power
- AC 100 to 240 V or DC 12 V (per the Amazon listing)
- Included
- Charger with adapter, 50 insulators, socket tool, 250 ft 17 AWG aluminum wire, copper ground rod, fence leads, battery clips (per the Amazon listing)
- Weight
- 5.88 lb (per the Amazon listing)
Pros
- 2 joules clears every state's bear figure on the listing's number
- Runs from mains or a 12 V battery
- Ground rod and leads included
Cons
- Unknown brand; the joule claim is the listing's, so test the fence with a meter
- One ground rod; Maine wants one rod per joule
- Needs shelter from weather (listing)
CimoroWin's kit is listed with a charger delivering up to 12 kV and 2 joules over up to 8 miles, running on AC 100 to 240 volts or 12 volts DC, with a UL-listed adapter, 50 insulators, a socket tool, 250 feet of 17 AWG aluminum wire, a copper ground rod, fence leads and battery clips, to be installed under shelter. On the listing's figures it is the cheapest way to 2 joules. The brand is not one the fence trade knows, so the joule figure is a claim to verify: a fence tester on each strand (Maine: at least 5,000 volts on every hot wire, checked weekly) is the only proof that matters.
Best plug-in energizer kit
MorningRo 1-Joule 110 V Electric Fence Charger Kit with Wire and Insulators
A 1-joule, 110 V AC plug-in charger with 50 insulators and 250 ft of 14 AWG aluminum wire; ground rod bought separately, $90.
- Output
- 1 joule maximum, 25-mile rating (per the Amazon listing)
- Power
- 110 V AC plug-in; not solar or battery (per the Amazon listing)
- Included
- Charger with adapter, 50 insulators, socket tool, 250 ft 14 AWG aluminum wire; no ground rod (per the Amazon listing)
- Weight
- 6.06 lb (per the Amazon listing)
Pros
- 1 joule meets Maine's, Montana's and BearWise's 0.7 J floor and Kentucky's 0.5 to 1.0 J range
- Heavier 14 AWG wire than the CimoroWin kit
- Mains power: no battery to go flat
Cons
- Needs a mains outlet at the yard
- No ground rod; buy one and drive it 6 ft
- Unknown brand; test with a meter
MorningRo's kit lists a 110-volt AC plug-in charger at 1 joule maximum, 50 insulators, a socket tool and 250 feet of 14 AWG aluminum wire, with the ground rod bought separately. One joule is inside every state's bear range on the listing's figure. It is the energizer for a yard near a building; the CimoroWin runs from a battery where there is no outlet.
Known brand, not a bear charger
Zareba 5-Mile Solar Low Impedance Fence Charger (ESP5M-Z)
Zareba's 5-mile solar charger is a well-made, well-known unit at 0.10 joule, which is below every state's bear specification; it is here so nobody buys it for bears.
- Output
- 0.10 joule (Zareba); 6 V, 5 W (per the Amazon listing)
- Power
- Solar with battery; up to 2 weeks without sun (per the Amazon listing)
- Included
- Charger with mounting bracket for T-, Y- and round posts (per the Amazon listing)
- Warranty
- 1 year (Zareba)
Pros
- Solar, with a brand and a warranty
- Mounts on any post
- Fine for a skunk or raccoon fence
Cons
- 0.10 joule against the 0.7 J bear floor in Maine, Montana and BearWise
- Only 2 in stock when read
- Low impedance rating is for weed load, not animal size
Zareba's solar charger (model ESP5M-Z) is listed for up to 5 miles of fence, with a 6-volt, 5-watt rating, two weeks of operation without sun and a bracket for T-, Y- and round posts; Zareba's own page rates it at 0.10 joule with a one-year warranty. Maine's bee-yard guidance sets 0.7 joules as the minimum for bears; Montana's is 0.7 and 6,000 volts; BearWise gives 0.7 in grizzly country; Kentucky's range is 0.5 to 1.0. At a tenth of a joule the Zareba is a skunk and raccoon fence. For solar at bear strength, Parmak's Magnum Solar-Pak 12 (1.1 to 3.1-plus joules, 11,000 volts, three-year warranty, per Parmak) is the unit the state guides are describing.
How we chose
We read the bee-yard fence guidance from Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Kentucky and Montana's wildlife agencies, Penn State Extension and BearWise, and judged the energizers and kits on the listings' stated joules, voltage, power source and included parts against those figures, plus stock and price on October 9, 2026. Where a listing's joule figure is the only source, we say so, and we say what fails.
The specification
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Energizer output | At least 0.7 joules (one ground rod per joule) | Maine IFW; Montana FWP; BearWise |
| 0.5 to 1.0 joules | Kentucky | |
| Voltage on each hot wire | At least 5,000 V (Penn State, Maine); 6,000 V (Montana; Massachusetts test) | Penn State; Maine; Montana; Massachusetts |
| Strands | At least four, at 4, 16, 26, 36 in (Vermont); bottom 6 in then every 8 in to 36 to 42 (Massachusetts); at least 3 with bottom 6 to 8 in (Kentucky); 3 at 8, 20, 32 in (BearWise) | Vermont; Massachusetts; Kentucky; BearWise |
| Wiring | All-hot design | Maine |
| Posts | Every 8 ft | Penn State |
| Grounding | 1/2 to 3/4 in galvanized rods driven 6 ft; one per joule (Maine); 6 ft rod (Massachusetts); 1 to 3 rods (Penn State) | Maine; Massachusetts; Penn State |
| Clearance | 4 ft between wires and hives; mow an 18 in strip under the fence | Massachusetts |
| Bait | Bacon (Penn State); foil with bacon grease or peanut butter (Massachusetts); re-bait every 3 to 14 days; not effective unless baited (Vermont) | Penn State; Massachusetts; Vermont |
| Checks | Weekly voltage check; fence on May 1 to Nov 1 | Maine |
| Pulse | 45 to 60 pulses a minute | Montana |
| Siting | Yards within 300 ft of a forest edge get about twice the bear visits | Maine |
Why joules, not miles
Sellers rate chargers in miles of fence; the agencies rate them in joules, the energy in each pulse, because that is what a bear feels through fur. A 5-mile charger can be 0.1 joule (Zareba) or 2 joules (CimoroWin's claim). Buy by the joule figure and prove it with a fence tester.
Grounding and bait
The two parts beekeepers skip. A bear on dry ground with thick fur completes the circuit poorly; the ground rods (6 feet deep, one per joule in Maine's rule) and the bait are what make the shock land on the nose, the one wet part. Bait is strips of bacon or foil smeared with bacon grease or peanut butter on the hot wire at nose height, renewed every 3 to 14 days (Vermont). Massachusetts mows an 18-inch strip under the fence so grass does not short it.
Building it
- Lay out a perimeter 4 feet outside the hives (Massachusetts), posts every 8 feet (Penn State).
- Run four strands at 4, 16, 26 and 36 inches (Vermont) or from 6 inches up every 8 inches (Massachusetts), all hot (Maine).
- Drive the ground rods 6 feet (Maine, Massachusetts); one per joule of energizer.
- Connect an energizer of at least 0.7 joules; test every strand for 5,000 to 6,000 volts.
- Bait the wire; re-bait every one to two weeks.
- Check the voltage weekly from May 1 to November 1 (Maine).
Comparison
| Product | Joules | Voltage | Power | Meets 0.7 J | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallagher bear kit | No energizer | Fence body only | $180 | ||
| CimoroWin 2 J kit | 2 (listing) | 12 kV (listing) | AC or 12 V DC | Yes, on the listing's figure | $65 |
| MorningRo 1 J kit | 1 (listing) | Not stated | 110 V AC | Yes, on the listing's figure | $90 |
| Zareba 5-mile solar | 0.10 (Zareba) | Not stated | Solar | No | $130 |
| Parmak Magnum Solar-Pak 12 | 1.1 to 3.1+ (Parmak) | 11,000 V (Parmak) | Solar | Yes | Not read |
What to skip
Skip any charger under 0.5 joules for bears, whatever its mile rating. Skip a fence with no bait and no ground rods; the agencies say it will not work. Skip a strap-and-stand as the only defence; the stand guide's tie-downs are for wind. And skip waiting for the first visit: Maine's figure is that a yard within 300 feet of forest gets twice the bear traffic, and a bear that has found honey comes back.
Frequently asked questions
How many joules does a bear fence need?
At least 0.7 joules (Maine, Montana, BearWise); Kentucky gives 0.5 to 1.0. Zareba's 5-mile solar charger is 0.10 joule by Zareba's own page and does not qualify; the 1- and 2-joule kits here do on their listings' figures, and Parmak's Solar-Pak 12 does on Parmak's.
How high should a bear fence be?
Vermont recommends at least four strands, at 4, 16, 26 and 36 inches; Massachusetts runs the bottom wire at 6 inches and then every 8 inches to 36 to 42; BearWise uses three strands at 8, 20 and 32 inches. The low wire is for the nose.
Do I need to bait a bear fence?
Yes. Vermont says the fence is not effective unless baited; Penn State uses bacon, Massachusetts foil with bacon grease or peanut butter, renewed every 3 to 14 days. The bait puts the shock on the bear's nose.
How deep do the ground rods go?
Six feet (Maine and Massachusetts), 1/2 to 3/4 inch galvanized, one rod per joule of energizer (Maine). Penn State says one to three rods. Poor grounding is the usual reason a fence fails.
Is a solar fence charger strong enough for bears?
Some are. Zareba's 5-mile unit is 0.10 joule and is not; Parmak's Magnum Solar-Pak 12 is 1.1 to 3.1-plus joules on Parmak's page and is. Buy by joules, not miles, and test each strand for 5,000 to 6,000 volts.
When should the bear fence be on?
Maine's guidance runs it from May 1 to November 1 with a weekly voltage check. Yards within 300 feet of a forest edge get about twice the visits, so fence before the first one.
Sources
- Electric Fencing for Bee Yards (Maine IFW), Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
- Electric Fencing for Bears, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
- Protect Your Property with a Zap (Vermont Fish and Wildlife), Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department
- Bears and Beehives (Kentucky), Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
- Electric Fencing for Bees (Montana FWP), Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
- Protecting Beehives from Bears with Electric Fencing, Penn State Extension
- Electric Fencing (BearWise), BearWise
- Zareba 5 Mile Solar Low Impedance Charger (ESP5M-Z), Zareba Systems
- Magnum Solar-Pak 12, Parmak (Parker McCrory)
Cover photo: 20221102-APHIS-BM-bee_hives by USDAgov, Public Domain Mark, via Flickr. Cropped.
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