Strange enclosure on Surveyor's Ridge

[cfm]

I was wandering around in the woods up there and stumbled onto this off an old spur road between the Surveyor's Ridge trail and NF 17:

This structure is pretty new, loosely ovoid in shape. It is about 100 yards long by 50 at the widest point.

There is no gate. There are trees and a small meadow with perhaps a spring(dry today) inside. I dont think it's for horses. I thought maybe it was protecting the water source since there are other water bureau lands up here. However, there are many other meadows nearby with little wetland rivulets. It is certainly not keeping any critters out.

What do you think?

[Limey]

Was this in the vicinity of Gibson Prairie? There is a fence that runs from the 660 road down into Gibson Prairie where it strangely encircles a part of the creek and then heads off toward Gibson Prairie Horse Camp. We followed this earlier this year. It went for quite a long way before suddenly ending at a small pile of unused poles. It didn't get as far as the Horse Camp, so I have no idea what its' purpose was. Like the one you found, it definitely wasn't keeping anything out or in. Seems like a fence of that length and man hours ought to have a purpose. Another MHNF mystery.

[raven]

If it is on the MHNF it should have a permit filed. The district office should know who, what and why..

[BigBear]

There's a similar structure near Little Crater Lake (Timothy Lake) which is designed to keep open range cattle out of the meadow and the deep pool where they can drown. It is likely this structure serves the same purpose.

[cfm]

Yes Limey it is near Gibson Prairie, on the W side of NF 17 near Rimrock. I suppose equestrians staying at Gibson Prairie might walk by this way. I suppose it must be an exclosure protecting the headwaters of Neal Creek, but you could walk around just "downstream" of the meadow.

Perhaps there are rare plants in there they don't want to get trampled.

[Limey]

Okay, I went ahead and googled it. They are indeed enclosures related to cattle grazing. The fencing that runs along the creeks is to help prevent stream bank erosion. Interestingly, the enclosure on surveyors ridge is more of a backup than a primary use. so, mystery solved.