Predator apron

A predator apron is a strip of wire mesh, usually hardware cloth, that runs outward along the ground from the base of a run's fence line rather than straight down into the soil. Digging predators like foxes, dogs, and raccoons instinctively dig right at the base of a fence, so an apron extending 12 to 24 inches outward and pinned flat to the ground forces them to hit solid mesh well before they reach the actual fence line.

This approach is usually easier to install than burying fencing several feet deep, and it works just as well once the apron is pinned down securely and covered lightly with soil, mulch, or sod so grass can grow through it. Over time the apron becomes almost invisible while still doing its job every night.

A common mistake is burying the bottom of a run's fence only a few inches straight down, which most persistent diggers can get under with a single night of effort, or skipping an apron entirely because the fence itself looks tall and sturdy. Height above ground does nothing to stop a predator that simply goes under instead of over.