Friday's return from setting up the two wing barrels for blue grouse wings took us down the newly reconstructed section of the Seminoe Road (phase three of four phases).

With it's brand new right-of-way fences.

While there are sheep-tight fences throughout this area, fences that have been here since the '50s, the pastures are large. In some places, it is possible for antelope to live their entire lives without having to negotiate a fence.

No longer. At least for some of the prairie ghosts.

On that drive home, I came across this buck antelope, obviously confused by this barrier that had arisen just the day before, between him and the reservoir his band uses for water.

I watched them walk and stare and pace this fence for several minutes before turning back to the west, also shying away from the methane well just on the left.

About a mile up the road I found a second herd, having the same difficulties:

Not sure what this group wanted to reach on the other side of the double fence, but they were determined to get there. And just as frustrated by the fence.

Now, this is supposed to be a wildlife friendly design of fence. Only four wires, rather than the woven wire used elsewhere on this road, with the bottom wire smooth without any barbs to gouge the backs of anyone crawling underneath.

But the top wire is 45" high, too high for most antelope to jump. The bottom wire is at 14", about two inches lower than recommended for antelope to pass under. And the posts are placed close together, with stays in between, which makes the wires too rigid to simply squeeze through.

It is the design used on many of our highways. Many antelope learn to negotiate them, and some do not.

Time will tell what these pronghorn will do. And their more distant cousins who will not meet these new fences until their fall and winter migrations.