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This was great.... very interesting.

According to Dacy’s history of the Cattle Industry and more generally Joe Akerman’s work, the fence went in between 1938-1942. It was meant to halt the infestation of Florida’s cattle with the so-called “deer tick” which caused tremendous losses to cattle. Collier County was one of the last areas to be fenced off and a grand hunt organized to kill off the offending deer and infected cattle found in the scrub. The fenced in area comprised around 180 miles of fencing and sealed off the Big Cypress and other areas from the main cattle ranches in Okeechobee and Hendry Counties. I did not have a chance to look into the back issues of the Florida Cattleman but will do so if you think it is needed.