The technology is booming in New Zealand and now companies, like Halter, are expanding in the U.S. Similar to electric dog collars, the cattle will hear a beep and feel vibrations when they approach the invisible lines Anson draws on the app. If they don’t turn back, they’ll get a small shock.

Ranches in northwest Wyoming — and around the Mountain West — are turning to virtual fences to cut labor costs, prevent grazing overuse and get rid of barbed wire, which opens up migration corridors for elk or pronghorn.

For Anson, preventing conflicts with grizzly bears is also a big motivator for using the new tracking technology.

Read more in Wyoming Public Media here.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.