Did Indian territory pass a law in regards to fence cutting? When did barbed wire become popular in the territory? Did it remain open range? (looking at travel restrictions)

As a result of the Fence Cutting War in Texas a law was passed that you had to put a gate every so often, every mile I think but I could be wrong. I don't think Oklahoma or Indian Territory as it was then, Kansas or Colorado had such a law and by 1903 most of the cattle range, at least in Texas, was fenced.

My questions came about while researching two families who, in 1903, traveling by covered wagons from West TX to Cripple Creek, CO.

I suspect they went up to Tascosa in Oldham County and traveled the old Plummer trail through no-mans land and on up toward Lamar, then turning west to Walsenburg, CO. I doubt they traveled NW up the Raton Pass.

Being Indian Territory, it was up to the tribes to regulate fences, so the laws and enforcement varied. The Chickasaw law, and I think the Choctaw as well, set specific limits on the amount of land which could be fenced and declared the fences could not join, leaving a quarter mile space between which was common or free range for livestock.
Along about this time, one old boy near present Maysville did fence in a road, leaving no gate. As they were so engaged, a buggy full of men came up and a shooting took place, leaving two dead, one wounded, and three manslaughter cases which were still being heard after statehood.

Thanks Mike. Being there were so many nations in I. T., it seems logical. No telling how many people were killed over the fences.

I know from my research of law enforcement in SW Oklahoma that there were numerous accounts of Texas cattlemen who held leases through the Kiowa, Comanche, Wichita, Caddo, etc tribes were stringing wire fence to deliniate their respective pastures by the mid-1880s. There is also much mention during this time period of the Indian Police at these agencies being sent out to cut the fencing and remove the posts. There is also quite a few newspaper articles and original records in the Kiowa Agency papers of OHS that confirm that thieves from Texas were entering the IT and stealing fencing and posts and removing same to Texas. Of course the cattlemen attempted to claim larceny but as fencing was apparently illegal on these reservations it does not appear that the federal authorities took an active role in quelling the thievery.

Thanks Diron:
I dont' remember exactly what the cost was per foot back then for barbed wire but it seems like it was .24 cents a foot (for one rancher anyway) in the 80's. I can see where theives would be tempted to steal it from the I. T. based on value and maybe they knew they were stealing illegal wire.