Check your can of stain. Some say even when spraying to work the stain in with a brush. I've always wondered what else gets stained when people spray a fence.

I really think it depends on the type of wood. More porouse wood really needs to be brushed and rolled so that the material penetrates properly. This helps the coating last longer. But, if the wood is previously painted and not that porous, spraying would be fine. There are always ways to cover up items that you don't want to get overspray on.

Can't say I'm an expert, but I compromised and did both. I sprayed the stain on and brushed it in, sometimes with the gun in one hand and the brush in the other; sometimes one hand on the bushes and gun in the other; sometimes completely separate. My fence had gaps so I was spraying close to keep through spraying to a minimum. It worked well and pretty fast. A big heavy brush got into all those corners quickly and well.

Thanks all, looks like we'll be brushing the fence - TOGETHER!