<chuckle> I get a kick out of "cowboys" that look down on people who use the best tool for the job. Using a welder or a squeeze doesn't make one less "cowboy". If a rope's the best tool, use it. If a welder works for you, use it.
I'm with Pure on the cattle side. I've watched my band of old girls encircle a coyote in the pasture and kill it, but they are smart enough to know the difference between predators and me (with the exception of this year). I still keep the calf between me and them though :lol: Or if a fence is handy, I'll toss the calf over and take care of them on the other side.
Quite frankly, I think it has alot to do with handling and the confidence of handler. If you're around your cattle alot, and are confident around them, they don't look at you as a threat. As I mentioned, my old girls are usually good, but this year I've run into 4 or 5 that I had to take cover from. I blame bale grazing, since I wasn't around them at all this winter until 2 weeks before calving season. Even my pet cow wasn't all that friendly until we got a couple weeks into season.
Rod