I don't understand

[LazyWP]

What is it with people moving cattle down the high way these days? Today we hauled a horse to Chadron, and just as we topped the hill at the Cherry county line, here is probably 200 head of heavy bred cows meandering down the highway. At first we thought they were just out, but as we get closer, here is an 8 thousand series John Deere tractor with 3 big round bales, in the left hand bar ditch. We get on the binders and get shut down, stopping the BIG truck behind us, and just kinda follow along. Pretty soon the tractor dives off into a sorta pasture. Well... there are probably 30 first calvers, that ARE NOT going to touch asphalt. Lisa bails out to try to turn them. Gottem turned the first time, I jump out with 2 dogs just as 4 of them go blowing by. We lettem go, and try to get the rest to cross the highway. After maybe 15 minutes, and the help of another vehicle from the west, we get the cattle across the road.

Here a month or so ago, I was headed home about dark. For the most part the highway south of Nenzel is relatively flat, and a pretty good road. I would hate to guess how many times I have been driving 5 mph above the speed limit, and had someone BLOW around me, anyway, I am cruising home, top the hill 6 miles south of town, and here is a WHOLE flippin herd of cows. There was a flagger, 30 feet in front of the cows, but not doing a whole lotta good, in my opinion. If I wouldn't have been empty, I would have collected a pickup, herd of cows and a 4 year old girl. I just don't UNDERSTAND!

 

[Hayguy]

I won't pretend to understand it either, but with the price of fuel could it just be someone trying to save a buck. instead of hauling numerous loads just let 'em walk to their destination.

 

[Jinglebob]

Trailing them is fine. but get some flagger's out. One wreck and it will cost you a lot more than what it would have cost for the extra help!

And get them flaggers on the hill wayyy in front and wayyy in back so people know what is going on.

And then you get the "townies", for lack of a better word, who just ignore the flagger and then wonder why all these cows are on the road?

 

[Denny]

We trail ours down the highway knowone's in that big of hurry. Slowdown and enjoy life.

 

[LazyWP]

We trail ours down the highway knowone's in that big of hurry. Slowdown and enjoy life.

I think you missed the point... I don't mind trailing cows down the highway, we actually do it quite a bit, the point is do it safely!! When we move across the river, we have signs on the tops of the hills, vehicles with flashers on, and a horse out in front. I think its just common courtesy, but then again maybe I am wrong.

 

[littlejoe]

We very much prefer going cross country---way easier on everybody involved, cows need some space to spread out.

But---almost always have to be on roads some of the time. Most people will work with you, some try to but don't have a clue, there's occasional idjit. I know of 2 incidents in last few yrs here---in the middle of the day, where cattle were visible for at least 2 miles---that guys had to get their horses off the road or they'd of been hit. Cars proceeded to hit cows, drivers were indignant.

We won't move w/o flaggers. Horsetrailer is in the back---it's got a sign made from cardboard a refrigerator came in that is stored over the goosneck---Slow! Cattle on Road Ahead! Only takes a minute to put it on, covers whole back of trlr. Good place to keep some flourescent flags, too.

You always got it, it's big and visible. I tell my flaggers---Put yourself where you'd like to be warned if it was you, coming up on cows unawares. If you're so close that they see cows the same time they see you---you might be part of the wreck or maybe a witness---but no help to anybody involved. The proper place/distance for flaggers varies with terrain---use your haid~~

And if everybody on the road had to drive a semi for a mo or so, they might give them a little more room.

 

[Denny]

We trail ours down the highway knowone's in that big of hurry. Slowdown and enjoy life.

I think you missed the point... I don't mind trailing cows down the highway, we actually do it quite a bit, the point is do it safely!! When we move across the river, we have signs on the tops of the hills, vehicles with flashers on, and a horse out in front. I think its just common courtesy, but then again maybe I am wrong.

I see we run a pilot car ahead with a Flashing light on top like a tow truck. And a car following with flashers. I see your point.

 

[101]

Well I've trailed alot of cows over the year's, but when we needed to be close to paved highway's we stayed in the right of ways ! When we needed to cross we always picked the spot, and had flaggers that flat out stopped everyone, We tried to stay off even the gravel county roads but at times could not, so most of the times we got permision to cross private pastures. I seen a bad reck once and I wanted no part of it !! 101

 

[burnt]

We trail ours down the highway knowone's in that big of hurry. Slowdown and enjoy life.

I think you missed the point... I don't mind trailing cows down the highway, we actually do it quite a bit, the point is do it safely!! When we move across the river, we have signs on the tops of the hills, vehicles with flashers on, and a horse out in front. I think its just common courtesy, but then again maybe I am wrong.

You are not wrong and it is even more than just common courtesy - it can be a matter of life and death.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

We have had to trail cattle back and forth on a hiway for many years. First it was getting yearlings to town to load on the train now it's cows coming back to the ranch from summer pastures. Now I can keep them off the hiway until we get on a long down grade so we usually have a vehicle in front. On time trailing a big herd of steers to town the flagger behind didn't stay back on the top of the hill but came down right behind the herd as we were pushing them off the road. A loaded semi came over the hill and had to locker up to get stopped.
It was the closest we have ever come to a wreck like that. The old boy flagging was even a little indignant when told he should have stayed on the hill. :?

 

[eatbeef]

we have flaggers everytime but most idiots dont pay attention anyway and just blow around the flagger and then come to a screeching halt when they see the cows.

 

[GM88]

I trail cattle every where I go . Crossed highway 12 once had a flagger on each side of the crossing. Old fellow come a long saw those horned hereford cows (we were new to the area) and was trying to figure out whose they were and almost ran over my flagger. Used to live by Dinosaur park and our biggest problem was tourists . Puts a damper on things when the family all get out to take pictures on the road in front of you or the gate you hoped to turn in to.

 

[Hayguy]

Cousin moves his with tractor and cultivator on each end and in the middle of the road, no blow by's, flashing lights, SMV signs, if he has a problem, he just "breaks down" in the middle of the road :wink: :wink: :lol: :lol:

 

[Jinglebob]

Cousin moves his with tractor and cultivator on each end and in the middle of the road, no blow by's, flashing lights, SMV signs, if he has a problem, he just "breaks down" in the middle of the road :wink: :wink: :lol: :lol:

Good thinkin'.

We brought our little bunch home from down south as it sounds like we are going to get our fist winter/spring bizzard. Had to cross a county road with little traffic. Made it. :wink:

 

[leanin' H]

We took the cows home in the middle of the month and were on roads for three days across three different counties and never had a bit of trouble. :shock: I might mention the roads are dirt and we only saw one truck the whole trip. Guess it pays to ranch so far from civilization! :wink:

We have had to move cattle across busy highways and we do what ya'll do. Flaggers and a pilot car. Crazy drivers must be abundant and prolific breeders as there are more every year. :wink:

 

[Saddletramp]

I agree wih LazyWP. People don't think any more. Trailing cattle is still a nessesity in alot of places but do it right.

 

[Jake]

We talked about driving ours across the highway the past few years. Cows have never done it and the old man is pretty gun shy about doing it.

Figured if I threw a couple little square brome bales out on the road we could make it. Guess we'll have to try next year

 

[tenbach79]

We had a moment like LazyWP is talking about. It was dumb on our part but we needed to get it done.

We were moving cows home about 3 miles down the highway, it was snowing and they were perdicting a pretty good snow storm later in the day and night and we were getting close to calving time. So to get them home faster we just walked them instead of hauling. Like I said before it was snowing out but by the time we got about 1 mile from home it REALLY started to snow. We had flagers infront and in back. But had one semi that decided that he was in a hurry. He poped over the hill and there I was in the pickup behind the cows(was not the flagger). He hit his brakes and slid and jacked knifed his trailer. His truck hit the back of my pickup sending me into the ditch. Nobody got hurt along with the cows (thankfully) but I did have a wooden post in the back of the pickup that from the impact of the truck hitting the pickup launched it through the back window it the cab with me. Missing my head and our hired mans head by about 4 inches. :shock: Needles to say we dont move cows when it is snowing :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

We talked about driving ours across the highway the past few years. Cows have never done it and the old man is pretty gun shy about doing it.

Figured if I threw a couple little square brome bales out on the road we could make it. Guess we'll have to try next year

The toughest is trying to put about 5,000 head of yearlings across a highway they never saw before- heading to a pasture they never been to....
Usually someone gets at least a little roping practice in on a few.... :wink:

We have an underpass under the highway for the cow/calvess to go back and forth- but sometimes when its a wet spring/summer it gets too much water in it- so they have to be taken across the highway...Go great heading to summer pasture- but really tough to bring them back across to the corrals for branding/doctoring.....

 

[jodywy]

We used to trail for 3 days every spring to the forest and back home 3 days in the fall on US 89. We had association pastures to put in for the night and to sort out of on the tail home. The pastures are now houses and one a lumber –trust business. We had just started out on the highway (35 +years ago) the cattle strung out moving well, we had to keep them on the road here because of guard rail on each side of the highway. My Younger brother was probably a ¼ in front with a flag. I had a flag and was bring a string of cars thru from the back (seem people knew how to stay close to each other and fallow back then)When I just get to the front and see a 10 wheeler with a bulk milk tank blow out of the mountain cut past my brother…. My horse jumping across the pavement to hug the far guard rail, I can still hear the thud-thud thud as he killed 5 cows and 7 calves (most the calves didn’t belong to the killed cows). Then my grand dad road up to the truck looked the truck driver in the eye and said” you nit wit son of a bitch” we trailed home for about 3 more years but trucked up each spring before that. We built a big corral on a big flat just at the forest boundary replacing the small corral that was there, We sold that permit of in 1980, my granddad bought it in 1919. I sold our other permit this last spring we had it since 1958. It was out the gate but one of the permittees was trying to make me trail 8 miles around to the other side, just got tired of fighting him over everything we did on the permit.