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Last American Cowboys.......?

Extreme Cowgirl said:
Does anyone have a way to get in contact with the stucky's

I only ask because I also went through an accident that I should have died in. Of all the crazy things I have done with horses, it was a diving board that almost killed me.
I broke my neck and cut part of my spinal cord. I shattered my C3 and was paralyzed from the neck down.

I had a surgery to stop the bone shards from cutting all the way through and hoped I might get the use of my arms. I somehow started to feel and move my feet.

My accident was on October 14 2008. I walked out of the hospital October 17th. Though limited use of right arm and extremely weak. Now just short of 2 years later I am allowed to drive myself and ride my horses. Next year I hope to be back to barrel racing.

I would love to be able to tell the stucky's that no matter how bad the damage there is still hope. People ask me how I was able to just block the pain and try so hard.. I always say "Its the stubborn Cowgirl in me"
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Incredible story, thanks for sharing and God Bless.
 
Thanks everyone :)

Its been an interesting journey. True friends showed themselves and I did some friend housecleaning. No time for drama anymore, life it too short.

Lately I have been working at a bakery that gave me a chance and now buying back items I sold after the accident. Things are going really well here and my new saddle arrives in a few days :)

Always looking to send hope and luck to other horsemen and ranchers who are hurt.
I am located in the San Francisco east bay area in California. Though I am looking to move to southern Oregon, its so beautiful and peaceful there.


http://extremecowgirl.blogspot.com/2008/10/life-is-short.html
 
This last episode was in some ways the best. I had a strong bond with the Stuckey family, but not because of Cal's terrible accident so much as for their ranching old style and for the several generations there on the land. I am a strong believer in the old ways. If oil and gas ever run out we will be back there again.

It was also great to hear Tucker praise his son for such good work. Tucker is lucky his son is willing to work so hard. The higher weight on his cattle seems to point to the value of smaller cattle ranches that produce healthier cattle. I keep thinking back to the Scours episode with Galt ranch and can't help but think that too many cattle, even on 100,000 acres is going to produce illness. I remember a really bad time my uncle had with dying cattle. Seemed like that land took 10 years before it finally produced really healthy animals again. I always had the impression there were just too many cattle for the space. Grazing land is like grain land. It needs to rest and lie fallow. It needs to build up the nutrients and get a break from heavy animals, manure and grazing. Tucker's farm seemed more amenable to such production.

Galt proved to be a generous neighbor and also a father intent on having his son raised to take over the operation. He is going full tilt with that big herd. I wonder about the health value of the meat when you see such large numbers being trucked out. I don't think I would call his operation a ranch. It may be more of a meat production, agri-business, or factory operation rather than a ranch. Lower weight numbers for such a technological guy tells me that those cattle are not as healthy as they should be. There are just too many of them.

If I was going to buy yearlings from any of the farms, which would I buy? I think I am leaning toward the Hughes animals, would probably choose Stuckey second, and would really have to see proof that it was worth buying anything from Galt. It is moot as I don't buy cattle or ranch anyway. Whose cattle would you buy?
 
Kinda hard to guesstimate on how each ranch done as far as weight and a paycheck since they really didn't say how much they averaged on weight...and how much they were paid in the end.

If I just had to make a choice on who to buy from...I think I would hafta go with the Stuckey's. Based on how they operate.
 
I saw my first one the branding one last night-how much have I missed? I sure liked how patient that old horse was when Galt was teaching his boy how to rope-did you notice the boy is a lefty. They all struck me as pretty decent outfits from the first look.
 
You missed the spring storms and calving season.
There is haying and shipping episodes yet. I felt the
series got better as it went along. All-in-all we felt
it was very worthwhile watching. The ag industry gets
forgotten most of the time as far as entertainment goes.

My thought on watching Bill Galt help his son was...a little
background work with a rope, etc. would have been a good
thing for the kid. You could tell that was the first time
he'd basically held a rope.

Yep, the horse did his job well.

The only other real gripe (for lack of a better word) I
had was when
they said a coyote killed that big calf. :shock: And they
got in the helicoptor and went looking for the coyote.
They shot the coyote out of the helicoptor...now how the heck
did they know a coyote even KILLED the calf, and how did
they know it was THAT particular coyote. :???:

The calf most likely died from pneumonia or other natural
causes. IMO coyotes don't kill big, fat healthy calves, especially
that late in the fall.

Oh well. :D
 
Faster Horses:

Great points!

RFD has been profiling ranches across America on its American Rancher series. I like RFD's series because you get a sense of why the ranchers choose the breeds that they do for climate, feed and moisture conditions. There are many reasons why some cattle do better in different regions. Check it out. RFD also has a great outdoor cowboy cooking show. Makes my mouth water every time. I also like the channel because it highlights farm operations in the US and Canada. I saw a great fencing rig run off of a skid steer and nearly completely automatic. Tractor pulling, historic tractors, ladies roping and barrel racing events and more, are all showcased.

As to the coyote situation- Most often ranchers are dealing with wolves, but I have shot away at packs of coyotes during the early fall when the cattle come in from the lease and go onto the feedlot acreage at my sister's ranch. If there are enough coyotes in a pack, it is possible to lose a weaker or younger calf to them. My sister must always carry a rifle with her when she goes out to check on the cattle. It is more likely that a bear got Galt's calf. I've had my share of meetings with bears. When they won't scare away with a gun and won't drop when hit with a shotgun, they are more than capable of downing a calf. Where Galt was, I bet dollars to doughnuts that they were facing a bear, wolf or cougar.

I never ever saw a pack of coyotes run in the winter, though. We used to outrace solitary animals with out snow machines when we were kids. (never harmed them though). Here in CT where I live now, I once had land that backed up to a nature preserve. The coyotes would pack up in the spring and would chase deer. This was the only season in which I observed packing behavior down here.

So RFD still offers lots of ranching shows for their viewers.

How about Whale Wars on Animal Planet? Another show worth watching. Perhaps they will save the whales. :-)
 
A single yote can kill a mature whitetail buck-we have all three in our pasture and yotes and ravens kill more calves than wolves and bears combined. If you do get a bad bunch of wolves move through or a bad bear you have trouble. Problem bear are easy to remove though.
 
I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but around here we don't have problems with coyotes harassing cattle. We do however have to keep them in check because of all of the sheep in this area. They will flat murder a bunch of sheep. I don't know of a rancher that doesn't have a rifle in the truck for coyotes. It's not going to be too much longer and the wolves will be a prominent force in this area. I've heard of some just a few miles from here as well as some that have made it down to the Douglas and Glenrock areas. Just a year or so back one was caught or killed (can't remember) in the Blackhills that was out of the Yellowstone bunch. The game dept. said he came across the top of Wyoming, over the Bighorns and into South Dakota. I've talked to the county trappers and wildlife officials who think that within 15 years most of the upper portion of Wyoming will be dealing with wolves. So much for them staying inside the park. Most of the people who wanted the reintroduction of these damn things are from the east and west coasts. Why don't we turn some loose back east or perhaps California? They have no idea what they are doing to the people who produce their food. Old farm boy, if you like the Whale wars show that's great, but you probably won't find many here who agree. I don't want to see whales go extint as I'm sure most don't. What would be nice is some sort of regulation if that's even possible. The thing is though, I have enough problems of my own without worrying about what another country does. I don't like it when someone else sticks their nose in my business, so its only fair that I do likewise. The people that help support and make that show possible are the same people who got wolves reinstated. They are the same ones who are fighting farmers and ranchers. They are the same ones who make it damn near impossible to turn a profit at times. They want all of these laws passed not taking into account what all is involved with growing their food. Although I don't want whales to disappear, I think the people on the show are nothing any better than environmental terrorists. The main guy even said he wants people who are willing to die for their cause. These type of folks are the ones who are making it so hard on people in agriculture. Because of these reasons I don't watch the show nor do I want my family watching it. By watching this type of stuff you are inadvertantly supporting the animal rights agenda. These people aren't going to stop at saving just the whales. They want animal agriculture stopped as well as hunting and fishing and logging and.........
 
OKAY- No Whale Wars then. Our farm was near an intersection with a sheep rancher. We knew he was losing sheep to wolves. Every fall there would be a photo in the paper of the ranchers in the area with their haul of wolves. I know that they cause significant animal loss to the rancher, and I am all for animal control.

I don't support people's agendas one way or the other. I do support protecting what is yours, and helping your neighbor when they need help. I also support standing up to those who would try to take away what you have worked so hard for. I used to carry the rifle on the tractor while cultivating in the fall just to chase prairie chicken and partridge hunters away from the broods on our property.

I was devastated as a child when we lost a pheasant near our home to the hunter who owned the Chinese restaurant in town. I have never forgotten the loss of that beautiful bird.

My sister reports that with ranchers already feeding winter hay in Northern Alberta, cattle prices are dropping. She says farmers will be holding their cattle and will pay big time to keep their cattle fed this winter. So I know the cost of the loss of any animal to any wolf. So here's hoping ranchers will come out of the other side of Fall sales better off than last year.

:)
 
Thanks Old Farm Boy. I wish all of the people who lived back east had such a common sense approach and attitude. Please don't get me wrong as far as "Whale Wars" goes. I am all for protecting endangered species and the earths resources. I just think we could take a more common sense approach to it and we sure don't need environmental terrorists causing ship wrecks at sea or driving spikes into timber. I read once that the average activist is a college educated housewife. They have a disposable income and time on their hands. ( Don't get mad ladies. That's what the article said). Anyhow, these educated people feel that its their right and perogative to dictate to the rest of us how we shoud conduct our business and live our lives. Last American Cowboys was a fairly decent show but I wish they had put more thought into some aspects. One thing that ranchers have to overcome is the stigma of corporate ranches or factory farms. Thanks to the show, now a lot of people think that 1 out of 3 cattle operations in the country gather cattle with helicopters. Some parts of the show were spot on but other parts were kind of out there. Eventhough it bugs me to no end, as ranchers we have to be ever vigilant to perception. All the animal rights people need is a little toe hold and then they are like a dog with a bone. I was watching O'Reilly a while back and he had a spot on about "Muttin' Bustin'". Bill allowed how this kids parents were "Pinheads" for allowing their child to do this. It goes back to not knowing. Even the "Culture Warrior" has some prejudice against our way of life. Always be ready to educate !
 
BAR BAR 2 said:
Thanks Old Farm Boy. I wish all of the people who lived back east had such a common sense approach and attitude. Please don't get me wrong as far as "Whale Wars" goes. I am all for protecting endangered species and the earths resources. I just think we could take a more common sense approach to it and we sure don't need environmental terrorists causing ship wrecks at sea or driving spikes into timber. I read once that the average activist is a college educated housewife. They have a disposable income and time on their hands. ( Don't get mad ladies. That's what the article said). Anyhow, these educated people feel that its their right and perogative to dictate to the rest of us how we shoud conduct our business and live our lives. Last American Cowboys was a fairly decent show but I wish they had put more thought into some aspects. One thing that ranchers have to overcome is the stigma of corporate ranches or factory farms. Thanks to the show, now a lot of people think that 1 out of 3 cattle operations in the country gather cattle with helicopters. Some parts of the show were spot on but other parts were kind of out there. Eventhough it bugs me to no end, as ranchers we have to be ever vigilant to perception. All the animal rights people need is a little toe hold and then they are like a dog with a bone. I was watching O'Reilly a while back and he had a spot on about "Muttin' Bustin'". Bill allowed how this kids parents were "Pinheads" for allowing their child to do this. It goes back to not knowing. Even the "Culture Warrior" has some prejudice against our way of life. Always be ready to educate !
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Amen!!!!We have to defend our livelyhood, our tradition, our lifestyle when folks who are ignorrant (on purpose or accidentally) mislead or lie about agriculture. While I enjoy hunting, I would never insist that everyone become a hunter. I would never try to legistate new regulations requiring others to buy a rifle and kill a deer. And I am always amazed when someone who freely CHOOSES to not eat meat or ranch or hunt or whatever, decides to turn around and limit my choices! I know if we dont stand up for agriculture we will be part of the crowd shoveling dirt in the hole that buries us! ALWAYS BE READY AND ABLE TO EDUCATE! Great post BAR BAR 2!!!
 
Lived on moosemeat cheeseburgers and moosemeat sausage for a whole winter as a kid in a year when we didn't have any money. We only shot what we needed or what we wanted to eat. Lived without electricity or running water as a kid on my grandpa's homestead. So I know the sacrifices and values of living on the farm. I love that land still. But I couldn't beat interest rates in the late 70's and early 80's. Was in business but now I teach. And I make sure the kids out here learn about the great life on farms and ranches. I make sure they know where their food comes from. And they leave my classroom knowing we have to save our land for food, not develop it.

Thanks for your strong message folks and I will keep teaching it. :)
 
I agree with Bar Bar2....Whale Wars is crap....those salad eating, bunny huggin, cotton wearing, rice boiling people who make that show possible are the very type who go against the livestock industry and most of its values. The same people who chain themselves to trees, and call themselves vegans.....nope won't catch me watching that show. I hated to even give animal planet my viewing pleasure by watching Last American Cowboy....Animal Planet usually makes me violently venomous with its agenda it spreads!!

And I totally agree with you Faster...that Galt calf was not killed by a coyote and most of that was put on simply for the camera. Coyotes get such a bad rap....in most cases they are in the wrong place at the wrong time and take the blame. Sure the rancher comes over the hill and sees the coyote knawing on the dead calf so therefore he must of killed it right...well...calves die of a lot of other things. My families ranch I can think of maybe 1 or two times where a problem coyote was causing trouble...and with some rough calculations that is out of around 10,000+ calves over my years. But yeah there is always a gun within arms reach for that yote on the hill. I'd think for people in sheep/goat country may have more trouble with coyotes as a lamb is an easier kill.....and then they graduate to a calf.

RFD is a nifty channel but every time seems like I turn it on there is some tractor show or big joes polka show....neither of which catch my attention. haha
 
TXTibbs said:
I agree with Bar Bar2....Whale Wars is crap....those salad eating, bunny huggin, cotton wearing, rice boiling people who make that show possible are the very type who go against the livestock industry and most of its values. The same people who chain themselves to trees, and call themselves vegans.....nope won't catch me watching that show. I hated to even give animal planet my viewing pleasure by watching Last American Cowboy....Animal Planet usually makes me violently venomous with its agenda it spreads!!

And I totally agree with you Faster...that Galt calf was not killed by a coyote and most of that was put on simply for the camera. Coyotes get such a bad rap....in most cases they are in the wrong place at the wrong time and take the blame. Sure the rancher comes over the hill and sees the coyote knawing on the dead calf so therefore he must of killed it right...well...calves die of a lot of other things. My families ranch I can think of maybe 1 or two times where a problem coyote was causing trouble...and with some rough calculations that is out of around 10,000+ calves over my years. But yeah there is always a gun within arms reach for that yote on the hill. I'd think for people in sheep/goat country may have more trouble with coyotes as a lamb is an easier kill.....and then they graduate to a calf.

RFD is a nifty channel but every time seems like I turn it on there is some tractor show or big joes polka show....neither of which catch my attention. haha
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Ya Ya we know your checking out the ladies dancing on the Big Joe show. :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

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