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Loose cows

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webfoot

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With all the fences and the vast majority of the grass burned up cows are wandering free. Fire tends to jump around and leave little patches which didn't burn. So as the cows graze off those little patches and no fences left to hold them they migrate off to find grass. Being the first place they come to when wandering down the canyon and having green grass out in the hay meadows I make for a good stopping place. This morning I found fresh evidence of wandering cows in my driveway. It didn't take much searching to find 7 pairs eating on my grass.
One of my neighbors didn't loose much grass to the fires. But it was close enough that he went up and opened every gate so the cows could get away from the fire. As a result his cows are well scattered. So today and for the next several days all the neighbor ranchers and cowboys are riding his ground to get his herd gathered. He has his calves contracted and need to be weaned. Plan is to wean them next Saturday. So I guess my wandering in guests will just have to wait a few days until their owners are available come get my guests. No big deal but I wish they wouldn't leave their calling card in the driveway.
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Gone a couple days to a wedding in Winnemucca. Came home to 7 or 8 pairs out in the field. The cowboys will come thin them out tomorrow Also got a phone call from a guy up in Bridgeport (about 15 miles away). He has a calf of mine in his corral. That calf traveled. Calf #14. I wonder where cow #14 is? No fences left, anything can show up anywhere.
 
webfoot said:
Gone a couple days to a wedding in Winnemucca. Came home to 7 or 8 pairs out in the field. The cowboys will come thin them out tomorrow Also got a phone call from a guy up in Bridgeport (about 15 miles away). He has a calf of mine in his corral. That calf traveled. Calf #14. I wonder where cow #14 is? No fences left, anything can show up anywhere.
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How many did you think you were out?
 
Nicky said:
How many did you think you were out?
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I thought we had got them all. Never had them where we could count them. When we hauled them to the sale there was 62 cows and 62 calves. I used the number of ear tags used minus the couple that died and the number previously sold and 62 sounded right to me. I have been know to be wrong once before. And it turned out to be #16 not #14.

And when I pulled out this morning there was another bunch of cows and calves coming down the road. Two trailer loads of Bert's. Two pairs and a bull of Charlies. And a pair of Mike's. I seem to be operating a cow collection service. But the good news is the bear hasn't been here since Thursday. Maybe someone else has better garbage or riper apples.
 
webfoot said:
With all the fences and the vast majority of the grass burned up cows are wandering free. Fire tends to jump around and leave little patches which didn't burn. So as the cows graze off those little patches and no fences left to hold them they migrate off to find grass. Being the first place they come to when wandering down the canyon and having green grass out in the hay meadows I make for a good stopping place. This morning I found fresh evidence of wandering cows in my driveway. It didn't take much searching to find 7 pairs eating on my grass.
One of my neighbors didn't loose much grass to the fires. But it was close enough that he went up and opened every gate so the cows could get away from the fire. As a result his cows are well scattered. So today and for the next several days all the neighbor ranchers and cowboys are riding his ground to get his herd gathered. He has his calves contracted and need to be weaned. Plan is to wean them next Saturday. So I guess my wandering in guests will just have to wait a few days until their owners are available come get my guests. No big deal but I wish they wouldn't leave their calling card in the driveway.View attachment 3131View attachment 3132
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A Ranchers life (not sure what is appropriate, please correct me), seems very hard. Yet most rewarding when one finds this career as a way of life. Ups and downs make it special from what I read. Not a Rancher or Hobby farmer or a Yuppie Gardner. But yearn for yesterday on Grandpas land. It was in the Central Valley in CA. It was heaven. So I'm here to read the stories to enjoy the fruits of your labor in the most respectful way I can.
 

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