OK, I promise....

[Tap]

The last of the last branding pictures this year. :roll:

We went over to the Jumpoff for a cleanup branding real early this AM. The Jumpoff is a fault in the earth where the world drops off, and the Indians of earlier years used it to run buffalo over it and injure them enough to kill and eat. The end of it on the maps is just west of us, but the badland pictures I show from time to time on our ranch are part of the same ridge.

We met at the ranch yard very early to get ahead of the heat. Here are a couple pictures I took while waiting to ride out.

Going around a butte.

Some terrain.

Almost to the panel corral.

Snaring one.

Corral, with the Jumpoff country in the background.

Out the gate.

Holding them up to pair up.

Riding home.

One last photo of some country next to the hiway, and looking towards our home country.

 

[Canadian_Cowgirl]

I LOVE your Land!! Great pictures!! Those veiws are amazing!!!

Hey Judith how bout we stop in at Taps on the way back from JB's!?


Katy

 

[Grapevine]

Great pictures of the former 5/8 Ranch! This is the ranch where I was raised... it's so great to see it again! Thanks for posting photos of "home".

[/quote]

 

[Jassy]

I'm thinking that riding up in your country would be so fun and some great photo opps! Thanks and keep them pictures coming!

 

[JF Ranch]

I have never commented on your pictures of the country you live in Tap, so perhaps it's about time. You live in a beautiful, scenic country and your photography is wonderful. Your cattle look great and I like your operation.

Is it dry up there? Here, our once lush green grass is burning up now. It looks like it should be mid-August instead of the end of June.

One last comment: I have tried to imagine Indians on foot stampeding a herd of buffalo over a cliff and I'm not sure it could be done, even on horseback. I realize legend has it that they accomplished this, but I have my doubts.

 

[Tap]

Great pictures of the former 5/8 Ranch! This is the ranch where I was raised... it's so great to see it again! Thanks for posting photos of "home".

[/quote]

If I am right, you must be a relative of my mothers???? Also, if I am right, if I got you a VHS tape could you make me a copy of the movie made over there when you were a kid? I have been wanting one since I saw the movie in grade school. Boy, a guy can't get away with anything here. :wink:

JF Ranch, so as to not confuse anyone anymore, we went over to the Jumpoff to help the manager of the ranch. We don't own any of it, or the cattle either. But the manager and I have simular ideas about ranching, so we get along great. It is not so far across country, but it is close to 30 miles around to get there. And as Grapevine will tell you, the road in there is not always an all season road. It is some of my favorite country on earth, and I feel lucky to get to know the country over there.

Yes, it is really drying out up here. We are somewhat green under the needlegrass, cheatgrass, and chineese(sp) brome, but it would make one heck of a hot fire in the right conditions. Yesterday we had 40+mph wind gusts, and 95 degrees. That really takes the sap out of the grass. But we almost always dry out pretty good by the 4th of July in this country. We are glad to have the grass growth we have this year.

Thanks for the compliments BTW.

 

[Tap]

I LOVE your Land!! Great pictures!! Those veiws are amazing!!!

Hey Judith how bout we stop in at Taps on the way back from JB's!?


Katy

We will talk about that. :lol:

 

[Soapweed]

Great pictures like always, Tap. Thanks for posting them.

 

[nr]

I second Canadian_Cowgirl, such interesting rocks and land! We need an emoticon for drool, drool, drool.

 

[RRoss]

Tap;

You show us these great pictures{which I enjoy very much} and then you mention the word "HIGHWAY". Maybe I should just look at the pictures and ignore the text.

 

[Jerry H]

great pic's tap
glad to ya'll got'em all branded for this year

btw
i gaot me a new job
i bet their done braning for this year but maybe next year i'll get some pic's branding in west texas
until later
jerry

 

[Jigger Boss]

Lovely pictures and lovely area. Thanks for sharing such fantastic pictures!!

 

[JF Ranch]

JF Ranch, so as to not confuse anyone anymore, we went over to the Jumpoff to help the manager of the ranch. We don't own any of it, or the cattle either.

It doesn't matter that these particular pictures were not of your actual place. My comments on your good land, cattle and management are from viewing your posts for quite some time. You have captured with your camera how uniquely beautiful yet productive your country is. Good job!

 

[RRoss]

I have never commented on your pictures of the country you live in Tap, so perhaps it's about time. You live in a beautiful, scenic country and your photography is wonderful. Your cattle look great and I like your operation.

Is it dry up there? Here, our once lush green grass is burning up now. It looks like it should be mid-August instead of the end of June.

One last comment: I have tried to imagine Indians on foot stampeding a herd of buffalo over a cliff and I'm not sure it could be done, even on horseback. I realize legend has it that they accomplished this, but I have my doubts.

JF;

You may or may not find the book "Prehistoric Hunters of the High Plains" by George C. Frison an interesting read. It has many excellent photographs, diagrams and text showing the various methods used by the Paleo-Indian to hunt for meat. Included are some good aireial photos taken high enough that you can see how the hunt took place. One thing to keep in mind is these drives were often a mile long or better.

rross

 

[Grapevine]

I can get you a video, Tap. We've been talking about putting it on DVD. My parents have the movie, so I'll visit with them to get a copy for you.

You are right about the road out to the ranch. It's 4 miles of gumbo (even over a butte at one point) and made for many interesting trips! It really was a great place to learn to drive!

In reference to your photos... I could tell you a story about each one, but wanted to point out the one with the tree on the butte. When we moved in 1998, there was only the one tree, but it appears another one is growing now. (How a cedar tree is growing out of the top of a butte when there aren't any other cedar trees close by, is a mystery to me.) When my sisters and I were growing up, that butte/tree was a point of reference if we were ever "lost" on the ranch.

And to JF Ranch, the tales of the Indians running the buffalo off the banks along the Jumpoff are true. You'd have to see more of the terrain to get a better idea, but I can tell you there is a lot of evidence that these stampedes and slaughters happened in the day.

 

[jkvikefan]

Very nice pictures!!!!! and good lookin cattle too. If i took a picture like that of the country around me you would see about ten different houses. I am so jealous.

 

[andybob]

Please keep the pictures coming, I don't have as much time to tour your beautifull land right now, so the pictures compensate untill I get around to visiting more of America, and any cattle pictures are always welcome!

 

[JF Ranch]

RRoss and Grapevine,

I appreciate your replies. I'd like to see the terrain and/or the aerial photgraphs that you speak of. Evidence like that could convince me. I will try to find the book.

My comment is probably out of ignorance on my part, but I have often wondered how a dozen or even several hundred men on foot could start, then direct a stampede to it's fate. Although I suppose anything is possible, it seems unlikely to me that it occurred on a regular basis.

 

[Turkey Track Bar]

JF Ranch:

I am not trying to hi-jack Tap's post, but here are some photos of a Buffalo Jump here on our place. We are pretty sure this is a Buffalo Jump because of the large number of buffalo skulls that have been found in the creek below it.

Looking straight at the jump

Looking west and along the edge of the jump

Looking east of the jump

Straight off the jump into the creek

Can you tell where the edge of the jump is?

This jump is so blind, that if you were not paying attention it would be easy to drive right off it! A horse might be kinda tough to get to walk off, but if there were running at full bore, I can see how they could go off too.

Cheers---

TTB :wink:

 

[RRoss]

The other thing to keep in mind is they would run the Buffalo up a draw until they reached a point that the Buffalo were un-able to get out. They would pull up a blind and kill them with spears.