Our Last Branding

[Ranchy]

We did 41 calves on Saturday this last weekend.......thought I'd share a few of the pix I took.

Cattle going through the gate:

Cowboys (left to right) Hubby's dad, Hubby, nephew Toby, neice Kayli, BIL Russell, Al

Across the highway (I was on the north end, stopping traffic so they could get them across):

BULL FIGHT!!!!!!!!! :shock: :roll: :lol:

Almost to the next gate:

This tiny one was just too tuckered out to make the rest of the drive, so got to take life easy in the trailer:

Through the trees:

One down, forty to go (Toby, Al, Russell):

This was by far, the hardest one we did that day, probably an early fall calf, and he was on the fight........also the only bull calf that we couldn't use a band on, he was just too bloomin big to get it on there! :shock:

Couldn't get him down that way, so everyone moved to a new position:

Finally, Toby just went to the ground with him, his fingers in the calf's nose:

Down for the count:

Al got a little sweet revenge for gettin the heck stomped outta him (Hubby, Toby, FIL, Al):

Cattle turned out to pasture, and everyone coming in for a Coke break before loading up to head to the casa:

 

[Canadian_Cowgirl]

Really good pictures!! Thanks for shareing!

 

[azcowpuncher]

Those are cool pictures , man i like that kind of country it dont get any prettier than that .

 

[Jinglebob]

Yup, thats why we cuss people who rope one high hock and drag them out. Some people have been known to get their rope cut in two for doing it! :wink:

Nice pix. Thanks.

 

[azcowpuncher]

yeah if you rope one of them big soggy calves by one hind foot and come to the fire with it you just bought the outfitt a round at the bar and when your talkin 10 or 12 guys drinkin crown and coke ( usually beer ) on the round you buy that runs into money . Most places you drag one in by one hind foot they make you buy a 12 pack for everyone you bring to the fire one legged .

 

[RRoss]

Interesting pictures.

The fella that roped that big calf must have been gettting even with the ground crew for something.

 

[Jinglebob]

yeah if you rope one of them big soggy calves by one hind foot and come to the fire with it you just bought the outfitt a round at the bar and when your talkin 10 or 12 guys drinkin crown and coke ( usually beer ) on the round you buy that runs into money . Most places you drag one in by one hind foot they make you buy a 12 pack for everyone you bring to the fire one legged .

We let them bring in singles, as long as they ain't high hocked.

Unless you are using forks, then they all have to be doubles.

On rough ground it's easier on the calves if you walk them in slow on a single.

 

[Ranchy]

Color me red.........Al just reminded me that they (he, hubby and FIL) branded 8 more yesterday........guess it doesn't count since I said "we" instead of "they".........right? :wink: :lol: :lol:

I think that Russell brought that big one in like that, cause that's the only way he could catch the wiry bugger! Russ (regardless of what his opinion is) isn't near the roper that hubby (his younger brother :wink: ) is.......but at least Russ wasn't like Jerry was at the first branding of the year.......at least Russ brought most of them in by hind feet, instead of all of them by the head. That was really rough on the ground crew! :shock:

 

[azcowpuncher]

ha ha yeah i bet ^^ . Well everyone has their off days ya know . I know i have .

 

[Tap]

Looks like you all had fun, and got the job done Ranchy.

 

[Jassy]

Such pretty country Ranchy, and I know I've said that before. It kind of has a BlackHills of SD look to it. Glad you all had a good day.

 

[greg]

Maybe don't let the calves be half grown?Used to be fun-now a challenge.Good pic's though!

 

[Northern Rancher]

Actually it's easier to do big calves if you rope a single and take them out slow so they're still standing-kind of hop them out then throw a head loop on them-one guy can tail them over then-slide their tail between their back leg and pull them off balance while you put the rop on the backs and fronts. Dragging a 5 weight calf doubled up isn't very smart no matter where you ranch. I'll take some pics of how we do it if I run into some big calves at a branding. Sometimes when we ID brand our yearling heifers we do it this way just fore the fun of it.