• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Pulling Bulls

A

Anonymous

Guest
Neighbor called and said he needed help pulling bulls- which didn't surprise me because I help him trail out or pull bulls all the time...But this time he said he had enough cowboys, but needed me to bring a trailer and haul one load out of the Cherry Creek pasture- that way he wouldn't have to make 2 trips- which was fine with me, since then I didn't need to be there until 10 instead of daybreak :) ....And he's missing one trailer since he burned one up with his pickup taking bulls out this spring- doesn't have it all fixed and repainted yet...

Anyway instead of a horse this year I took the camera...You can see how sad this country is looking ( and this is actually in the area that has the most grass and water left)...I was talking with my cousin last night and his pasture is about 50 miles southwest- he's talking of weaning the first of October and doesn't think his calves will make 400 lbs....

IM000298.jpg

Looking into the trap made out of panels and trailers....

IM000299.jpg

Trap from the outside...


IM000302.jpg

Slipping the first bunch into the trap....Some of these guys don't realize that next week they will be bull-ogna and bull-burger.....Thats my old buddy Donnie in front with the blue coat- he's riding a little 5 year old sired by my old stud...

IM000303.jpg

Loading the first 8 in my trailer- 7 to go......

We hauled these about 25 miles to Donnies home ranch on the river....Then he and Ken and Preston went over to ride another pasture to gather- but they only had 6 bulls there to get so didn't need help.....He'll sort off the old bulls and anything else he doesn't like and haul to the sale next week...
 

Tap

Well-known member
Thanks for taking us with you on the bull gathering trip Oldtimer. Your area does look tough too. I notice in that spot anyway, that there is no sage or anything. Do you have a lot of sage in places?

Those bulls look like they are used to being hauled. They seem to be cooperating rather well. Glad you took the time to post the pictures.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Tap said:
Thanks for taking us with you on the bull gathering trip Oldtimer. Your area does look tough too. I notice in that spot anyway, that there is no sage or anything. Do you have a lot of sage in places?

Those bulls look like they are used to being hauled. They seem to be cooperating rather well. Glad you took the time to post the pictures.

Tap - this is about 15 miles north of the Milk River and that area doesn't have much sage- further west and south of the river toward the Missouri is all sage....This hilltop actually makes it look worse than it is- as even in a good year you don't get very tall growth on the hills...Some of the coulees and draws still have some pretty good grass in them- altho little of it is still green- but the water is getting real short...We were talking today, that we're going to have to start checking them every few days to make sure the water holds up...I have cows in a pasture just south of Donnies- and I know the springs on the north end of that pasture are dry, so the cows have to walk a couple miles to some big reservoirs....

And these old bulls get hauled a few times- back and forth to the bull pasture and then out with the cows- not too bad to haul...Biggest problem was that 3 of them had been cleanup bulls in with his AI heifers- hadn't been around the others, so they had to figure out a pecking order, again-- which I don't think they had decided yet when I unloaded them :roll: ....
 

skidboots

Active member
Oldtimer. Thanks for the pictures and taking us along.
We have had severe drought in South Texas, and lots and lots of cattle are showing up at sale barns. Last week, and today, I find Big Bulls bringing .55 to .62, bred cows $650 to $700, calves going at around $250. Does that jive with your area?
 

Ranchy

Well-known member
Oldtimer, that looks pretty sad.........wish you guys could get enough rain to do some good. Too bad that the bulls are gonna be burger, what I could tell, they look like nice fellas. :(

Hang in there, and know that our prayers are with you guys, that you'll get some rain real soon.
 

Jinglebob

Well-known member
Thanks for the pix oldtimer.

We gathered and worked a neighbors a week ago. They have a scale so we always weigh them to see how they are doing. They averaged a hair over 400 lbs. Late March thru' April calves and not real big cows. We thought they were respectable. We were almost a month ahead of schedule, but they had been doctoring a few and the owner has a bear hunt coming up, so we did it early. Sure wasn't much grass left, but enough for about a month or so, I suspect, but they would sure be happier to leave some. There ain't going to be much grass left this year, in this country. :cry:

They are saying we are drier than 36 and that was the driest on record. I told a feller about my age that and his reply was, "Yup, they are saying that. But you know what? We have wells and things them old guys didn't and we're makin' it work and you and I will proibably never have to go thru' this again, but our kids might." I thought that was an awful good and thoughtful reply.

I am running the same amount as last year and we did ship 2 loads earlier, as they were about done gaining and averaged 900 pound, the first of this month,but it looks like we will have some grass left over, unless the lightning pops too close.

I'm sure glad I built all them pastures and could rotate thru' them. It saved my butt, this year. :D
 

Latest posts

Top