October

October 7 - October 13, 2001: Fall Gather

Seven folks here this week to give us a hand. Cindy from Mi., Ruth from Oh., Connie from Il., Orrin from Ny., Jeff here for his 2nd time from N.H., and Ron here for a second week in a row.

Monday, October 8, 2001
Shakedown day. Hunters left a gate into the North Trap open again over the weekend. So everyone along with Frank and Joy headed out to gather them and get them back out into 7HL. They got over 50 head moved out then headed into Negrito pasture checking for strays. All home about 4pm. I stayed home and worked on the arena. Got posts set along one side, it's looking pretty good. I've moved at least 100 tons of rock out of it. One rock at a time! It will be a never ending job that's for sure. The weather cooled down a lot over the course of the day, a few sprinkles, ending the day with a brilliant double rainbow that arched over the valley. With the moisture in the air the smell of fall is thick and sweet. hi 55 low 36

Tuesday, October 9, 2001
Another fine fall day. Joy headed over to the firebase area to hunt up some strays wit h Mitch, Connie, Ron, and Ruth. They were home in an hour with 6 head. Then headed out looking for more but came up empty handed. They cut the day short getting home about 3pm which suited everyone fine. John and Alan took Orrin, Jeff and Cindy checking Canyon Creek and Loco pastures for strays. They rode all over the dang place and everywhere they went they found cattle. Alan said in all they put over 40 head back into 7HL pasture. How they got out I don't know, there must be a hole in the fence some where. Frank went out into Pitchfork pasture doing a loop around the valley tanks checking for tracks, seeing none. He came in early after Chilli lost a shoe. I stayed home and pounded fence posts..Yahoo!
Hi 66 low 36

Wednesday, October 10, 2001
We all headed over to Don's and helped him gather the Moraga pasture. Got about 180 head out of that mountain pasture and moved them all the way to Collins Park. We came and went through a beautiful little canyon that was full of fall colors and great rock formations. On the way in it was sunny but chilly, I thought to myself how much nicer it was than last year at this time when we gathered there in the cold rain and sleet. I must have jinx us. By the time we were coming off the mountain the clouds gathered and the wind picked up. It started raining a bit with some sleet mixed in. We were really lucky as most of the storm stayed north of us. We watched veils of snow envelope Eagle Peak to the north and Elk mountain to the west. It seemed to skip right over us. Today was the fastest heifer push we've had. I think the cool weather really helped. We had planned on an all day deal but were home by 4:30pm. Hi 58 low 30.

Thursday, October 11, 2001
We started our SORT. This is when we gather small bunches of cattle out of the 700+ that are now in 7HL. Bring them to the 'T' gate and sort them. Big pairs into the North trap, small pairs, heifers and dry cows go into the South trap. When we got to the gate to start the day there were cattle waiting for us. We quickly worked about 50 head then went looking for more. We spent the whole day gathering bunches and working them through both gates and then back out for more. The last bunch of the day was the largest, close to 100 head. I was riding Doc, he started out a bit bucky and was a bit of a dork for the first couple hours. But once he got to work the gate cutting cattle one way or the other he was fantastic. Beautiful day, cool about 55, lo 20

Friday, October 12, 2001
More of the same under different weather. It was chilly in the morning and got colder as the day went on. Pushing the cold along was a stiff wind, gusting to about 40 mph. Some folks rode out from the H.Q. some trailered out with Frank to work the east side of 7HL. We all met up at different areas through out the pasture. I was an hour behind everyone due to phone calls. When I headed out Maggie, Connie and Amy where coming in saying it was just too brutal to be out. When I got out of the valley I agreed with them as I was met with a frigid blast of wind. I saw outriders a mile distant as I got to 'Water at the Rock'. I waited there for them to come along. The rock is a huge slab set on edge about 30 feet tall. I snuggled Doc against it taking protection it offered from the biting wind. About ten min. later the first cow walked past along the trail and then more and more and more came along. I fell in behind the herd after I lost count at about 155 head. We pushed them into the wind to the 'T' where we started sorting. It took along time as there were so many to work. All the riders hung tough in the face of the cold and wind driven dust the cattle stirred up. The wind chill by this time was definitely in the teens. It was not any fun at all. We got done about 3pm and decided enough was enough and headed home. There were not any complaints about going home early.

October 14 - October 20, 2001: Fall Gather

A pretty good size bunch this week, mostly all women. We have a couple gals here for the 4th time, Cindy and Stephanie from Mi. who brought along Cindy's sister Debbie. Also Amy and Mary Alice from N.J. Maureen from Ma. Sally from Wa. Jerry from Mi. and Bob from Oh.

Monday, October 15, 2001
John, Alan, and Frank took most of the crew out into 7HL gathering more and sorting more. Got another hundred or so into the two traps. Lyndsey took The Mi. girls and Amy over to Don's place hunting some of his stray heifers. The Forest Circus is doing one of its famous "Prescribed burns" in that area. So they had the excitement of pushing the seven head they found along the edge of a forest fire. Actually the burn is doing really well. Just creeping along thinning out the small trees and burning the thick bunched grass. Next year it will come back really well. They had a long day pushing the cattle almost 12 miles to Shanty tank. They were hoping that they would get to Collins Park but the heifers were not of a mind to move rapidly in the right direction. They got home a bit after 6pm. I stayed home...my usual Monday of office stuff and phone calls to bitch at the Forest Service. Perfect day, hi 70, lo 20.

Tuesday, October 16, 2001
Lyndsey trailered out to 7HL cow camp with Bob, Jerry, Joy and Stephanie gathering the far side of T Bar ridge. They had a long long day. They found about 50 head and moved them all the way across Snow Canyon to Water At The Rock. They got in about 7pm. Most of us went into the south trap and gathered everything we could find. We came into the shipping pens with about 150 head. We spent the next three hours sorting them out. Branded pairs in one pen, unbranded in another, yearling and older heifers into another. Dry cows back out into the pasture and old cows and bulls into another pen. When we finally got done about 4pm we had 19 calves to brand. The crew helped out and learned a lot so we were done just in time for dinner. We kept the heifers in over night so we can put a brand on them to tell what year they were born, I'm getting so many that in the future it will be hard to tell what is what.
Hi 65, lo 25

Wednesday, October 17, 2001
Another perfect weather day, same as yesterday. Lyndsey and Joy went out with Amy, Mary Alice, Bob and the Mi. girls gathering more cattle to the 'T' to sort. The rest of us stayed back to brand the heifers. Frank was riding Frio, a 3yo who hadn't been ridden since back April. We had him going pretty well in the Spring until he injured his hock. He's sound now and worked pretty well. I decided it was a good day to try one of the kids and grabbed Cowboy, a cute little dun horse. He was pretty humpy when I first swung on, tried to get me off but settled down a bit as we got around the heifers in the corrals. He is Green, green, green. Has no brakes and very little turn. After we were done we rode out the 'T' which is only a couple miles from here. He was exhausted when we got there. Lyndsey was there with Amy holding about 30 head waiting for us to show up and sort. I used Cowboy and sorted with John. He was almost useless out there as I plow reined him around. But he was willing and didn't buck at all. Just as we got done with the first bunch the Mi. girls showed up with 20 more and right behind them Joy, Amy and Bob came in with about 15. We bunched them and sorted 'em through the gates into the North and South traps. When we were done about 4pm I asked if anyone ·wanted to ride some more...silence... so we headed home.

Thursday, October 18, 2001
Another fine day! I trailered out to Canyon Creek with Lyndsey and the Michigan girls. Our plan Was to get to Juniper tank and ride for strays from there. We got as far as Loco trailhead where we saw four pairs.shit..we drove a few miles farther and saw four more pairs...damn.. We unloaded but I was feeling a bit under the weather and left my horse on the trailer and headed home. The girls pushed the first bunch to the second and got 'em together. They headed north east over Loco Mt. a route we rarely take. Then across Loco meadow to Snow canyon, then all the way to 'Water at the Rock'. A really long push and long day.
When I got back to the H.Q. Joy was here after a short ride gathering horses. She was a bit worried, she had seen cattle at the Rocker canyon gate. Far from where they should be this time of year. I was in no condition to deal with it. Frank and John had go Ëne to get portable panels from fence tank so I told her to have them deal with it. When I got to the house Maggie told me the fella who owns a bit of private land at the end of the valley was in the area and had come by to tell me to keep cattle off his land and that he had chased 20 head off that morning. Ahhh, so that's how those cattle got there. The guy is a complete moron who lives in Co. he only comes down once a year to Elk hunt. New Mexico is still an open range law state, meaning that it is up to land owners to fence their land to keep cattle out. Not up to the cattle owner to keep his cattle in. So here he was mad that his fences were unkept and our cattle got in. Rather than wait for us to get them he pushes them out into a 16,000 acre timbered pasture before winter where we will likely not see them again till next year. It really pissed me off!! I went looking for him but he was out hunting. When Frank and John got home Joy gave them the news, they all saddled up and went gathering in the cattle.
Alan took a few long riders out to the east side of 7HL looking for strays. They got in a few head, we are feeling pretty good that we have just about everything in the traps now.
hi 68 lo 22.

Friday, October 19, 2001
Joy went on a short spin with Amy and Mary Alice getting cattle out of the private land next door and checking some fence. Frank and Lyndsey took everyone else but Jerry out to Water at the Rocks to gather up what they had left there the evening before plus a few more which they moved to the T. There they sorted them into the two traps. When they were done Lyndsey took some of the gals down to the Indian ruin to hunt up some artifacts.
Jerry trailered out to Canyon Creek pasture with me. My plan had been to ride for strays but on a whim I asked him if he was up for an adventure. He allowed as how he was game so I decided we would ride the east fence of the pasture up over Canyon Creek mtn. In the ten years I've been here I have never ridden that fence. We started along and I was surprised at the great country that is in that corner of the pasture. Then it started getting steeper and rougher, and rougher and steeper. Rimrock and Oak thickets, deadfall and deep timber. It was some wild country. The fence up on top is original, put in during the W.P.A. and C.C.C. days...60-70 yrs old and pretty much worthless. After getting up in there I decided that any cow of mine that would climb that mountain and go through all that mess to get out was no cow I wanted anyway. We finally came out in Pine canyon and got a good trail all the way back to the trailer. Along the way three hunting dogs belonging to a friend 30 miles away found us and followed along. When we got to the trailer about 6pm we loaded them up with the horses and hauled them on home. I called the owner who was over in a couple hours to get them.
It was a really good week, getting a lot of work done.
Hi 66 low 29

October 21 - October 27, 2001: Fall Gather

Another good bunch, 9 folks. Walter from Md. is here for his umpteenth time. Jim from Ct. here for a 2nd time after being away for 5 years. Jim brought along two friends, Big Joe and Little Joe. Bob from Oh here for a 2nd time, the last being a year ago at the lower ranch. Also here this week are Phil from N.J. and his two grown daughters Sara and Jessica. Gary from Tx. a western artist fills out the crew.

Monday, October 22, 2001
A bit overcast in the morning with a few sprinkles in the afternoon. It was a last time before shipping - stray hunt day. Alan took the Ct. boys out into Bearwallow. They got home about 4pm with no cattle but tales of great country. Frank and I went into 7HL. He spilt off to the north over Feathery Hill with Jessica and Walter. I went south through Ewe canyon with Phil and Sara. We all came up with a good little bunch of 7 pairs, 4 drys and a couple heifers. A bit more than I thought we'd find out there. Got home about 3pm. Lyndsey and Joy trailered out to Cowcamp with Bob and Gary doing a long loop through Pitchfork. They went out above Dead Horse corral and came across a grumpy bull who wanted to stay out by himself. They left him...sometime we will go out and fight him in. They then headed down through 7HL valley, an area we have worked over and over for the last five or six weeks. At Doubtful tank they found 20 head! They started pushing them and it seems the cattle really had no desire to get back here for a bus ride to warmer country. They pushed the cattle about 20 miles, getting to the T with just enough light to sort them through. It was about 7:30pm when they made it in. We had been getting worried about what was going on as night fell. Frank got in the truck to head out and see if they were having truck trouble. He started the engine and pulled on the headlights and there they were right in front of the truck. They had ridden in quiet, horses and riders dead tired. It just amazes me that they found that many out there. Hi 58 lo 27

Tuesday, October 23, 2001
It was vaccinating day. All the riders headed out with Lyndsey to start gathering small bunches of big pairs out of the North trap and bringing them to us down at the shipping pens. I assigned Walter as a wrangler since he has been here so many times and I know he moves cattle the way we like. John, Alan, Frank and I stayed at the pens getting everything ready. It went really well all day. Just as we finished sorting and working one bunch they were there with another. Over the course of the day over five hundred cattle were brought in and 242 calves went through the chute. We finished up in record time being done about 6pm. So much better than in years past when were doing it in the freezing cold, rain, or snow. It was a fine day about 55 after a low of 27.

Wednesday, October 24, 2001
Folks going all over the place. Frank headed out into 7HL with a couple riders looking for strays, getting in 1 bull. Alan and a few others went to Snow Lake and found 20 head which they put into the trap there at the lake. We will go down over the weekend and get them. John and Lyndsey and the rest of the crew rode through the South trap looking for unbranded calves. They got in 13 pairs which they branded and turned out into the H.Q. pasture.
That's really all I know about the day as I was on the road. I left here about 10am headed to Albequerque. with two horses, Chama and Newboy who are going to a fancy sale in Phoenix. A friend of mine is hauling them over and riding for us. We were planning to do it ourselves but just got to dang busy. I stopped in Socorro and picked up vet papers for our calves, then on to the big city. Getting there about 5pm I dropped off the horses and then picked up a bunch of truck tires. Got out of the city about 6pm. Drove to a friends ranch in Datil where I picked up 5 yearling bulls. These are Angus bulls I bought in from a fella in Kansas and had them dropped off in Datil. I got home about 11pm. hi 65 low40

Thursday, October 25, 2001
We started the day branding and tagging the bulls I brought home last night. Then we gathered the South trap, bringing in everything but a few small pairs and one sick pair we left out. The gather went great with everyone getting things bunched up well and strung out in a nice line back into the shipping pens. When we got in at about 12:30pm we had over 250 head. We penned and then started sorting. It was a bit complicated with everything we had. We have two semis coming tomorrow. to pick up some of my cattle and also tomorrow. is the "Cattle drive through Hell" when we push some of Alan's cattle over the mountain. So we put my pairs in one pen, my heifers and dry cows and bulls in another. Cattle to be doctored in another. Alan's pairs in one, his dry cows in another, and junk stuff we are going to sell in still another. We finally got done about 5pm. Hi 63 low 29

Friday, October 26, 2001
"Cattle Drive Through Hell" day! Breakfast in the gray of dawn, in the saddle as the sun broke over the ridge into the valley. Alan and John pushed the cattle out of the corrals and away they went. Out across the Bearwallow Meadows, down into Rocker Canyon along a couple miles in the bottom then a long climb out up Corner Mtn. Down a steep thick mountainside into Dark Canyon. up out over that and over The Saddle. From there it was a semi-controlled tumble down Deep Creek drainage to Stubb Canyon. It was not as far as we have gone in the past but was plenty far enough. They left the cattle on wonderful grass that hasn't been touched in a year. The winter snows will come and force them farther down the mountain so in the spring they will be around the lower H.Q. area.
Everyone went on the drive but John and me. We had a semi coming to take a load of cows to the range along the Arizona border. The truck was late, then the cattle hard to load. A lot of heifers and young bulls who didn't know the routine. Finally we got it on its way with John following along to unload and pen the cattle at the Ghost Ranch. The plan was the truck would return to get another load about 4pm. After they were gone I unloaded a ton of feed, then cut and sorted the next load of cattle for the truck.
Maggie and Amy had gone out with the herd but headed home after a few hours to help me move the trucks and trailers to the head of Deep Creek and leave them there so the cattle drivers would have a soft ride home. I was driving Alan's rig, Maggie was driving mine, Amy was following in a trailerless truck to give us a ride home. As we were winding through Negrito Creek Canyon I looked out the window and saw a tire passing me. It sped by as I slowed down and sailed off the canyon rim. I stopped a bit down the road and we walked back. It had come off the rear axle of my trailer. I spotted it way up on the other side of an 80 foot deep canyon. I think it will be there for many years to come. I limped it back to the ranch and got another rig and met Maggie and Amy at Alan's line camp on Deep Creek. When we got back I expected the semi to be waiting...nope. I got a bad feeling and went to the office to check messages. There was one from John saying they had a problem down at the lower ranch and to call him. I did. The truck driven by a new young kid driver had taken a turn up onto the mesa to sharp and laid over in the ditch with all the cattle on both levels of the trailer piled up on one side. They got it sorted out and unloaded the lower deck cattle out the side door which was level with the bank of the road. John tracked down a backhoe which was working near by and pulled it out but it had blown a couple tires so it couldn't make it back for the second load.
The riders got in before dark which was a first for the drive. Everyone felt like they had ridden plenty and we feel like we are in the best shape we've ever been as far as ready for Tuesday shipping day next week. All the cattle settled in the traps, all the corrals and gates are all in good shape, scales adjusted and ready to weigh our beef.

Saturday, October 27, 2001
I drove down to Glenwood to meet with the Forest Service and t )he new owners of Johns place, Gary and Marinell. We were to work out our agreement to run our cattle together on the two ranches. Five hours later I left worn out and pissed off. Forest Service folks are such idiots! But we had an agreement after gaining on some points and losing on others. The weather here is just great! Hi about 80, lo 50.

Sunday, October 28, 2001
Walter, Frank, John, Maggie and I helped Gary and Marinell brand a hundred new cattle they just bought. We were there mostly to see how they were to work with and see the cattle that they were mixing with mine.
The cattle are wild as hell! Just the kind of cattle we have been trying to get out of our herd for years. Wild and dangerous. They broke through fences a dozen times, chased people with no bluff to 'em.
They had all kinds of friends there to help but had no help. Maggie worked the exit gate all day while calling out numbers, Frank was on the head gate trying to catch these big horned wild beasts as they came into the chute at a full run. I worked the squeeze lever while John worked the rear gate. Walter worked the lead-in chute getting cattle started up. When I saw them drag in the beer coolers at 10:30 am I knew it was going to be a long day. Now don't get me wrong I have nothing against a beer at the END of a long day but not when your working wild cattle in corrals. The five of us worked our posts all day with no break for lunch while everyone else had a big beer bash. We left a bit disgusted and worried of what the future will bring.

October 28 - November 3, 2001: Fall Gather

This has been a week. I am writing this at 1am Sunday 11/4 so I will be trying to piece together all of the happenings of a very busy week. We had a great crew! Lou was here for his 3rd time from Pa. Walter still here for his 2nd week of this his who knows how many visits. Tom from Mo. Heika, originally of Germany now N.Y. Betty a Texan, and Theo originally of Germany now from Pa. Every one of them willing to help and do all it took to make this our most important week of the year work.

Monday, October 29, 2001
Monday we headed to Snow Lake where Frank and Walter had left 20 head they had gathered over the weekend. I rode down with Lou checking gates as we went. Alan and Theo rode another way there doing the same thing so we could feel secure that all cattle were still in the traps for Tuesday, the big selling and shipping day. Lyndsey trailered down with Tom, Betty and Heika. Our plan worked well and we all got there at about the same time. We gathered the cattle which were mostly pairs and headed 'em up a steep rocky ridge west of Snow Canyon. It went pretty well...lots of hollerin'. Everyone was quick to make up a cattle call. When we got to the top we yelled to everyone to look behind them. The view from up there out over Snow Lake, off into the Wilderness Area takes your breath away. Sure beat the view they'd been looking at...the ass end of a cow. I left to go back and get the trailer while the others pushed the cattle about 5 miles back to the traps. It was a good day for everyone to get a handle on moving cattle. Hi 61 lo 30.

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
This was the day. We were eating at 5:30 am and in the saddle at 6:15 am. Gathering all the big pairs we had been putting in the North trap over the last few weeks. It went really well and got in about a hundred pretty quick. John, Alan and I started to sort those while everyone else went back out for more. We got a good system going and every thing just clicked. Just as we were finished with one bunch they brought us another. By mid morning we had all the pairs in, sorted as to sex and our buyer Danny showed up from Ca. The rest of the day was spent with him picking out what he wanted and weighing them in bunches of ten on the scales. Then the brand inspector did his thing and we loaded trucks. We sold over 86,000 pounds of beef. The weather was perfect with high of about 65. It was the best shipping day in history.

Wednesday, October 31, 2001
Another good day. We had two semis come at the crack of dawn to haul just weaned momma cows down to the lower country. Then in the afternoon a couple more came. Alan took a few riders out into 7HL checking for strays. They found one pair with a just born baby which Walter, Tom, and Theo eased as far a T Bar tank leaving them there as the calf was just to small to go too far. Lyndsey and Joy rode for strays around Dog Spring area getting in a couple that had escaped from the South trap. Frank, Lou and I spent another day walking miles in the corrals amid a cloud of dust sorting cattle for trucks. It can be pretty involved getting the proper type of cow in each of the 7 compartments on the trucks. Hi 60, low 30.

Thursday, November 1, 2001
We gathered the South trap today bringing in all the small pairs and dry cows as well as the heifers I didn't sell to increase my herd number. I was able to keep about 45 of the little darlings, the next generation of N Bar cows. We loaded a couple semis and sorted off all the cows that need work. New tags, cutting crooked horns etc. We will take care of those Friday. As we sorted cattle riders kept going out to make sure we got them all. About mid morning Walter and Betty went back out for the pair that had been left at T bar tank. Late in the evening just before dark Walter came in without Betty. He had last seen her several hours before near 7HL cowcamp. We mobilized. Frank took the 4runner and headed into the pasture from the east side, Maggie drove out to cowcamp, Lyndsey, Lou and I loaded our horses up and drove towards cowcamp to start riding from there. It was almost dark and I was worried to death. Here we were the second to the last day of the season and we had someone missing. As we pulled into cowcamp we found Maggie there with Betty who had done the smart thing of heading there and staying put. Her horse Cimmarron was as happy to see the horse trailer as Betty was to see us. But I was the most relieved. Hi 55, low 29.

Friday, November 2, 2001
The last day of the season, and it was a long one. Tom, Lou and Walter stayed back with Frank and I to do all the chute work while the others went out riding. Lyndsey and Theo went to gather in all the broodmares and yearlings out of 7HL and got them in the traps, getting in about 2 pm to help us in the pens. Joy went with Heika, and Betty looking for the pair that was never found the day before. They had no luck finding it but had a great ride all over the Snow Canyon area. Us guys cut horns, and tagged a bunch of cows, a couple who were just plain mean. Then in the afternoon we branded, vaccinated, and tagged 44 heifers. Everyone had a job and it went pretty well. Tom got pretty handy with the hot iron, poor Lou never got a handle on it sending out several calves with Chinese figures on 'em. I gave Frank two heifers and Lyndsey three as an end of the year bonus. I think it meant a lot more than some money. They are now cattle owners. Hi 58, lo 24. All week the weather has just been perfect, more like late September than November.

Saturday, November 3, 2001
Another fine day. Lyndsey and Frank each hauled a load of the heifers to the lower ranch H.Q. where we will keep them up and feed them a few months before letting them out on the range. They are sooo dang cute!
Joy went along with them to see the lower country which she fell in love with. I stayed home and caught up on a pile of bills and calls. Also draining the water lines and shutting down the guest camp. Hi 60 low 35.

Sunday, November 4, 2001
It sure was strange after 42 Sundays in a row getting ready for a new crew of guests to have no one coming. I was up early fixing a few corral rails then grabbed Gambler and headed out looking for the elusive pair. I rode all over the place, Fence tank. T Bar, Pit tank, Doubtful tank, Hay tank, Steve tank and every where in between. No luck. I got home just before dark feeling a bit discouraged. I walk /trotted and loped all day on Gambler. I hadn't really ridden him all summer. Today I remembered why. He is such a great horse that I never want to ride anything else. If I stay away from him I get these younger horses ridden. Otherwise I get camped out on him and never want to get off. Man that horse can cover some ground. New weather blowing in, the day started mild and windy then as the day passed the wind started to bite a bit. Later it just plain got cold and started a bit of a drizzle just as I got back. That's all right...97% of the cattle are off the mountain and I will not complain now after getting through the week with the great weather we had. Last year at this time we were already knee deep in snow.

I want to thank everyone who came to help this year, and you all were a lot of help. We really could not manage and tend our cattle as well as we do without our weekly new crew. We all enjoyed everyone and hope to see plenty of you back sometime.