September 2002

Sep 1-Sep 7,2002:Fall Works
Sunday, September 1, 2002

Cassady and I drove 4 hours to Albq. Saturday morning then got on a plane at noon and flew to New Hampshire via Cincinnati. We got in close to midnight. The next morning I was up at 5am for a 6:30 flight. Flew back to Albq. via Atlanta Got in about 1pm and drove home. On the flight a guy behind me was sneezing all over the place and I said to myself that I would be sick within 24 hours. Monday noon I had a rough throat and by evening I had a fever. Now I feel like hell. Thanks pal!!!
A big crew of ten this week. Just one veteran, Mike from N.Y. here for his third or fourth time. We have four gals from Canada, they booked so long ago we thought they would never get here. Myla, Kristy, Alela, and Andrea. Five guys from Texas in two separate bunches. Paul, Phillip and Quentin in one and Dave and Joe in the other.
I am writing this at the end of the week trying to remember and catch up on all the doings and riding. As i mentioned in last week's log I got a nasty cold on my travels last weekend and it really got me down. Started on Monday and by Tuesday night I was feeling pretty bad. It kept me down till Thursday when the high fever finally broke and I could feel somewhat human again. For awhile there the fever had me in another world.

Monday, September 2, 2002

Monday was a good long shake down ride for everyone, riding in a couple groups. The girls all went down into Rocker canyon with Joy and Anna. The guys went with Lyndsey out through the south trap and on to Little Fence spring. They were hunting a nasty bull that had slipped in with the heifers. Found him and got him penned for our neighbor to come get. Frank worked on the spring line to the house. Trying to get air locks out of it, with little luck and little water flow. We are just about out of water.
I spent the day hauling stuff and getting camp set up for the week. We will spend most of our time out there, it will save water here as well keep us closer to the cattle

Tuesday, September 3, 2002

Lyndsey rode with the girls and cruised through 7HL getting a look at where cattle are and water in that area which she reported was good at Nedra, Elladeane, and T Bar. They got into some nasty lighting on the way with heavy rain. Lyndsey led them into Ten Dead Canyon where they hid out till it was over.
Frank and Alan with the guys trailered out to Cowcamp and rode from there checking water in Pitchfork on the north side. They reported it terrible. Hay tank is just about dry and Steve tank is not too far from it. They only saw about 50 head which they pushed out of that area and down to Pit tank.
The girls are the only ones tough enough to stay out at camp, all the guys left their horses there and went back to the H.Q. for the night. I had plans of staying there but that damn flu just had me down to far. Maggie didn't have to twist my arm to get me to go home.

Wednesday, September 4, 2002

The guys trailered out to Canyon Creek and rode through the Rockin' Arrow cattle cutting ours out. They came up with about fifty head including six unbranded ones. They said they had no problem spotting or cutting ours from Rockin' Arrow, the Rockin' Arrow cattle took off at a run when you came within a couple hundred yards leaving ours standing there. They pushed them up and over T Bar ridge which is not an easy chore. Then down the other side where they penned the unbranded ones at fence tank to brand in the morning.
Lyndsey and her all girl crew rode way out east to check on White tank, last time I had seen it three weeks before it was half full. We knew Doubtful tank was dry so on her way by she picked up a few dozen head in that area to push to new water at White. They finally got there only to find that White tank was nothing but mud. Around they turned and pushed the cattle back the way they had come all the way to Pit tank which still has pretty good water. They found a heifer of ours that was prolapsed so they pushed her along to so we can get her home in the morning. They rode a long way and those cattle walked a long way. Just a bit of rain on everyone nothing too sparky tho.

Thursday, September 5, 2002

Everyone rode out to Fence tank first thing in the morning. I trailered Doc out with Alan, still feeling a bit poor but I needed to do something useful. We quickly got set and went about branding the calves. The Canadian girls tried it all for which we were proud. They seemed to enjoy the castrating a bit too much in my opinion.
Once done there Lyndsey and Frank took the girls and one of the guys, now known as Precious out hunting the prolapsed heifer and to check gates on the north boundary. Bow hunting season is on here so there are people leaving gates open all over the place now.
I waited at the trailer for a couple hours till Frank and his riders came in with her. We slick as you please got her penned and then loaded with no problems. I got on Doc for about 2 minutes. My equilibrium is all messed up and I swayed around in the saddle and was glad to get off. After they headed back out I drove her home along with my horse calling it a day.
Alan took the rest of the guys up on the top of T Bar Ridge then headed west along its crest checking gates and mending fence. They found places where bulldozers had gone through it during the Middle Fire back in April. It was a big mess. Alan said the guys were some great fence menders and really got a good job done. Along the way they swung into Loco pasture and pulled about 20 head out of there and put them back into 7HL. So they got a variety sort of day, just a cowboy day.
It rained a bit all over the country, getting Alan's bunch the most. They got home at about 6pm being wet and cold and ready for a change of clothes. Precious is now staying out at camp with the girls. Imagine a cowboy from Texas going by the handle Precious! We are having a lot of fun with that one.

Friday, September 6, 2002

On my way home yesterday with the heifer I was looking over the neighbor's cattle that were close to our boundary fence and spotted one with my brand on it. Being so close to the gate I had to stop and unload Doc and get her in. I circled around and got her headed toward the open gate with another pair when I saw she had a yellow ear tag and an ear mark belonging to another neighbor as well as their brand. Now I remembered buying this cow about 7 years ago but I don't remember seeing her in the last year or so. HUMMMMMMMM.
I was almost to the gate when I see a car coming, I figure they will get through the gate before I get there. Well they slow down and stop in the gate and get out with a camera. I holler to move out of the gate, they wave and smile. Then I hear hoofs drumming and look up to see Preacher, Tom and G Man our 3 year olds who are turned out in that pasture running up to the gate. They come through and take after the cow chasing her down the fence the opposite direction. I take off after them about the time the car figures it should get out of the way. They almost run over me getting right back in the way. I gave up on the cow and got the horses back on our side then went home frustrated. So Frank and the guys, well all but Precious, went hunting her all day today. They rode all over the Negrito and Gwen tank area. Saw a lot of cattle but no where could they find that cow.
Lyndsey and her crew rode out from camp and did a long day loop down to Snow tank and then back home checking water and grass. She saw no cattle, no water and lots of grass. The country in there now looks like Switzerland. Rain held off from everyone and was mostly sunny. The girls wanted to do more roping and having passed the roping dummy level we penned the doggie calves and let them rope them. The poor little boogers didn't enjoy that too much but the girls sure did. They should be thankful they were only roped with those girls around.
It was a fun week, a lot of work got done. We sure hope to see this crew back. The weather most of the week was in the 70's, over night upper 40's. Mostly sunny till scattered afternoon storms.

Sep 8-Sep 14,2002:Fall Works
Sunday, September 8, 2002

Maggie and Kathleen did the Albq. run this weekend. Most of the crew went to see the cowboy poet Baxter Black in Silver City. This little piggy stayed home. It rained most of the night Sunday. Slow and steady.
Another good sized crew this week. One veteran, Francis from S.C. here for a fourth time. We have two fellas from Alaska, Reg and Steve. The rest of the crew are all a bunch here together from Tx. They include Gary, Larry, And Barry, along with Wade, Trent and another Steve.

Monday, September 9, 2002

They were a pretty quick study of Lyndsey's N Bar 101 and were ready to ride about 10am. Not bad for a Monday.
The mission of the day was to find the cow I had seen last week that I think someone was stealing from me. Frank and Lyndsey led the posse, splitting up once they got into the Negrito area. Frank had Francis and the Alaskan fellas Steve and Reg. Lyndsey took the wild Texans. I spent the morning rewiring the water pump to the generator which is now working. Maggie hauled it to Albq. this weekend and sweet talked the Honda place into getting it running on the pronto. So we are making water again thank goodness. We got soooo close to running out. Once that was done I started hauling water from the spring for all the horse tanks.
On my last trip in I came down the drive and found Frank and his crew penning the suspected cow. Alan was here so we got her in the chute and took a close look at her. I wasn't crazy or seeing things the other day. She has my ear mark and brand as well as that of our neighbor over at Rainy Mesa.
We aren't real neighborly with them now since that truck wreck deal back in Dec. and since Alan suspected them of stealing one of his calves a few months back. So I called the brand inspector and get the ball rolling to get this settled.
I sent that crew back out to locate another neighbor's bull that climbed in with our heifers. Lyndsey's crew stayed out all day looking for the cow not knowing it had been found. But it was no matter, they all had a good day seeing great country on pretty good horses. Speaking of which we have a major flu epidemic sweeping through the remuda. About 8 have it now. Its a bad cough, snotty nose, and just feel-like-shit deal. I know just how they feel. Nothing we can do but let it run it's course and hope we have enough healthy horses to continue with our work.
Anna has been staying back working the young horses. Annie and Buttercup as well as Quentin are being saddled and bridled and led and tied. She doesn't know much but is quiet and listens when you tell her something. I spent about an hour in the barn with her today, the first time I've had a chance to. My grandpa use to say, "some folks are born to horses, some can learn it, and the rest will never have it.". She's born to it.
I trimmed and shod 13 hooves on several different horses today. I am now sore as hell. Our farrier Doug got off schedule so now we have a lot that aren't making it till he gets here on Thursday. It stayed partly cloudy all day the sun broke threw a few times making it pretty humid after the all night rain. But the air temp was only 65.

Tuesday, September 10, 2002

It rained for a few hours during the night which was a nice sound on the metal roof. Woke to a gray dawn with mist streamers through the pines and a chill in the air.
The crew headed out with Frank, Lyndsey and Anna into the north Trap and moved everything out of there so we could start bringing unbranded calves in. They moved a dozen head out and then rode the heifer pasture getting out the bull that was in there. After lunch they went back out and gathered all the heifers so we could replace tags on the ones that had lost them. After this cow theft deal I don't want any of my cattle without tags since no one seems to bother reading brands anymore.
We got done with that then decided to brand a couple calves that were in the lot so we could get that out of the way. Trent and the Alaska guys along with Francis helped, the rest of the Texas boys sat by the campfire and jawed. While they were out riding during the day I drove out to Canyon Creek to meet a surveyor who is going to corner off 80 acres I have out there for a new H.Q. It was a muddy mess! I slung mud for miles but finally made it out there but saw no sign of him. On the way back I drove way up Snow canyon to my secret Oak grove and got a truck load of good wood. I guess I missed the surveyor along the way. When I got home he had been here. The crew found a sick calf in the north trap so Alan and I went out to check on it. It was in poor shape, must be some kinda toxicity in a weed. Its body was stiff and it was only just breathing. I shot it, its quality of life was nil.
The brand inspector came. Saw what we saw on the mis-labled cow, took pictures and said he would check into it. We told him we don't want to press a felony charge on the kid in charge over there but we did want him to return any more he thinks he may have done the same thing to and understand if it happens again we will press felony theft charges.
John is here this week. Looks better than last time I saw him at the farm. He reports we are almost ready to start our last cutting.... woooohooooo. Cloudy most of the day till late afternoon when the sun broke out and heated things up a bit. Hi was 73 low was 48.

Wednesday, September 11, 2002

It rained almost all night, a slow steady soaking rain. And it didn't quit in the morning either, it was one of the few rain days in N Bar history. It really came down at times, finally letting up at about 5pm. Most of the day was spent playing poker.
The ground is saturated, this may have been the rain that saves us and recharges all the springs and tanks. Lord knows we need it. te hi only got up to 58. overnight only got down to 50.

Thursday, September 12, 2002

The dawn was misty with clouds drifting through the pastures. We saddled up and headed to Canyon Creek to move some Rockin' Arrow cattle and see what the water was doing. On the drive out there my smile got bigger and bigger as I saw water running everywhere. Every draw and canyon was a trout stream. Going past Snow Lake there was water running over the road, the lake will be full in a day if it keeps it up.
We drove as far as the Loco Mountain trailhead where we unloaded then mounted up and headed into Canyon Creek. We saw cattle in a couple different areas. Frank and some riders headed south and John and I along with everyone else headed north. I slipped off from them to check Incognito gate which I found open then circled around S.S. Basin to meet up with the others at Juniper tank. I came up with about 15 head I pushed there and put with about 50 the others had found. We bunched them then pushed them west towards Big Loco tank - about three miles. Along the way I saw some cattle off to the south so Francis and I went after those. The farther we got the more we saw till we just headed back with what we had. We left about 100 back there we will get in the next couple days. By the time we got back to the trailers I felt no one was really up for going back after them making another 3 or 4 hour gather and push.
The temp. was perfect about 65 clouds big and voluminous that hung so low it seemed you could touch them.

Friday, September 13, 2002

Another perfect day. High thick clouds, temp about 70 light breeze. The country is moist and alive, flowers are at their peak. No dust or smoke in the air.
We trailered out to Canyon Creek again. John went up to the Pitchfork fence with Trent and Wade to patch it up and work cattle out of the trees along T Bar Ridge. The rest of us stopped at the Loco Trail head again and headed out to find the cattle we missed yesterday. As usual they were no where to be found. At least not in any big bunch. We rode around and around checking draws and trees finding a few here and a few there. We had a plan that John would bring us any Rockin' Arrow cattle he found and we would take any of ours and meet at Juniper tank, swap cattle and go on back to our respective trailers. I kept riding back and forth trying to keep an eye out for John and keep up with my group. That poor horse of mine sure gets some miles put on him during a day like this. From way up on the mountain I saw John and crew out in SS basin three miles away with a good sized bunch. I had a couple pair of our cows so I pushed them over the ridge down towards the basin and went back to get my crew headed out for the meet. When I got back of course I couldn't find those two pairs I left. We went down to Juniper tank and found about 40 head of cattle but no riders. Plan gone awry.
We took what was there and headed back the way we came, Frank took a couple head of ours and headed to Pitchfork gate. We got ours moved with no problems out into Loco Mountain. then loaded up and headed home. It was just about 5pm, quittin' time on a Friday. We got on home and it wasn't till 7pm that John pulled in with Trent, Wade and Frank along. They had found cattle all day and just finally ran out of daylight to work them all. They got about 50 more arrow cattle put through the gate. It was a good long day for those guys but they're tough. Despite the slow beginning of the week and rain we got a lot of work done that I really wanted over with before we left the cattle work and took on a Posse Week next week.
It was a heck of a crew, lots of laughs and good fun poked around. Those Alaskans found out all about Texans

September 15 - 21, 2002: Posse Week

SILVER CITY
DAILY PRESS
!!!*EXTRA*EXTRA*!!!
Deadly manhunt in the high country of the Gila

News has reached this office of bad goings on up in the headwaters area. Over the years we have reported many times of the New Mexico Rangers dangerous exploits throughout that area in an attempt to rid it of an enduring plague of human pestilence, namely The Frisco River Gang led by Fearless Frank.
These attempts were made by Capt. Bates along with Sgt. Hobson known as Loco Lyndsey. After dozens of such misadventures with varying results the Capt. fell out of graces with the powers in the territorial capitol. Well, it now seems that the Capt. has fallen out of graces with the honest population of this fair country.
The story as we hear it goes that the Capt. befriended a former Frisco gang member who now resides in prison. From this unnamed source he got a map showing most of the loot caches that the gang made several years ago. He is now as you read this out there in the high country trying to locate the cash. He claims it is his rightful due for all the service he rendered over the years. But the company he is keeping leads us to believe he has fallen over the line. With him is Terrible Tom Becker who we have all seen in these parts before. He arrived here with a reputation stretching all the way back to the Mississippi River country where he cut his teeth in the gambling dens and spilled blood everywhere he went.
A new face is that of Tim "HOLDUP" Heines. Starting out in life walking the line as a cop in New York City but he too is one who has slipped over to the bad side. What started it no man alive knows but he has been working his way west holding up trains and stages leaving few witnesses to his dastardly deeds. Fearless Frank got wind of Bates' plan and set out to beat the Capt. to the loot.
Along with him is his usual following of outlaw women, these new ones known as "Troublsome Trudy" and "Anything Goes Anna". He must hang outside the gates of hell to find these sort of companions . Stories of these two abound in the area. Fast women with light fingers that have a tendency to twitch on the trigger when riled. An unusual tale you think as you read but here it gets stranger.
Sgt. Hobson heard the rumors and got word to Fearless that Capt. Bates has a warrant on his head (for a reason we are not sure) and if Fearless would help track him down the Rangers would let past troubles be gone and Fearless could keep the cash. Stranger bedfellows there haven't been. So Loco Lyndsey has brought down a troop of six rangers with her. They include Ranger George Daunis, Ranger Wes Moore, Ranger Lee Dunsirn, Ranger Rouge Thompson, Ranger Joe Gilmore, and a special agent known only as Wooley.
All these men arrive with reputation far exceeding any previous group of Rangers we have watched disappear into the Gila wilds. We wish them well and hope they might emerge in good health in not too many days.
The real question is who should trust whom.

SILVER CITY
DAILY PRESS
!!!*EXTRA*EXTRA*!!!
Slaughter in the high country

A week passed with no news of the strange goings on in the Gila high country until this evening when word reached this office of a veritable slaughter.
The week started quietly as both groups rode the country hunting up the stolen loot. The posse worked in two groups finding tracks but not finding Capt. Bates and his outlaw buddies Terrible Tom and Holdup Heines. Rough weather midweek forced both groups to ground until Thursday morning when the three outlaws showed up at the Posse camp. Only half of the ten person posse were present during the attack. Soon into the hot gun battle Holdup was hit, the Capt. and Terrible Tom continued to fight on, firing over 250 rounds into the camp until they exhausted all their ammo and were forced to retire. No casualties were reported in the camp.
Friday morning found the three outlaws hunting Loco Lyndsey and her crew of Rangers Wes, Lee and young Anna. They had spent the night in the Pine canyon area. Mid morning the Capt. believes he sees Loco headed off T Bar Ridge and sets up an ambush for her in the plains of T Bar valley. It was a plan that was doomed from the start. Poor intelligence, poor cover and poor timing led to their demise. They had been spotted by Fearless Frank and his riders numbering five. Waiting till the Capt. took horses up a canyon the Rangers attacked and quickly dispatched Terrible Tom and Holdup Heines. They tracked down the Capt. in the rocks of Hidden Canyon and after a short but intense gun battle put a bullet in his head.
It is with celebration that the honest men and women of the territory welcome back the posse of Rangers whom we hold in the greatest respect for eliminating the outlaw elements from our fair country.

Tuesday, September 17, 2002

My three man gang headed out Tuesday morning with everything we needed and packed well. We rode a brisk pace most of the morning trying to put some space between us and the posse. Mid afternoon found us in the empty posse camp where Tim and Tom spent some time looking in vain for a bag of loot the map told them was there. A couple hours later we were almost surprised when Anna and Trudy showed up horseback. We saw them just in time and ambushed them as they rode into camp.
We soon headed out worried about the whereabouts of the rest of the Posse. It was getting late in the day so we went looking for a camp site. Up in the head of Hay Canyon the perfect place was found, a cliff protecting one side, a thick stand of pine and good grass and running water for the horses. We enjoyed the evening around a fire eating something we mixed up in a can and made coffee in the pot we stole from the Posse. The night was spent restfully, the horses tied near by tired and quiet.

Wednesday, September 18, 2002

The next morning we headed across T Bar valley up onto T Bar ridge where the guys looked and eventually found a bag of loot hidden in a hole in a rock. From there we headed back down and across T Bar valley gain to dead Horse corral. Spending most of the day they finally found another bag of loot slung in a tree. We pulled out and headed North finding out later that the posse was just minutes behind us. We traveled the thick country back toward our supply camp getting in late in about sunset. As we gathered some supplies Tim pointed out the sky. It looked bad and was getting worse. We opted to take a chance and stay the night in camp under shelter. It was a good choice. The rain came hard along with some hail, lighting flashed and thunder roared as we knew no posse would be out riding. We later found out they had indeed been in it on the way back to their camp they got hit pretty hard. They too did as we and spent the night in shelter with no guard posted. It was not a night for raiding.

Thursday, September 19, 2002

Thursday morning we headed to the posse camp and try to shake things up a bit. Our approach was good and we eased in quiet. We waited a bit hearing just voices but got the gist that several were heading out. Wanting better odds we stayed put. Finally we moved and as we were right on their camp Frank spotted us. There were four in camp the rest being out on different missions. A hot fun gun battle took place. Tim got hit about the time we were getting low on ammo. Finally exhausting it we withdrew. Frank followed us out and asked if we wanted a truce for a little gun battling just for fun. Heck yea we were up for it. The rest of the day was spent shooting paint around at their camp area which is perfect for it. Lots of cliffs and rocks and trees. When it was all over we had shot over 2,000 rounds of paint. Way lots of fun. Well we worked up an appetite and we asked to stay for dinner. It was served up about 9:30pm and then it was hard to think of waking our horses, saddling up and ridding off into the cold. It was cold that night, 26. So we stayed in their camp. Of course couldn't leave in the morning without breakfast. finally as we rode out of camp the game was resumed. Not your usual Posse/Outlaw behavior.
We headed up onto a ridge and thought things over. We had gathered info telling us the rest of the posse was with Lyndsey about 10 miles away near Pine Canyon. She had to come back this way some times. there were several scenarios she could do and we talked them all over. We settled for hanging on the ridge watching across the valley about three miles to T Bar ridge that she had to cross, we could also see if Frank and the rest of the Posse headed out. After a couple hours I was 90% sure I saw horses on the slope. We gathered and talked it over. Tim had a plan to circle the camp see who was there and wait for her there. I said we should try to get her out there before she got to camp. Tom voted with me. Bad Vote!
We headed out to where the only place in the valley we had the slightest chance of surprising her. The cover was scant and position exposed but I thought it might work. They took spots and I led the horses up Hidden Canyon out of sight. On the way I thought I saw something in the tree line on the ridge a mile away where we had come from. But I was in a hurry to get the horses put up and get back. I had seen something - Frank, who had seen us. I set the horses in the canyon bottom on water and grass and headed down the trail to the ambush site.
Halfway I heard shouts and gunfire, lasting way too short a time. Then I see Frank coming up the trail. I had a good spot in the rocks and he would walk right by and I knew he would be a dead man with no chance. But oh no, I have to do the honorable, stupid thing and stand up on the rock and let him suddenly look up at the wrong end of my gun. The look on his face was worth it. My first shot hits him in the arm, he puts those long mountain legs in gear and take to the rocks. he flanks me and comes in from above before I could get to the high ground. We fire 20 or 30 rounds before he drills me between the eyes.
Looking back we should have gone with Tim's plan, it was the worst defeat I have suffered in Posse history. Because it was just a BAD plan. I was humiliated

Sep 22-Sep 28,2002:Fall Works
Sunday, September 22, 2002

A good sized crew, ten folks. We have Bill and Jackie here for a fifth time. They are formerly from New Jersey, now New Mexicans. Then we have Virginia and Micheal from France, Nancy and Nancy from N.C. All these folks met at a ranch in Az. last year. Bill and Vic from In. and Joe and Tommy from S.C. Fill out the bunch.

Monday, September 23, 2002

Monday was a good long shake down day. Our orphan calves had disappeared over the weekend so they hunted them up first. They were found enjoying a hidden meadow a mile from the house. The rest of the day was spent poking around and a visit to the Indian ruins. The weather just couldn't be better. We have had four frosts in the last 6 nights but the days are just perfect. High in the mid 60's, no wind, and clear blue skies. The sharpness is off the green grass now since the frost but the yellow flowers are in their glory. The aspen trees up on the peaks are glowing gold and the bushes and brush in the canyons are flaming red.

Tuesday, September 24, 2002

We rode the east side of 7HL pasture looking for the last of the unbrandeds. Last week during Posse I saw seven just within a couple miles of camp. We rode in two groups and looked at a lot of cattle and rode a lot of mile finding just one pair. It was sure a long day but with the weather and country so perfect there was not a soul complaining.

Wednesday, September 25, 2002

Joe, Tommy, Vic and Bill all rode with Alan in Bearwallow pasture hunting up a few head Alan had seen on his way home the day before. They got home about 5pm with tales of great country and awesome horses and a few head of cattle to show for their efforts. They rode all over Bearwallow mountain and Corner mountain in the black timber and aspen.
Lyndsey and I trailered out to Canyon Creek with everyone else along with Joy and Anna. We got to Little Loco tank and unloaded there having spotted several bunches of cattle. Spreading out we found they were mostly Rockin' Arrow cattle which we pushed west towards Loco pasture. I was riding Vaquero today for the first in a year. Lyndsey has been riding him and did a great job with him. He is a really nice roan horse about 15.3 hands and has all kinds of shape. Good in the rocks, easy on the trot and just a real nice willing attitude.
I rode him off alone a lot, picking up little bunches of cattle here and there then moving them to the other riders to take to Loco pasture gate. We worked around the south side of the pasture all day moving stupid Rockin' Arrow cattle. I'll say they do look better but they are all still an unruly and ill tempered lot of cows.
Back and forth we went getting over 70 head moved before the day was done. We'll go back tomorrow and do the other half of the pasture.

Thursday, September 26, 2002

Everyone but Bill and Jackie rode with Alan in the Negrito and Bearwallow area looking for strays. They rode a lot of miles in the timber finding three head for the days work. On the way home several of the riders got into ground bees that the cattle ahead of them had really pissed off. Things got a bit western as horses bucked their way out. All the riders kept their seats and got the horses wiped off and settled. Bees are a common problem this time of year.
Bill, Jackie, Anna and Lyndsey trailered out to canyon Creek with me. Lyndsey, Bill and Jackie rode S.S. Basin getting up a half dozen head of ours and moving them into Pitchfork pasture. Anna rode the fence west and I rode the fence East fixing a couple holes and closing gates hunters left open. I got way up on Canyon Creek mountain and heard two bull elk bugling at each other a mile north in a wooded canyon. I rode over and sat and listened for a few minutes then one walked out on the ridge across the canyon from where I sat. He was a huge 6x6 with antlers over 4 feet tall, just magnificent. The weather has been perfect fall with cold mornings and warm days with a few puffy clouds drifting by.

Friday, September 27, 2002

Everyone trailered out to Canyon Creek today. We swept the pasture spread out in a line about a mile across, through the trees, across the draws, up the slopes, we cleaned it up. It was a wonderful thing to see the sweep hold together for miles. We found a lot of Rockin' Arrow cattle that scattered like deer ahead of us. One old cowbitch came out from under a cedar tree at me on the fight, Dakota jumped and faced her down but she was meaner than we were and we left her alone.
We came up with a half dozen the guys moved all the way to the Incognito Gate into Pitchfork. The rest of us headed home a bit early getting in about 4pm.
The weather couldn't get any better. The frost has given us a break for most of the week, a couple nights were downright warm in the upper 40's.
Frank and John have been at the farm cutting and baling the big field. They got 720 bales of top grade grass/alfalfa mix.
The coming weeks will continue to be busy as the fall works really get underway. We have a lot of cattle to locate and a lot of sorting to do. This year will be learn as we go since we are keeping most of the cattle up here. We hope to get all the dry cows sorted and sold, the early calving cows down on the farm, the heifers and late calving cows stay up here and the weanling heifers down to the lower H.Q. and all the steers sold by mid November. The long range forecast is for a heavy snow year, the huge numbers of wooly caterpillars seem to back that up. The heavy snow doesn't worry me, we have plenty of hay. It's the extreme cold temperatures freezing the ponds solid to the bottom. Right now there is water running in all the streams, if we keep that up supplied by a constant freeze and thaw then we'll be ok.

This may be the stupidest thing I have ever done. It should make for some interesting reading over the winter

Sep 29-Oct 5,2002:Fall Works
Sunday, September 29, 2002

Just the right sized group this week, seven folks. Dean from Va. is here for his 5th time, Alan came along with him for a 2nd visit. Laurel from Az. is here for her 1st upper ranch stay, she was with us on the lower range this past spring. Then we have Scott from N.Y. and three gals from Mi. Jennifer, Peggy and Lisa.

Monday, September 30, 2002

Shake down day with Anna and Lyndsey, They rode out hunting up some horses first off then worked some cattle that were in our way in the North trap. We plan on brining dry cows in to cull out the old ones. They were out till about 4pm., then came in and branded a couple calves before calling it a day.
Frank and I worked the fence in Bearwallow. I worked on it Saturday all day and got a couple hundred yards. The stupidity of it just really gets to me. It's so damn steep you can't put your chain saw down on the ground or it will roll down the mountain. I cut 144 trees off the fence and could look back at the end of the day and see where I had started. There is no cow sign anywhere up there, it's been years since a cow saw that fence. After the snow fall that will come in a couple weeks it will all be a huge waste of time. More trees will fall right back over it and we will be working on it in June anyway before we put cattle in that pasture. Our gov't at work. Common sense leaves off where government begins.

Tuesday, October 1, 2002

We rode over on Don and Jeannie's range helping them gather. We rode in a couple groups most of the morning and all met at 7HL tank about noon. It was a sight, the tank is full and sparkling, green grass, cliffs rising from the waters edge, and 250 head of mother cows all with calves and a few bulls thrown in. So there were over 500 animals being held on the water. I gave the word and we started the whole herd up 7HL canyon. They are a pretty good bunch of cows to move and we traveled right on. The rock formations are awesome in the canyon which gets narrower as you go up. The Aspen were all aglow with gold and the air was crisp with fall. It was a great day to be cowboying. We were so strung out and the canyon so narrow it was hard to get directions passed around but all in all it went really well. We got them to the trap on Elk mountain about 4pm and counted them through the gate. then it was a long two and a half hour ride home after a long day of herding. But everyone had a great time and we sat down to Kathleen's good grub knowing it was one of those days we will all remember.

Wednesday, October 2, 2002

BRRRRRRRRR!!!!!! Down to 17 last night!
Frank took a group of long riders back over to Don and Jeannie's place to rework the pasture we gathered yesterday. They rode and rode and rode and found no cows till the very end of the day they came up with 2 pair that walked up to the trap gate. Oh well that's cowboyin', finding out where they aren't.
Lyndsey went out into our 7HL pasture to start hunting up some dry cows and unbranded pairs. They found a dozen dry and half that unbranded and put them all into the North Trap. They lost a couple animals but that's the way it goes. If you have a bunch and a couple are trotty you just stay with what's working and figure on the the rest another day.
Anna stayed home and worked the young horses, she's doing well with them. She thinks Buttercup should be ready to go out for a day by next week. It's great to see the kids start work, kinda like children off to first day of school.
I worked on the damn fence again today. Didn't start out well right from the start. I hiked about a mile carrying chainsaw and fuel and wire and stretchers, quite a load on a 70 degree slope. Got to the fence and huffing and puffing dropped the load on the ground and turned to face the fence catching my breath. A moment later the ground erupted as a swarm of bees I had woken up came out in a cloud. I ran up the slope with most of them right behind me. My grandpa taught me long ago that if you are bothered by any insect swarm to put your arms over your head. This I did and though I looked pretty goofy running and waving my arms over my head I only got stung on my wrists where my gloves didn't meet my shirt sleeve. I finally out ran them and fell to the ground and thought I was going to die right there on the spot. Heart pounding, sucking wind, the adrenaline rush and the venom sent me off in another world for awhile. Those bees were hot, spicy, New Mexicans and they sure packed a wallop. My head rang and sweat poured for awhile but finally I was able to get up. I crept down to the spot of attack and saw my tools and all where in the middle of the nest. A long limb wasn't hard to find in that tangle of trees so I eased my tools out and only got stung one more time. Needless to saw I skipped about 50 yards along there. If the Forest service inspector wonders why I'm sure he will soon find out.
Things didn't get a whole lot better as the day went along. One wire I had just stretched broke, wrapping itself around me, tearing cloth and flesh. I just love barbed wire. It's said to be the cowman's best friend and the horseman's worst enemy. I don't much care for it. The only good thing of the day was walking out, exhausted, chainsaw over my shoulder, arms aching from the sting swollen so I had to pull my sleeves up....I came face to face with a huge bull Elk that was coming the other direction on the well worn elk trail I follow In. We both were as surprised as the other and stopped and stared a moment before he bolted with the 5 cows that had been single file behind him.

Thursday, October 3, 2002

Everyone went dry cow hunting with Frank Lyndsey, and John, who came up yesterday. They had a good day riding all over 7HL on a perfect fall day. All in all they got in about 20 dry cows along with various other critters they came across. Some steers, some heifers, a couple unbranded pairs. They put it all in the North Trap, we'll work it in the morning.
It was not near so cold as last night, not cold enough any night to keep the pranks from going on. Seems our resident bear dummy has been in just about every cabin as well as the shower house and Where do bears shit? In the outhouse. We also have an Osama Bin Laden effigy that has been in beds as well as hung in the outhouse.
There's been some pretty hot poker games this week. A few have left some folks a bit bleary eyed in the morning.

Friday, October 4, 2002

Everyone gathered the north trap bringing in all kinds of stuff that had been collecting there over the week. Anna and I spent the morning with Buttercup in the arena. She has a balking problem, which I think will be overcome next week when we take her out in the big country with the working horses. I think she's just bored with the arena and walk, trot and whoa.
We all took a lunch break here at H.Q. which is always nice.....cold drinks and a toilet seat. Then we looked over the dry cows and cut nine out to sell and turned the rest back out into the south trap. Then we had 7 calves to brand. The Michigan gals all went riding with Anna over to the Indian ruins and then over the airstrip where they found pair of ours that they fought and drove all the way home. It wasn't till after 6pm they came down the drive with a good find on the pair.
Us fellas stayed home and branded and what a branding it was. Scott was enthusiastic to say the least, tho he at time had a hard time keeping on his feet. Frank at one point was astride a big 500 pounder's neck and looking the wrong way. Just a good thing he has long legs or it would have been a heck of a ride. Dean.....well he set to ear marking after getting instructions. We all have a job and set to it. Well, there's a difference between right and left and this it seems was a problem for Dean which Frank noticed on several calves later. We'll remember him every time we see our heifers that have BIG ear marks on both ears.
After branding the guys headed to town with Maggie who was going to run some errands. The guys too had an errand to run, right to Uncle Bill's Bar. They wasted no time dominating the pool table and the barkeeps time drawing another one. They bought out most of the cooler and brought it home with them. Thank goodness Maggie was the designated driver or we would still be looking for them.
The past couple nights the cold kept us inside away from the campfire but since it was the last night we built it up big and watched Scott as he branded his boots, and gloves and listened to more of Dean's stories and Jennifer's laugh.
This is one bunch we hope to see shadow our barn door again.


Saturday, October 5, 2002

I worked on the damn fence again. I took Anna and Trudy with me after we cleaned cabins. I showed the girls how to splice wire while I continued to cut trees ahead of them. After a few hours I headed back and found them doing well making pretty good time. We took a break and the I asked Trudy to go back to where we had left some supplies and bring them forward. She was nervous traveling through that dark timber alone. It is kinda spooky and dark even at noon. But off she went saying she'd be back if a bear didn't eat her. On the way in I had pointed out the claw marks of a bear on a log along the trail, stating that they were new since two days, thinking to myself the bear was just ahead a few hours. Anna told me at that point that Trudy had been worried ever since. Anna and I started back to work and a few minutes later I look up to see Trudy running back towards us, red in the face, jumping logs and branches as she came. I hollered to Anna who ran to her. I knew she had gotten into bees. She collapsed at Anna's feet trying to breath. As I got there she stammered B B B Be Bear!!!! We had walked up within 20 feet of what she said was a very big bear who turned and looked at her and sent her scurrying. We enjoyed a good laugh over it, glad it wasn't bees but she assured us she was NOT going anywhere by herself out there. If I wanted the supplies I could bloody well go get them myself. Which I did and found where the bear had taken off running as well, up the other side of the canyon and I'm sure just as scared as Trudy was.