May 9 – 15: Spring Ranch Week

Sunday, May 9, 2004

A new crew in for the week. Alan from Leeds, England is here for his fifth or sixth time. ogor more time, he brought along his friend Mary Ann. First timers are Greg from Co. Denise from Ca.

Monday, May 10, 2004

We rode the south trap gathering in some ’01, ’02, and ’03 heifers and cows which I sold. Part of the deal with the buyer was we would put a brand and ear tag on them for him. We rode through all the cattle there and picked out what we needed then moved them to the shipping pens where we ran them through the squeeze chute and got them worked. We did five’03 and four ’02 but didn’t find any ’01. It took all day to get that done.

When I got home I had a message from the wolf project folks asking me to call right away. I reached the manager at home and he told me that the wolf in Quaking Aspen canyon had denned up and was expecting pups any moment. He told me it wouldn’t be a good idea to put my cattle there in Negrito pasture.

It’s my best spring pasture, the cattle know how to use it and I don’t have another pasture that hasn’t been used since the last growing season. It wouldn’t do my cattle or the range any good to change pasture rotation.

I told him all these reasons but in the end he asked if I would do them a favor and not use the pasture. He told me Defenders of the Wildlife would give me money to offset the cost of changing pastures. Yeah right.

The day was just about perfect, hi of 70 after a low of 34.

Tuesday, May 11, 2004

We rode out into 7HL getting in some more we had missed there. We rode the feathery Valley and Ewe canyon areas finding about thirty head. We moved them to T Bar tank then on down the canyon and through the gate into Loco Pasture.

The day was windy as could be, steady 20 mph blow with gusts much higher. We were down in the canyon thinking we had found a refuge from it, when a 50 mph+ gust came screaming up the canyon. Many of the horses got squirmy, Chappalito the worst causing Denise to make a quick dismount.

Once through the gate we let the cattle drift and split into two groups headed home. Lyndsey took most everyone on a long trip around through the Snow Lake trap and then up the Quaking Aspen ridge trail. I cut across back into 7HL and checked a couple gates on my way home.

John took Annie out into the big country; she wasn’t great but was better than last week when we had her out. We started analyzing the way she was moving and john came up with the thought that the bars on his saddle were too long for her short back so we will try a saddle change the next time she goes out and see if that’s the deal with her.

We had a foal born last night, Babe had a solid sorrel colt with a flaxen mane and tail.

Other than the wind it was a pretty nice day, warm and sunny high about 69 low was 36.

Wednesday, May 12, 2004

We trailered out to Cowcamp and let all the riders out there to ride to Fence tank. Lyndsey and I took the trucks with our horses and all the branding gear and met them at the tank.

I took my group which included Alan, Greg, Maro and Brian all the way out into Pitchfork pasture to Incognito where we started gathering some cattle we found there.

Lyndsey and John along with Maryann, Denise and Don went around the White tank area kicking a few head out in front of us. By the time we got to Doubtful tank we had about 50 head and were moving plenty slow with lots of little calves. An hour later when we got to Pit tank it was after 5pm and the wind was still blowing hard so we couldn’t have a branding fire. We left the cattle at Pit hoping they would hold in that area till we got back tomorrow.

We left all our horses at the Fence tank corral along with Brain and Maro there to feed and keep watch over them for the night, it will be real cowboy camping in the dust along the corral.

It was a long day and I sure felt it when we got home. Hi 70, windy, lo 31

Thursday May 13, 2004

We got a pretty early start for the N-. We were in the saddle and hunting cattle just after 9am. Of course all the cattle we had left at Pit tank had spread off so we spent most of the morning getting them gathered up again and moved to Fence tank. The weather was working with us, a few gusts of wind but it was safe enough for a branding fire. I had Dakota in the pens sorting and was really pleased with the way he worked and the effort he gave me.

We had 16 calves that were big enough to brand and also had found 6 ’03 sale heifers to work. We did the calves first and everyone did a great job of catching onto the branding routine. It took just an hour or so to catch and work the calves. Then the fun started. We had to rope, throw and brand the big heifers. They ran 650 pounds and were full of themselves. When a roper caught both heels everyone piled on to bring them down. It was sure enough a sight to see. The heifers got a bit wound up with all the ropes flying and one took off to the gate Denise was watching. That heifer was full speed ahead when she hit the gate bending the heck out of it. She slammed into it about two feet from Denise, who was frozen stiff with fear. I sure don’t like to think of what would have happened had she been the impact point. The branding pen is a dangerous place.

Several hours later all the heifers were branded and had new earrings and we had a tired dirty crew headed home. Despite it all just about everyone chose the long ten mile ride home over the trailer ride, good crew. I took the trailer of course!

Hi 70 lo 32 sunny with just a hint of wind.

Friday May 14, 2004

I arrived at the corrals for chores and found a tired, wore out trio of wranglers. Kinda makes ya wonder about things when the old timer is still riding circles around the young pups.

I really needed to find the bulls that are in Negrito pasture and get them moved to Snow Lake. We headed out for the hunt. At the last minute John decided he could make it a couple hours so he rode with Nina and Mary Ann looking a short loop.

I took everyone else and set up a sweep of the lower meadows in the pasture. Maggie had seen the bulls there a few days ago when she was joy riding around. A couple hours later we were empty handed and decided to do a loop through Quaking Aspen canyon, John headed home.

We were about two miles away from Little Fence Spring when John radioed he’d found the bulls. We sent him on home with them and continued on our trek. It was a long ride, up the bottom of the canyon for a couple miles then bush whacked our way up the side through the dark timber topping out on the south side. From there were five miles riding through thick pine rimming along the canyon to find a way back across. After a couple hours I heard murmurings that I was lost. Those folks had no faith. I found the trail I was looking for and finally got to the other side. From there the horses picked up their Friday go home gear and we made the last six miles in good time. It was a long day, we covered about 25 miles getting home about 6pm.

As I rode through the country out there my eyes were filled with the great grass and water. It has all of last year’s growth as well as this spring’s fresh grass. Water was everywhere, all the creeks flowing. My cattle should be in here I kept thinking to myself. Why should I disrupt the lives of three hundred cattle, and cause over use of my range just for one damn wolf and her cur pups. The answer I came up with is I shouldn’t, I will start putting cattle in there next week.

Another 70 degree day after a low of a chilly 21. The wind was blowing but we didn’t get bothered by it being in the trees.