March 19, 2006: No Guests

3/19/06

The last two weeks have seen a wonderful change in our weather. Last week we had a heavy wet snow totaling about 14 inches. The night after it was down to –5 degrees and set the snow up for a nice slow melt. Though the sun is now once again strong it took a week for the snow to melt off the open country allowing it to ease into the soil for some spring growth. The snow is still deep in the trees and on the mountain, it won’t melt from the shadows till the temperatures really warm up. They have been holding in the upper 30’s and low 40’s during the day.

Today we had a day of snow and sun off and on all day amounting to about three inches. Most of it melted as soon as a break in the clouds showed some sun.

I remember leaning on the corral fence out at Canyon Creek back in October telling someone I hoped for a dry winter and a wet spring. The early season moisture doesn’t really do us much good. Just makes life harder. It’s the late season moisture that really sets us up for the year. It looks like it is all coming together.

For the last couple weeks I have set myself up on a routine. One day a week I work on equipment. Four days a week I ride and two days a week I repair things around the H.Q. here.

I have ridden Gambler almost every day I’m out. I did ride Porque a couple times and he keeps getting a little better. He has a real nice lope and is really interested in working cattle but I haven’t had much work to do that involves moving any. Most of my time is just riding around looking at things and being out there for the wolves to see.

I have gotten him behind a few that were headed to water and he is all ears. One day a couple cows were in the Fence tank corral when we got there and I cut one along the fence a couple times just for fun. He was all over them, very light and fast. I look forward to getting him in the pens for spring branding.

I’m still spending a couple hours a day breaking ice, the nights are usually about 15 degrees.

We are now feeding 32 cows with little calves here at the house along with a dozen or so older cows that need a little something extra for a few more weeks. We are feeding 22 bales of hay a day so I have to get hay every nine days. I sure am getting tired of loading and unloading hay.

I have run out of the liquid feed I put in the feeders around the pastures. I usually have a little left over at the end of each winter but with the increase in our cattle numbers it didn’t last as long. I haven’t finished paying off the bill from the semi load I got in November so they won’t bring me any more. It costs about six grand a load. But the cattle have had a pretty easy winter and all look good so I’m not too worried about them going without the supplemental feed. We usually stop feeding it at the end of April.

As I ride around looking at cows it appears we will have a great calf crop this year so long as they survive the wolves. The cows are all waddling around fat as can be. Calving time is almost here so I brought Nate back. He arrived today and is headed out to stay at Fence tank corrals and will ride every day from there really watching the east side of the pasture. I will ride from here watching the west side. He brought out his dads camp trailer so he will have warm place to call home.

This is the time of year that the yearling male wolf pups split off from their packs. The two packs that bother me have split so we now have a new pack forming that seem to be hanging on the northern side of our range. Just what we need, a bunch of teenage wolf kids running together.

Last Wednesday while breaking the ice in the north trap for the horses I noticed that a mare Lyndsey had left here had some blood on her butt and a big bag. She wasn’t supposed to be bred but was turned out with some yearling colts last winter. I watched her a few minutes then saw a Fish and Wildlife truck drive by on the main road. I watched where they went and realized they were headed towards a draw a half mile away. I went down there and found my least favorite wolf person there standing over a dead foal. He had been there about ten minutes before I got there and I right away smelled a cover up. His tracks were all over the place and I suspected that he was stepping on wolf tracks. He said it appeared the foal was still born. I didn’t say much to him, just looked things over. The foal had it’s ribs eaten and guts were gone. I said it looked like a wolf kill to me. He said that the only track were a coyote. He thinks I’m really stupid. No coyote could eat a hole that big that fast.

I could tell that the foal was not still born, it had worn off the slippers from it’s hooves so it was clear it had been up and moving around. Also it was in a bunch of rocks in a little draw, no place a mare would give birth. There was some messy snow around and no sign of the mare having laid down. There were plenty of her hoof prints though. The ground was all covered with horse tracks and his tracks and the snow and mud torn up. After about twenty minutes I found one small wolf track. I didn’t point it out to the wolf guy, I just took a picture of it and he watched with a sour look on his face. I loaded up the foal on the four- wheeler and took it home. There I called the investigator and told him to come out. He arrived after dark having to come from Arizona. He confirmed it was killed by a yearling wolf.

The next day I was out in Ewe canyon checking cattle and saw two wolves on a ridge. I went over and as I got closer I saw ravens all around. The wolves moved off but not far. There was no snow so tracks weren’t present. About that time here came a cow with a big swollen bag bawling for her newborn calf. I went and sat under a tree and watched the ravens as they came back to the ground and were pecking around. The cow was walking around and it was clear I was at the scene of a murder. A few minuets later I went to the area and walked circles all around. All I found was a damp spot and a half inch tip of one tiny hoof. Once again no body no crime.

Cassady arrived on the 10 th for his spring break, we have two weeks together. He has been a big help. He’s big enough now to drive the four wheeler hauling hay at chore time, his favorite job. He has also taken over giving old Belle her daily medication which is administered orally from a syringe. Belle is 28 years old now and has loved Cassady from day one. She a pain in the ass taking her medication from us raising her head and such but with Cass she lowers her head and opens her mouth.

We have been putting some siding on our house and he has mastered the drill, screwing boards up as I hold them level. Having an extra set of hands, even small ones really helps out.

Maggie splits the chores with me, we have animals to feed scattered all over the place. Between feeding, haying, hauling water and breaking ice chores take up over four hours a day. It’s a good thing the days are getting longer.

Someone e mailed the other day asking how the new dogs were doing. They are great. Townes the German Shepard is just an amazing dog. So damn smart and she is so devoted to Maggie it is almost a neurosis. she can’t stand to have her out of her sight.

Tac the Rottwieler is growing on me. She is so sweet and is starting to gain self confidence in herself. But what a lazy home body she is! She never leaves the house and barn area.  

A few folks asked to see a picture of my truck, so here it is.

Some of you also asked to see pictures of Maggie's new muscle truck...

That’s about all the news from the ranch.

Happy Spring!