April 30 - May 6, 2006: Spring Gather and Branding

5/1/06 Monday

Our first crew of the year is half veterans and half new. We have Brian still here and Mike from Il. who is here for his second visit, he brought along his friend Dave this time. Rounding out the crew is Darleen from Il. She is traveling on her own.

Today I trailered the crew and Nate to Snow Lake to get in the couple cows that have been there for months. It was just kinda a break in to get use to their horses. We are doing a horse drive in the morning and I didn’t want them doing it on new horses. I spent the day packing camp stuff and taking a load out to camp. The day was nice, high was 60, sunfactor was 75 and a bit windy. Everyone got long fine with their horses and got home about 5pm.

5/2/06 Tuesday

We were out in good time gathering up all the worker horses as we left the H.Q.

I rode point and things went well till we got out the T gates and then Creek decided he didn’t want to leave home and cut back towards the silver gate. We all tried to turn them, things got western and Nate got thrown off but did a Ty Murry landing on his feet.

It took some work but we finally got them lined out. Blue then took point and half of us went with the horses while the others moved cattle from that area getting them away from a dead cow we found there.

As we came past Elladeane tank the horses tried cutting back up Feathery Valley, Blue and I ran hard to turn them back. Blue who was riding Preacher came flying by Gambler and I at a dead run sitting side saddle and no reins in his hands. He some how got back facing forward and leaned up and caught his reins. Anyone else and they would have been on the ground. It was just athletic talent that kept him on the horse, now I’m not saying he’s a great rider, just has good balance. We got the horses up and over T Bar saddle and on out into the valley. From there they took off and ran hard the three miles into camp. It was an exciting day.

The cow movers got in several hours later having pushed 50 head to Elladeane and left them there.

The weather was great high of 65 and not too much wind.

5/3/06 Wednesday

We got gathering in the valley getting in cattle to brand and move them into Pitchfork pasture. It was easy pickings. We got about 50 head and 15 calves in by noon, let them settle then started branding.

We are doing things a lot different this year in lots of ways. We had Brian and Mike go in the pens and sort calves from cows for the first set and then Darleen and Dave teamed up to do the second set. They all did well and had fun getting right in there and doing some real ranch sorting.

Then it was time to work the calves. First we let Darleen rope off Shane for an hour or so while we got things set to brand. We have a new gas heater for the irons so the windy days don’t shut us down. Nates dad made it for us.

We are also doing the branding different. Instead of roping and tying a half dozen or so we are roping and throwing them one at a time, two people stretch the calf out no tying them up. While they are being held we brand, tag and castrate them, then turn them loose to go back to momma. Lots less stress on the calves. Late in the day the guys got a try and did some roping.

It was shaky working out the kinks of the new branding but by the end of the day it was going along well. When we were done Nate took everyone out to hunt up the working horses we turned out in Pitchfork. I had expected to see them come into camp at some time during the day. They rode all over and late in the day found a gate above Steve tank open and horses tracks going thru. The horses had gone home.

I stayed back at camp and got dinner ready, they didn’t come in till just about dark. It was a long day.

The high was 68 after a low of about 28, pretty chilly out in those tents. The day was nice in the morning with a hard wind cranking up in the afternoon. But it dies down just about sunset so we can have a fire at night and in the morning.

5/3/06 Thursday

Blue, Nate and Brian left camp before 6am and drove to the T gates. I was hoping the horses had gone there and they could get them back for us. Mike cooked a tasty breakfast of bacon and eggs then we all started saddling. We were just about done when I heard a rumbling sound. I kinda put it off for a minute before it dawned on me I was hearing running horses. I looked down the valley and saw a huge dust cloud and twenty horses at a dead run. I hollered to everyone to untie and hold their horses and only just had time to do it before we were over run with hot, sweaty, blowing horses, and Blues horse with no one in the saddle. I got a hold of Blue on the radio and he said he was ok just came off when his horse jumped a creek. Everyone grabbed halters and we got everything penned up and I went and got Blue in the truck before he had to walk the two miles into camp.

Seems the horses were right at the gate as planned, they caught and saddled their picks and started the horses moving back. They did the same as the day before, trying to cut back all the time and it was almost as western as it was on Tuesday. But they got it done and made good time so we were out gathering at 9am. By 1pm we had gathered another bunch of cattle and had them in the corrals. After letting them settle and making a hot lunch we were just about ready to start work when we saw a cow having a calf right there in the corral. We didn’t want to get the cattle moving around so we waited about an hour while we watched the calf get up and nurse. Once it was steady on it’s feet we got to sorting and branding. Everyone got a chance to try it all. Brian roped off horseback with Darleen while Mike and Dave worked them on foot. We branded till an hour or so before dark when we finally got done and pushed the cattle out. Mike and Dave have become an awesome ground crew. Brain is figuring out his horseback roping and Darleen is getting a handle on this ranch roping stuff, dealing with small corrals, wind, dust and jumpy calves.

The day was pretty windy, hi was about 65 with a sunfactor of near 80.

Friday

We were out in pretty good time gathering some more victims. We again just worked the valley and came up with enough to keep us busy till late afternoon when it was time to head to the H.Q.

The wind was really blowing by afternoon and it wasn’t that fun in the corrals. But we got another bunch done. By the end of it all we had a great system and were getting the calves done in just a couple minutes. Late in the day we loaded up our gear and headed back for a hot shower.

It was a great crew to start the year off with. Everyone was helpful and willing to go with the flow. I want to extend a special thanks to Brian for his help the week before we opened, he’s a good hand. They are all welcome back in our camp anytime.