Saturday, January 4, 2003
Been doing the same for the first couple days of the New Year as the old year
ended. Feeding, chopping ice, feeding some more.
The days have been great, sunny like they should be. I rode a big loop through
7HL and saw most all the cattle that are doing all right. The best thing I
found was Flowing water out in the valley. That changes everything. It means
three less tanks we have to chop. I just hope that it stays sunny. The days
have been warmer getting over 4o and almost no wind.
The bad news is John called and said that the cattle have already used up most
of the grass at the farm. That’s a kick in the butt. I figured they would
go till the end of the month before we would have to start feeding hay there.
Lyndsey called and is taking the winter off. Hummmmm….hope she decides
to come back. I think there must be a gentleman feller up there in Sante Fe. Hi
42 lo 19
Wednesday, January 8, 2003
A sweet January thaw is going on. The last couple days have been in the upper
40’s but most important the nights only about 30. Today I woke to the
sound of rain on the roof. I have never seen it rain in January. It can snow
a bunch but never rains. 70% of the open country is free of snow and lots
of water and puddles. We moved the heifers out to 7HL a couple days ago;
they were getting too attached to that hay pile and were just standing around
all day and night. Not the way my cattle can act. They have to get out and
hustle and not become farm cows. So we took them out in the big country to
see how the big cows live. Time to grow up. I also got tired of the demands
of the orphan calves around here. I stood there and looked at Booger, Rope,
Gilbert, Emma jean, Molly, Daisy, and two others calves that just kinda moved
in at weaning time. They run over 300 pounds now and here we were still treating
them like babies. Hay and grain and here’s a BUCKET of water! I decided
it was time they joined the real world and put them on the 7HL bus too. Now
the only bovine around the house is Agnes, all 800 pounds of her. She’s
a pet and also serves as a roping dummy for Cassady and me. She just stands
there, we rope her and she just lifts her feet or drops her head to get the
rope off. Closes her eyes when she sees it coming.
I went to the farm yesterday. It’s not as bad as I feared. It is eaten
down pretty well but it’s not critical. There is a three-acre lot with
water we will pen them in at sunset and feed them hay and set some liquid feed
tanks. Then turn them out in the morning. The horses will have to feed as well
in a separate area. They can’t eat the liquid feed. So I need to get
somebody to handle that. I will call Anna and see if she will come back for
cheap. Pam, the gal who I lease the farm from is looking for a kid sitter for
4 hours a day and would supply housing so it might work out. She’s probably
gone and fallen in love back there in Va.
Cassady and I haven’t gotten in but one day of riding. Just too busy
feeding and checking water, takes the whole damn day. He rides around in the
truck and keeps me entertained. The kid can talk! Every night we drive out
to feed hay to the bunch his horse Creek is in. He gets out and hangs onto
Creeks leg, telling me how his horse is the greatest horse in the world and
why. We have been after him to sell his pony Shovel for a year now. No, he’s
not going to sell her because he wants to use her to carry lunches next year.
Well yesterday Pam asked if I had a ride for her son who is 4. I told her about
Shovel and said it was up to Cassady. I mentioned it to him last night when
I got home and got little response. Today we were pumping a load of water and
it was raining a bit so he stayed in the truck with the heater on. As the water
pumped I could see him staring off out the window and wondered what he was
thinking so serious about. When I got back in and settled in the seat he announced
he would sell Shovel. He said he was too busy in the summer to teach her to
pack and she’d been lazy too long. Besides ’That little kid needs
a good ride that won’t scare him” I was pretty proud of him.
Friday, January 10, 2003
Cassady and Maggie headed to Albq. This afternoon. They fly to New Hampshire
tomorrow, and then the next day Maggie flies to Michigan to visit her family.
They left at a good time. We ran out of water here at the headquarters. I
had seen that the pressure was getting low but with all else there is to
do I kinda blew it off checking it until another day. Today was the day.
I went to the spring box and it was dry. Now there is water running everywhere
with this thaw going on, I don’t understand how the spring could be
dry. I plugged the outlet and walked the line all the way back to the house.
That was a long walk in the mud and snow. There is no reason for there to
be no water. Checking that out took most of the day along with the usual
feeding. Hi 42 lo 29
Saturday, January 11, 2003
It got colder last night, which will slow the thaw
a bit. But that’s ok; it’s already really done a
heck of a job. The only place there is snow is on the north slopes
and in the shade. I went to the spring and checked it first thing
this morning. There was about and inch of water in it so I left
the outlet plugged. My plan is to let it build a head of water
then open the outlet and see where and how fast it goes out.
There must be a heck of a leak somewhere.
I grabbed Gambler and we headed out after chores to hunt up about 21 pairs
I haven’t seen in almost a month. They are north of the H.Q. some where
around the airstrip area I hope. Just after heading out it started to snow
a bit stayed that way for the next hour then the sun came out. I came across
an old cow with a big bag; she hadn’t seen her calf for a day or so.
I rode on and came across 12 pairs..all look ok, but it’s time to get
the calves off momma. The cows are getting dragged down a bit and I need a
paycheck. I started them down the canyon I had found them in, then after they
seemed to be drifting right I cut out to do a larger loop for the rest. A quarter
mile farther on I saw the tell tale sign of ravens and eagles in the trees
and rode up to find my missing calf. I swung down to read the story. It had
been killed the day before. I found the kill site under a tree about 30 yards
from the carcass. The drag sign was clear, as it had been rolled along. Now
this was no little calf, it ran about 325 pounds. What ever killed it and dragged
it was strong. I found no definite tracks. The tracks of what ever killed it
were covered over by the many coyote tracks trampling all over the area. My
guess is wolves. Probably caught the calf under the tree sleeping. It was big
enough that momma had gone off feeding somewhere and it was alone. Coyotes
would not take a calf that size unless it was already hurt or sick and there
was nothing to indicate that. A lion would have eaten more and buried the rest.
A bear would have left noticeable tracks. I went back and picked up the cattle
I had set adrift and pushed them three miles or so to the corrals and penned
them. I will feed them hay a week then take the calves to the sale a week from
Wednesday. Next job Gambler and I headed into the horse pasture to get out
a bull that had been in there a few days. He was kinda grumpy, that’s
why I waited till Cassady was gone. I only had to move him 1/2 mile but through
four gates. Gambler was awesome as usual. Taking a real easy way of it and
getting the bull moved with out getting him worked up. He did charge us once
but a good slap in the face with my reins made his nose sting a bit and he
rethought that idea.
Gambler was still up for more so we went and rode the south trap looking up
any heifers I may have missed the week before. The footing was terrible as
the day went along. It varied from dry, to icy, to muddy all with in a couple
strides. Gambo was in a mood though and he jogged and trotted around having
a great time and feeling good. He should feel good as much grain as I pour
into him; he’s not the easiest keeper. We found no cattle and pulled
into the barnyard just before dark. It took forever to clean that horse up.
He was covered with mud and sweat. He’s not a small fry and makes for
a lot of territory to cover with a curry. My cinches had an inch coating of
mud on ‘em; I’ll take care of that some other time. It was kinda
chilly all day hi about 38 lo 19.
Sunday, January 12, 2003
Feeding at first light, cold and brittle about 14. The sun doesn’t break
over the rim into the valley till about 8:15 these days so morning chores are
always really cold. I went to the spring after they were done and found the
box full of water so I pulled the plug to see where it goes. I went back to
the H.Q. and loaded up ladder and plumbing stuff and went to the storage tank.
I cut and rebuilt the spring line. It was an all morning job but one that’s
been needin' for years. The line was old and ran up the shady side of the tank.
I changed it to go up the sunny side and painted it black before I put it up.
We’ve had problems in the past with it freezing. I figured with the line
not running this was the time to do it. I hate climbing ladders and to get
to the top I have to have the extension ladder out as far as it goes. A couple
steps past all the yellow stickers showing the falling guy on it. The tank
is fiberglass and slick. Going up there scares the hell out of me. But it was
all worth it. Just as I was getting the last piece glued on here comes some
water! It was flowing like usual, about a gallon every two minutes. Now I really
have no idea what was going on with it before, but so long as it’s running
I don’t care.
In the morning I will do chores before light so I can get down to the farm
early. I am going to gather and cut out some steers to take to the sale. Then
try to get home in time to do evening chores before it gets too late. Another
nice day, sunny like they all have been for a while now, hi was about 42, lo
14.
Monday, January 13, 2003
I started chores in the starlight at 5:30am. It was cold, 14 again. I got done
at 6:30am, tossed my saddle in the truck and headed to the farm. The roads
are bad all the way down. The thaw just made them worse with the water flowing
to the shaded parts of the road and freezing thick and slick.
I saw Alan parked along the road chatting with someone. Didn’t stop myself,
I knew if I did that it would be three hours later before I got away. Saw John
in his drive with the hood up on his truck, I did stop. He was having power
steering pump problems. He had plans to go and weld a gate for a gal. I asked
him if he’d rather ride which of course he did. I headed to the farm
with the plan that he would come as soon as he got the fluid changed. As I
pulled into the farm I told myself that I would ride the first horse I saw.
It was Hondo. He’s a big buckskin gelding I bought last summer, I think
he’s in his late teens or twenties. I had only ridden him once, the day
I bought him. Over the summer I had watched and admired him, he’s pure
cowhorse. I waved a pad of hay at him and he came right over. Slipped a halter
on, fluffed up the hair on his back with my hand, eased my saddle on and swung
up about three minutes later. He was full of himself, parade stepping across
the fields. Smoooooth, ummmmmmm it felt gooood! Things just came together and
in about 15 minutes I had all the cast cattle gathered in the only sort of
trap we have there. It’s about five acres around one of the pounds. In
a corner we have a small, I mean small corral made of panels. John arrived
about then and baited the corral with hay. I pushed a bunch in and then cut
the cattle we didn’t need back out onto the fields. We were after 2001
and 2002 heifers that are going to some land Frank has along the river and
also a dozen or so 2002 steers that are headed to the sale. We could only work
a dozen or a few more at a time since the corral was so small and it didn’t
take long for them to get wise to the whole deal. After a couple batches John
had to catch Rocky and quick saddle him to help me push them down. We worked
through a bit over a hundred head and got everything done about 3pm. John will
spend the day tomorrow hauling them either to his corrals or to the piece of
land I am leasing from Frank and his brother. That depends on if Frank is done
working the fence. It was said to be a three-day job, been close to a week
now.
I went by John's and picked up one of my trailers I had left there a month
ago. He’s been cutting firewood and tossing it in there. He had 3 cords
neatly stacked, two cords are oak. It’s the only good burning wood out
here and damn hard to come by. I have never had two cords at once. We will
only use it at night. I was running late to get home to do chores at a reasonable
hour but still I decided to take the long way around through Horse Springs
rather than try making it up the icy mountain from Reserve. That wood really
had some weight to it. The drive went well till I was coming out of Collins
Park and headed up the North side of Elk mountain. The mud was thick and now
it was just a bit after dark it was starting to freeze. It had a strange consistency,
and damn hard to get thru. The truck was really laboring along, and I decided
I must have a flat on the trailer. There was no stopping tho. I knew I would
never get going again. As I neared the top ice patches became an added bonus.
Mushing thru the mud with the R.P.M.’s running a steady 2100, the turbo
whistling like a cowboy on his way to town, moving about 3 mph. Then ZING you're
on the ice, tires spinning and smoking, rpms shoot to 3800, and your going
2 mph. That lasts about 30 feet then back in the mud again. It was touch and
go as I looked forward to seeing the cattle gate that sits in the saddle of
the divide. Just then I was confronted with a flashing red light on my dash,
one I had never seen before. It took a moment to realize what it was. The guy
who rebuilt the transmission told me he put the light in and that it goes off
when the tranny is overheating. I hadn’t given it much thought at the
time. But now I realized just how stupid it was. It’s not a gauge telling
that you can watch the temperature and act accordingly. Just a damn red light
telling you that you have already reached the critical point. There was no
stopping so on up I went crawling and cussing to the top. I stopped there and
let the truck settle down, stepped out into cold crystalline goo that flowed
over my boots. Slogging around to the rear checking tires I found that I had
two flats on the trailer. No wonder it wasn’t pulling so well. It was
a mess, changing tires in that slop was the worst. I won’t go into all
the details other than to say I have changed hundreds of tires, in the broiling
sun, the snow, rain, traffic, you name it but this was the worst ever. I usually
change a tire at an easy pace in about 10 minuets. These two took over and
hour, everything that could go wrong did. I was covered with mud from head
to toe, it was cold, and it was really not any fun at all. I covered the inside
of my truck with the mud when I got in.
I finally got home about 7pm and got out of the truck and set to doing chores
just the same as I had in the morning, in the dark. There was a half moon that
was fine so long as you were in it. But go in the feed room or along the hay
shed and it was dark. In the movies the rider comes in after dark and somehow
his horse is mysteriously taken care of. They don’t show him stumbling
around in the dark, bumping into things and tripping over cats. I got done
with chores just before 9pm. I was beat, all I wanted was to take a hot shower,
clean up and go to bed. But there was no water. I will have to figure that
in the morning. So, clean up as best I could in what little snow is left and
undress on the porch leaving the clothes and the mud that was frozen to them
outside. The temp down at the farm was probably about 60, overnight lo here
was 17.
Tuesday, January 14, 2003
Today was spent working the woodpile. I unloaded the wood I brought up from
the trailer. That was a half day job right there. I like buying wood from John.
He’s about as bad backed as I am so there are no monster pieces in there.
Some of these guys I get wood from drop off these big rounds of woods that
I look at and wonder how the hell they got it in the truck. Several I have
had to move with the tractor. After lunch I split some and sorted the pile
here in the yard. I tell ya if you heat with wood and use as much as we do
there is no way around a huge pile of wood and in the yard. We use about 20
cords a year and it is a pain in the ass and one big mess. But get this it
was 51 degrees in the shade!! The sun factor was probably close to 70. Over
night was 18.
Wednesday, January 15, 2003
Another damn fine day in the land of enchantment. I slept in a bit this morning,
got up at 6am, it was 24.
Today was a water day, trying to figure out why we don’t have any and
how to get some. I went to the spring box; it was dry again so I capped it.
Walked the line and found a big messy puddle indicating a leak. It had been
there awhile, the elk have been watering there and tore it all up. I walked
the mile and a half line all the way to the house. That was the only obvious
problem I saw. I got shovel, bucket, coffee can, and rubber inner tube, got
another truck and drove back out. I spent the next three hours digging out
the hole, finally finding the line and a long split in the pipe. It was made
I’m sure by rocks shifting from the freeze and thaw. Now digging this
thing up isn’t just as easy as taking a shovel and starting at it. Shovel
works for about the first foot. Then it’s coffee can digging because
you are baling at the same time while on your stomach reaching in the hole.
It is one of my least favorite jobs to do and not the best time of year to
be up to your elbows in muddy water. To fix the split I just ranch rig it.
Wrap the pipe with inner tube then whipcord around that with bale twine. Hey
it works for a pipe that’s not under pressure.
I got home about noon, had a quick lunch. Cheese and salami rolled in half
a tortilla, the other half was moldy. Then I started working on a generator,
pulled the plugs and cleaned them, changed the fuel filter, and gave it a pull.
It started! Got the tractor jump-started, loaded the generator in the bucket
and took it to the pump. Unloaded it, wired it up, gave it a pull, didn’t
start. Son of a bitch!
Walked back down, got my tools, monkeyed with the carburetor and finally after
an hour it started, ran and is now pumping water. It was close to chore time
and I remembered I still had a truck out at the spring box. That mile and a
half was looking like a pretty long walk at that time of day; the first half
was steep up hill. I looked at Doc, at the hill, at Doc. I got my headstall,
put it on him and walked him to the fence where I could climb on. I’d
never ridden him bare back, it’s something I try to avoid. But he was
pretty comfortable. A bit jiggy at first then he settled down. He was glad
to get out and enjoyed the quick ride as much as I appreciated it. I got to
the truck, took the headstall off him and he stood there looking very bewildered.
I got in the truck and started driving away slowly hollering to him. He just
stood there watching me. He had no idea what was going on. I stopped and whistled
and hollered finally he bolted like a shot and came running. I got in the truck
and started along. He quickly caught up with me and loped along side all the
way home. Spoke to Frank this morning, he’s still working on the fence
at his place, messed up his shoulder so it’s taking longer that he planned.
John hauled a load of steers to the sale today. Maggie is enjoying her Michigan
visit but says it’s too cold and gray. Lyndsey called and said she will
be back by the 1 st.
It was sunny as usual; a bit windy for the first time in awhile hi was 42 lo was 24.
Thursday, January 16, 2003
I have always said that I live up here for the month of August. August makes
all the dry months, or the cold months worthwhile. But I think I will add
January to that as well. The last two Januarys have been just like this one.
Bright sunny days with little or no wind and relatively mild temperatures
make for days that just can’t be beat.
I was out early feeding in a mild morning. The temperature was 22. After
chores I caught Frio, who’s a bit of a pain in the ass about it. Spent
a lot of time saddling, he was a bit on edge. He’s always a bit nervous;
Anna rode him a lot last fall. She called him Freako. He is really skittish
about any movement you make while on him. Like going to your saddlebags or
scratching your ear, or blinking. She got him over a lot of it; you’d
look off in the distance and see Frio and Anna, him being easy to spot since
he’s white and gray. Anna would be flapping her arms like wings and they’d
look for sure like a Pegasus on the rise. I was kinda ready for what ever;
it had been a few weeks since I was on him. He stood well as I swung up and
stepped off ok. We were headed on a long loop through the east side of 7HL
and out to the Y in T Bar Valley. Frio rode out great, interested in being
out and where we were going. Got thru the T gate and swung up and all the sudden
the world was a-spinning! He started so fast I was going down in the well {the
inside of the spin where the G force sucks you}. I was almost parallel with
his side and he freaked over that and bucked out crow hopping away from the
side I was hanging on. An boy let me tell ya I was hanging on. Just as I was
saddling this morning I was thinking that now that we had no health insurance
this was surely when I’d have a wreck. I was determined I was not leaving
that horse. I was off on the left side, my usual loose saddle was starting
to come my way, I dug that right heel in for all I was worth. He started to
line out at a run down Ewe canyon. The faster he went I knew the sooner something
had to happen. I had the horn in my right hand and reached against gravity
with my left hand for his mane. Frio has probably the shortest mane on the
ranch except for the mules. For what seemed an eternity my fingers were within
an inch, any other horse I could have doubled a handful. With a final
effort I got my hand in it and grabbed and jerked myself back upright. I eased
him back and slowed him down. I hadn’t done that kinda stuff since I
was a kid doing it for fun. He settled down, I got off and reset the saddle,
swung back on and he crow hopped but I was ready and nothing came of it. We
rode on. The footing is getting better every day; in some places it was perfect
so I put him into a long trot for several miles. We were passing cattle all
along the way. I was counting and looking. They look really good considering
it’s January. Down the long hill past T Bar Tank there where over 20
antelope running across in front of us just a hundred yards out. Frio
got excited, he wanted to see if he could run with them so I let him. Off we
went, he lined out right behind last one. Antelope do a pretty neat thing.
When they are chased, one hangs back and draws the attention of the pursuer
and veers away from the main bunch. We followed that one and had a grand chase
for a mile or so over a couple hills and down a couple draws. Frio was perfect.
In my hand the whole time and under control. Going across the hills I let him
run as hard as he could but when we started down a draw I checked him lightly
and voiced him down and he was right there doing as asked. He’s really
athletic; he would bound and hop around and over rocks and bushes and never
broke a stride or stumbled. I finally pulled him up and let the Speed Goat
take off. He went a couple hundred yards and stopped looking back at us. All
three of us watched each other then the Antelope snorted and threw his head
and trotted of with a parade step. I think he enjoyed it. It must always be
the fastest antelope that has to run decoy for the herd, or the dumbest. “ Hey
Ralph, let that mountain lion chase YOU while we run the other way”
We rode across that great rolling grass hill country, trotting along looking
things over. It was a great day. Not a cloud in the sky, warm and balmy. The
air smelled like a New England spring day after along winter. Fresh damp earth
and warm breezes. I counted 152 head of cattle. I saw the heifers I moved out
week before last. They were all the way to the west side near Fence tank and
all in one bunch. They seem to be enjoying life out in the big pasture. We
swung around North from there back towards home checking in at 7HL cowcamp,
then up past the feeder at the head of 7HL canyon then across the mesa, up
over Feathery hill and back home. It was a long day and Frio sure was tired
when we got in. I rubbed him down a long time, gave him a handful of grain
and told him he was all right.
It was about 3pm so I did my one section of fence I have told myself I will
do every day. It involves carrying four wood rails to the section, cutting
out the old rails and nailing up the new. I have found that my old busted arms
are just not good at swinging a heavy hammer any more. But If I do a section
a day I will get it all done someday. This place is falling apart around me. Hi
45 lo 24.
Friday, January 17, 2003
I did chores early so I could get out on the freeze and get a feeder from Ewe
canyon moved over to Fence tank. Doesn’t sound too exciting and wasn’t
other than just awesome country. The snow is all gone in the open country but
up on the timbered ridges in the wilderness it still lays pretty deep. The
mist was rising off them in the early morning light. Looked like something
out of some old fairy tale. It took all morning to get it done and got home
a bit after noon.
Went to get a load of water. The line into the well snapped off, and the long
end dropped into the well that is about 30 feet deep. I got a rope and spent
the next half hour trying to loop it. I finally got it and hauled the pipe
up. Then back to the house for repair parts and back out and then an hour fixing
it. What should have been a bit less than and hour trip became three hours.
I finally got the water pumped and back home and dumped into the horse troughs
around here. It left little time for my corral repair, but I did just manage
to get one section done. It took longer that the last couple days. Then I had
rails already peeled and set to nail up. Today I had to peel some that I had
piled up. If you’ve never peeled a log with a drawknife…don’t.
It’s a pain in the butt. From here on though I will have to cut
the rails, drag them to the house and peel them before I can start nailing
them up. Fencing uggggghhhhh!!!!!! Another great day, hi 43, lo 19.
Saturday, January 18, 2003
“My Oh My” I was like many folks and anxious to see the new Tom Selleck
western Monty Walsh. In my opinion it was ….ok.
I had just read the book for a second time in the fall. It is one of my all
time favorites. It seemed to me the movie started about half way through the
book, and to me the first part of the book is the best. That’s where
you understand who Monty is and what made him that way. The great cattle drives,
the celebrations, the adventures and exuberance of youth, and mostly the bronc
bustin’. It’s why everyone knew who Monty Walsh was. We missed
all that in the movie. I also think they cleaned it up a bit too much; those
were rough times full of rough men. But hey any western is a good movie to
me. The horses were great, the gear authentic, but their cattle driving was
the usual run ‘em hard Hollywood stuff.
I spent the day working on corrals. I worked 7 hours and got 4 sections rebuilt.
Doesn’t sound like much for a full days work but I feel Like I did a
full days work. Right after chores I grabbed my chainsaw and headed across
the horse pasture to the stand of pine. I have been cutting rail out of this
five acre stand for years and you can’t tell I have been in it. Today
I realized again I need to take more out than I am, and faster. The trees are
really thick and they are dying out, as they should be, natures thinning. But
I would like to get them out before they die and rot. I cut a bunch of 6 to
8 inch stuff, which took about 3 hours. Then manhandled them down the slope
to a spot I could get the tractor to. Wrapped a slip cable around them and
headed back to the corral. There I cut everything to length, 13 foot in this
case, and started peeling. Took lunch and then peeled the rest. About 2pm I
started nailing up the rails and by chore time at 5pm I had 36 rails up. The
day was great; I was working in just shirt sleeves and was breaking a sweat.
Not the most exciting day in the world but a satisfying one. Hi was 42, sunny
no wind, lo was 22.
Sunday, January 19, 2003
Just a mess around here sort of day. Changed two flats
on two trailers split some firewood but that’s an every
day thing this time of year. Then went to work on the corrals.
Went to the woods and cut and dragged 12 more rails, peeled ‘em
and got another section up. I then laid out and cut to size the
rails and posts for a new gate. I got started on the notching
but ran out of daylight, just as I was getting down with chores
Maggie got home from her northern travels. Hi 42 lo18
Monday, January 20, 2003
A busy day around here. Doug and Kathy came to shoe
some horses and to drop off a bull they raised and that I am
buying. He’s a cute Charolais looking guy, doesn’t
really fit my breeding program but what could I say. They wanted
him to live here, the price was right and he’s a real nice
bull. They led him off the trailer and to the pen in a halter.
I was up at the crack of dawn and in the saddle not too long after getting in horses for them to do. Then went and gathered all the pairs that were around, the ones I had gotten in last week. They were just around the H.Q. pasture and the south trap. John is bringing up some heifers from the farm that we will turn out into 7hl. While he is here we will cut the pairs I gathered and he will haul the calves to the sale on Tuesday keeping them at his house till then. Frank rode up with him to help load and basically to get his pay check, not sure what I’m paying for this week. They got here about noon, we shuffled cattle around and they were on their way back down the mountain by about 2pm. On the load I sent a couple of the orphan calves that we had bottle raised. Usually if they are heifers I keep them around, we get attached to them. But right now I am selling everything saleable, so on the bus went Emma Jean, and Molly. I must be getting hard hearted in my old age.
Last night when Margaret came home she threw me off my chore routine. I forgot the last step, draining the water line from the pump to the tank. This morning it was shattered. I’m not talking just a couple feet of line; it’s about 40 feet. So that now has to be replaced. I could just kick the hell out of my own ass!
Wednesday, January 22, 2003
I spent all day yesterday just driving two loads of liquid feed out and filling
feeders. I got three filled. The stuff is so thick and slow flowing it takes
forever to get done. The day was nice though, hi about 40 and sunny after
a low of 19 and a dusting of snow overnight which was gone by noon. All the
cattle look really good out there. There are a few here and there that don’t
look as good as the rest but hey they are winter cattle, that can be expected.
Today I spent the morning riding the cattle in Ewe Canyon, those I need to move east to join up with the others in that better country. I was running late so I didn’t have time to do it today. I will try to get to it in the morning. The ones in the canyon are running out of feed, and they look the poorest of all I have and they really aren’t that bad. They look better this winter up here in the high country than they did last year when they were all down low. On the way back I rode through the late foals and their moms. I was planning on pushing them in and weaning this week but instead I found several sick, one filly really bad off. I got them in the corrals and sorted off the sick ones and penned them. I took a late lunch to let them settle down a bit. Then Maggie came out to help me doctor them. We moved a panel into the small Hospital pen that we used as a squeeze. All three of the foals have abscess under the jaw. It’s a type of Strangles type infection. We see it occasionally, but usually it just runs it’s course, the abscess breaks and drains and they are fine. The worry is that it breaks to the inside and runs into the lungs. That is what has happened to this filly we call Skeeter. She is a mess. We got her in the chute and found the abscess was broken but she looked just full of infection so I gave her some Gentomiacin. Now all these foals are wild as the wind, they have never been touched so it’s not like we just walk up and Doctor them. We have to get them in the chute and talk and ease them down so they will let us get near them without freaking out. It takes a long time. We got Skeeter done and moved on to Rusty, a handsome red roan colt who is smart as a whip. We got him in the chute and he was not happy. His jaw was so swollen it looked like he had a softball in it. It took awhile to get to where I could touch him. First rubbing his butt and working my way up towards his shoulder. When I first touched his jaw he flipped over and had a huge wreck. I tied a rope across the top of the chute to keep him down and started over. I had a rag with hot water and an hour later I got to touch his head. As soon as I got that hot rag on his jaw he just melted. He knew then we were out to help and he was awesome. Now this is a pretty gross thing going on here and I won’t describe all the gore but he let me take my pocketknife and cut along his jaw line. But nothing came out. So I inserted my finger in the incision and felt a layer of membrane still holding in the puss and infection. I pushed, wiggled and pushed my finger harder. He stood like a champ. Finally my finger broke through. Oh my oh my what a gush of mess and slop that came flowing out. I soaked it and massaged it getting out as much as I could then flushed it with peroxide and iodine; we will start him on antibiotics tomorrow. Next was Sombre a cute Grulla colt out of our wildest mare. We got him into the hospital pen and were easily hazing him into the chute. He wanted nothing to do with it and very smartly sailed over the four foot rail fence and left. Well if he feels that good I won’t chase him around. After cleaning up. I mean really scrubbing down I went out and got two more sections of fence rebuilt before chore time.
The day was sunny and about 38 with a touch of a breeze that kept me wrapped up pretty good. Lo was 18.
Thursday, January 23, 2003
Since I’m a weather channel addict I know a whole bunch of you folks
up north are freezing your butts off. That’s why I’m a bit reluctant
to tell you just how nice a day it was here. Well I’ll go ahead, it was
50, sunny and almost no wind. Too nice a day not to be out. After chores Maggie
and I saddled up, she on Cool Eyes and I rode Dakota. We went north towards
Negrito Creek looking for the seven pairs that I know are in there somewhere.
It wasn’t long before we were on to fresh tracks and a mile or so farther
we found two pairs and two dry cows in a little meadow along the creek. I am
not sure if the dry cows were some that had calves and lost them or if they
came from somewhere else. There should not have been dry cows in that area.
I suspect that they had calves that were killed by what ever killed the one
I found last week. It was only about a half mile from where we found these.
We pushed these home with no problem, penning them when we got to the H.Q.
Maggie headed home to get some lunch ready while I rode out
in the north trap to bring in the yearling bull I bought from
Doug and Cathy last week. He needed to get tagged and branded
before he wondered off and got stolen. He was easy to find and
came along easy enough till we got into the bottom of the pens.
Then he decided that what ever was up was something he’d
rather avoid and he made a rush to get out. Dakota was a bit
tired and had just kinda been nodding along and all the sudden
things broke loose. He was caught by surprise and had to do a
quick wake up. He charged towards the gate racing the young bull.
We got there just ahead of him and Dakota slid to a stop blocking
the gate. I mean slid. The ground was a bit muddy on top and
icy underneath making for the perfect runway. It wasn’t
till he nudged his shoulder into the far gatepost that we stopped.
The bull saw we were going to over shoot the gate and he was
ready to cut behind us and get by. The flying mud spray from
Dakotas slid hit him full in the face and turned him. It could
have never been done if planned. Dakota left 15-foot skid makes
of all four hooves. It was pretty cool. I decided to close the
gate, better safe than sorry. I swung down and pulled the gate
to, as I was latching it Dakota broke away pulling the rein from
my hand. Turning I was pissed until I realized that he had just
saved my bacon. The bull had charged while my back was turned
and Dakota met and turned him. The problem with the bull is that
Doug and Cathy raised him at their house and hand fed him and
petted him. He has no fear of humans. Needless to say I was pretty
proud of my horse, it’s nice to know he’s watching
my back. I swung up and we got back to work. The bull made a
few more tries to cut back, Dakota was all over him this time.
He’s getting to be a pretty good little cutting horse.
He’s not as light and snappy as Doc but he’s getting
better all the time. We got the bull up the alley and in a corral.
I then went and put Dakota away, with a couple handfuls of rare
noontime grain and a hug.
After lunch I went down to the corral and built a fire next to the squeeze
chute, set my iron to heating and moved the bull into the lane that leads to
the chute. I got a hand full of hay, tossed it in the chute and he walked right
in. I got to work; I had a hide to sizzle and an ear to whittle. Within ten
minutes he was wearing my brand, one ear was marked he had a shiny new green
earring and he was mad. I opened the back of the chute so he could back out
and go in the same corral he came from. I just left him to figure it out; I
didn’t want to be to close by when he got out.
Then I jump-started the tractor, it needs it all the time now. It has a new battery and alternator so I’m not sure what the cure is, It’s a bit of a pain in the butt. At least it always does start though. I moved some round bales out for the momma cows that we weaned calves off last week. Some of them got dragged down so we will build them up a few pounds before sending them back out.
About that time it was foal doctoring time. They all were feeling much better so they weren’t nearly so easy to get in the chute and doctor. Maggie helped again and we got it done, drains opened and shots given. Not near as messy as yesterday thank goodness. After that it was chore and wood box filling time. Hi 50 lo 18 sunny, light wind.
Friday, January 24, 2003
I think it’s May down here! Sorry I know that some of you are still in
the frigid zone. It was 50 degrees at 11am this morning, unheard of for January.
After chores Maggie and I rode out to Dog Spring in Negrito pasture just to
check the area out. We are going to put the mares out there in that area after
we wean them. We swung out into 7HL a bit and saw no cattle here on the west
side, that’s a good thing.
Just after we made it home a bit after noon John arrived with another load of heifers from the farm. We loaded them in my trailer, John headed home while I headed to 7HL canyon and dropped them off. As I drove past cowcamp I got on a rise and looked around. There were cattle everywhere, scattered in small bunches all over the country. I’m not real sure exactly how many I have, but it’s more than I thought. Next week I ‘m going to gather and move them into Pitchfork and get a good count then. When I got home I spent an hour changing tires, John had brought a bunch of spares that were out being fixed. I took really bad tires off trucks and put some better ones on. I bought 32 new tires in 2002 and they all now seem to be bald.
Then it was time for foal doctoring. They are all getting use to the routine, no trouble getting them in the chute. Rusty loves it, I had to lance another abscess on him today and s I was doing it he was leaning into my hands as I rubbed the soft spot milking the infection out. It felt so good to him to get the pressure relieved.
Next thing I knew the day was over. Hi 51 sunny light
winds. Lo 18
Sunday, January 26, 2003
Rode a really long loop yesterday, was too dang tired to write last night.
I grabbed Gambler and headed out to ride the northern fence line along Pitchfork
pasture, and then come back through 7HL. Gambler was in his groove and we started
out at a nice jog trot and kept it up all day. Up over Feathery Hill Across
the Feathery Flats, drop down into 7HL canyon swing by the feeder, look at
cattle then pick up the fence there. There’s a cattle/ elk trail long
most of the fences out here so I set Gambler on it He has ridden enough fence
to know what we were doing. He’s like several horses I’ve ridden
that enjoy fence riding. After a couple miles or days, depending on the horse
and after being stopped and watching you fix fence they figure it out. The
good ones will stop where the fence is down or at least slow down and kinda
check with you to see if you are planning to get off and work that low or loose
spot they see. The way I look at it if the horse questions you on a spot It’s
a spot that needs mending, means a cow probably would question the spot too
and give it a try.
The fence was in pretty good shape, a few spots were really bad and need materials and tools packed to them. We closed two gates and ranch rigged another that is a joke. Past Hay tank that was overflowing, past Steve tank full for the first time in a year, and White tank with more water than that lousy tank usually has. Next thing I new we were close to Dead Horse Corral and we were still having fun. So we swung out to Incognito Corral, up over T Bar Ridge and back down into 7HL Valley. Past Doubtful tank, that was full of water. Loped past Pit tank, which was filled, to the rim. Galloped the length of Elk cieniga about 2 miles along a nice flowing creek. Trotted into Fence tank and found four cows there I know I had not seen last fall. Then all the way down 7HL valley to T Bar tank over tank ridge, down past Elladean tank and up ewe canyon into the North trap and finally on home. We were ready to be home. I have driven this loop and metered it, 29 miles. Neither Gambler nor I had much spunk left but we had a great day. Saw 23 Antelope, a dozen or so hawks, tracks of a badger, 88 elk in one bunch, three coyotes, and the biggest flock of Pinion Jays I had ever seen. The day started out perfect like the last week or more. I spent the first
Part of the day riding in a wool shirt and vest with the sun on my back feeling good. As I headed back towards home I watched thunderheads build up over the peaks behind the ranch. They got bigger and I thought to myself that there would soon be some wind coming along. It was no sooner out of my mouth that I saw the grass ahead start rippling and bending, then the first gust hit me. I got my coat on and doubled my scarf. The rest of the day was spent riding into it. It wasn’t terribly cold. It was just chilly and put a want to be home into our pace as the afternoon sun got low and long.
Today I hauled a load of feed out to Ewe canyon. On the way home yesterday I saw about 20 head out there. I thought they had all left that country. In the bunch was a cow and three day old calf. The first of the 2003 season! I had tried to get all the early calving cows down to the farm. We didn’t preg. check them, just looked and guessed. Not very scientific, I guess not very productive.
After lunch I worked on a gas leak I found on the dump truck, the weather was great, I was just in shirtsleeves. Then a couple hours spent working the woodpile. I am headed to Albq. for a couple days and want a bunch on the porch so Maggie doesn’t have to mess with it. Our deal is she cooks the meals and I keep the firewood supply flowing and wood boxes full.
The sick foals are doing a whole lot better, they all finished treatments today. I guess the good thing about it all is they are all gentled down a bit to where you can touch and brush them now.
Frank is still down below, we haven’t heard from him for about five days so I assume he still is working for us. Lyndsey is still at her moms enjoying the last city livin’ life.
Heard Anna was galloping racehorses in Virginia so she won’t be back too soon. John is feeding my stock at the farm and doing some day work for a few folks around down there.
Yesterday hi 42 lo 19. Today hi 50 lo 18 sunny, no wind, great sunset.
Monday, January 27, 2003
Not a real exciting week to read about. I headed to
Albq. On Monday to meet with an accountant, I had forgotten about
W-2’s being due this week. My tax deal is usually a bit
of a mess so I decided to get started early this year.
He seemed like a pretty sharp guy, raises cattle as a hobby and has a lot of ranch clients a few of whom I know. So I think he is up on all the little things that pertain to this type of operation. I got done with him about 5pm. - too late to head home so I stayed the night.
Tuesday, January 28, 2003
I did some errands around town, mostly to the vet supply place for some needles
and ear tags and the auto parts store getting a lot of stuff for the old
trucks. I got home just before chore time.
Wednesday, January 29, 2003
I spent most of the day working on the 1969 Ford pickup and the 1979 Chevy
dump truck. The Ford is running ok now after new plugs and points but I found
the lower main seal is leaking badly. Guess I won’t run it too hard,
just dropping hay around the H.Q. is all. I put new valve cover gaskets on
the Chevy as well as new plugs and points. I found the old plugs were gapped
wrong. I took it out for a test drive and came back smilin’. Before
it was missing and bucking and really didn’t want to go over 35 mph.
I ran it out at 70 mph and still had pedal left. I love those old trucks
that I can still do a little work on myself.
Thursday, January 30, 2003
I grabbed Dakota early and saddled up. Cattle keep showing up from out east.
I am not sure how they are getting through the fences but it seems every
few days a couple more show up. It’s mostly ones that stayed around
late this fall and they know that there is a huge pile of hay here. I pushed
them out past the T gates and left them in Ewe canyon near Deadman draw.
I got home about 1pm had a quick lunch then went out and started working
on fence. I’m now working on the stretch that separates the two main
horse pastures here at the house. It’s a mess, posts rotten, rails
chewed up. It crosses a cieniga, which is kinda like a bog so the posts rot
really fast. I’m taking everything out and putting in new railroad
tie posts and woven wire horse fence. It will sure be nice when I am done
but there is a lot of work just to clear the way for the new fence. Today
I cut old rails and tossed them in a truck to go to the campfire pile. Tomorrow
I’ll get the tractor and pull all the old posts, some at the upper
end are still good, I’ll reuse them.
Friday, January 31, 2003
I worked more on the fence, pulling posts and saving what rails I could. It
took all day but I am about ready to start digging postholes. John and Frank
brought a load of hay up so I took a break from fencing while we unloaded that.
Frank is off for two weeks, going lion hunting. John is doing some welding around town. Lyndsey is still on sabbatical up in Sante Fe. I haven’t seen or heard from Alan in months.
I haven’t mentioned the weather for a reason. It’s just been too NICE!!! Days in the mid 50’s! No wind, nights in the low 20’s. I heard on the radio that it was the warmest January on record for New Mexico, going back to 1898. I have never seen anything like it. The ponds are free of ice, no snow, and no wind. Just dandy!
Saturday I rode all day just looking things over. Took Dakota, he was perfect as usual but seemed a little pokey. Till I was coming home and ran across a bunch of horses I wanted to push home and worm. There were 11 of them and as soon as I got behind them and hollered they took off but they knew where they were going and lined out real nice. Dakota woke up and wanted to keep up with them so I let him. He’s a comfortable gallop. The first mile was kinda fast and furious but after that they settled down into a nice lope and he was happy staying behind at a good distance just loping along. I got home just before chores and heard the terrible news of the day. I was glad I hadn’t heard before I went out.
Sunday, February 2, 2003
Over night the wind started to blow, and I mean blow. It lasted all day. Steady
breeze of 20 mph and gusts to 45 mph. I was out all morning filling feeders,
it takes about 4 hours to get to them and get them filled. When you fill
you can’t just set the pipe, turn the valve and go wait in the truck.
There are always cattle around so you have to stand and watch they don’t
knock the pipe out. So all morning spent in the wind. The dust was blowing
and the temp was only about 25, wind chill was in the teens, burrrrrrr. After
a long lunch and warm up I was out laying the line for the new fence. I stretch
a rope that is marked off with 8-foot gauge marks, get it running as you
like then stake it out. With a can of bright spray paint I go along and spray
along the 8 foot marks so I know where to dig the holes. It was a hard thing
to get any paint on the ground, most of it blew away
Monday, February 3, 2003
Winter has come back; I got kinda spoiled there the
last month. Today was sunny but cold, only got to a hi of 30
after a low of 10.
Maggie went to Silver today to ship a bunch of orders and pick up some supplies. Gambler and I were out early moving more cattle that had wandered in. We moved 11 head back to Ewe canyon and rode fence on the way home trying to find where they are getting through. There are several Elk crossings that are pretty low but that’s all I saw. I really don’t think they are jumping. I need to ride the fence north next time. But it was cold and that’s the direction away from home, so I’ll do it on a warm day.
I saw 22 Antelope at the salt lick in the canyon. They waited till I was about 50 yards away then trotted up on the ridge. They stood there posing like I had a camera. I got home about 3pm and spent the rest of the afternoon pulling nails. Lots of fun there. The other day I had set aside some rails off the old fence that were still good but are full of nails. I hate having to pull nails while I’m building, slows the process I think. So I do it at the tear apart stage. That pretty much filled my day.
Tuesday, February 4, 2003
I hear there is weather coming in at the end of the week. It’s getting
kinda dry, we could use some moisture. In hopeful thinking I spent all morning
working the woodpile splitting wood. I got about a cord split and stacked on
the porch. After lunch I went to work peeling rails. I peeled and peeled and
then peeled some more. Feeling a bit sore tonight.
I have a gripe. What else is new?
It’s about work gloves. I think someone needs to build a better one. I get good leather gloves, and good ones aren’t cheap. They are doubled layered across the palm and triple stitched. Supposed to be the best. Now gloves take awhile to feel good, you have to break them in, get ‘em softened up. And just when they are feeling good the fingers wear through. Every time! I have dozens of gloves that look great till you turn them over and see the finger pads. A pair of gloves lasts just about a month for me. Now why can’t someone put just a thin pad of Kevlar in each finger? I bet that would work. And another thing with gloves, what’s up with the size? For years I bought mine in a Medium, they fit great. Now in the last year or so the medium is too big, the fingers are 1/2 inch too long. The longer I wear them the less a problem that becomes because they get filled with hay till eventually that extra finger space is solid hay. It just makes you feel like you have extra long, numb fingers. I just can’t find small gloves anywhere. I know my hands haven’t shrunk. They must now be made overseas somewhere they think all Americans are big. If anyone wants some comfortable useless gloves let me know. It was sunny but stayed chilly all day. Hi 30 lo 9
Wednesday, February 5, 2003
After chores I started back to peeling rails picking up where I left off yesterday.
Just before lunch I saw a bunch of horses gathering around the water storage
tank up on the hill above the main barn. Either the spring or the pump fills
the tank and then gravity flows to all the houses and barns. It’s a
sunny spot so I didn’t think much of it and went to eat. After lunch
I loaded all the rails I had done in a truck and started laying them out
along the fence line so they will be set and ready to nail up once the posts
are in. The dang horses were still up at the tank and looking very interested
in something. After unloading curiosity got the best of me and I waked up
there. As I got close my heart fell and stomach turned. The gauge on the
tank was showing it was almost empty. I had run the pump 8 hours a day for
5 days to top the tank off while the weather was warm last week. When I got
to the tank I saw all the horses were mesmerized by the new N- fountain.
Something in the under ground must have broken and water was rushing out
a hole it had dug for its self. I turned the main valve shutting water off
everywhere and saving maybe a foot of water in the tank. I investigated as
best I could and determined an old valve that we left in service when we
put the new water line in 10 years ago had failed. I knew I had nothing the
right size to replace it and nothing to ranch rig anything together so I
quick drove to town. I was back three hours later just as it was getting
dark so I couldn’t really do much. It sure was depressing seeing the
6000 gallons of hard earned water out on the ground freezing into a skating
rink. Hi 35, lo 7.
Thursday, February 6, 2003
Maggie left for Phoenix after chores. She has a “Trunk Show” at
one of her stores on the 8 th so she went to get set up for that. It’s
a 7-hour drive over there but doesn’t seem like it should be that far.
I got right on the water line after she left. The valve is where the new line and old line meet coming out of the tank. I remember debating as to replacing it years ago but oh cheap me left it in. Now armed with a pickaxe I attacked the frozen ground. It had been down to 6 last night and that water had frozen the ground like concrete. The line and valve are 3 feet down, it seemed like it may as well have been 300 feet. I chipped and pecked at the ground till lunch getting a foot or so down. After lunch it suddenly got easier as I passed the frost line at about two feet. Thank goodness for the warm month of January that it wasn’t frozen all the way to three feet. Anyone who has ever dug a hole knows that the deeper you go the wider the top has to be. By the time I hit the pipe the hole was four feet across and it was 5pm, chore time. I moved a heck of a lot of dirt and I sure felt like it. My oh my what I wouldn’t give for a hot bath.
It was cold all day but I didn’t notice, hi 25 lo 6.
Friday, February 7, 2003
I got back on the water line as soon as everyone was fed this morning. Finished
the digging and set to getting the old valve out. My plan was to disconnect
the line the valve was on all together, it went to the old storage tank that
we had by passed. It’s from the 40’s, made of steel, rusted and
full of holes. So the simple job was to get a big pipe wrench on the riser
to the tank, twist it and the valve along with it right out of the way. Yea,
sure. That old steel pipe had been there so long it had become one. I tried
a leverage pipe, penetrating oil and all the muscle I have but it wouldn’t
budge. So I went and got Little Walter. Little Walter is a battery powered
reciprocating saw. It’s called Little Walter after Walter McKinney from
Maryland. He comes out for two weeks every fall for the gather, you’ve
read about him. He’s a hand. Well we cut a lot of horns in the fall,
we have the cows right there in the pens. We are cutting horns that are getting
ready to grow into the cow’s heads and it’s a pain in the butt.
We always cheated a bit by running them into a squeeze chute rather than roping
and throwing. But we always used a handsaw, and I never know of it having been
sharpened. It was a lot of work and stressful on the cows. A couple years ago
Walter having been in on that sort of deal, pressed a hundred bucks in my hand
as he was leaving and told me to not to stand in the way of progress. Thus
the name. It’s the best spent hundred bucks ever. It breezes through
a cow’s horn before she knows what’s goin’ on. And it sliced
through that old rusty pipe like it was plastic. I cut it way down then got
some thread cutters and before noon I had it capped and the pump running.
That whole deal kinda changed my plans with this fence I’m working on. As I was taking it apart I left about 50 posts that were ok. They were 8 years old; the newer ones that were put in when I last really worked it over. Well seeing all the aggravation I had just gone through because a decision 10 years ago about that 40 year old valve I decided I would pull all the posts and put new ones in. Back in the store lot I have a hundred nice treated posts I have been saving. I don’t know what for. I’ve had them five years and keep saying I’ll use them later as I go cut posts or reuse some old junk ones. Now I decided I better use them before they rot and do the fence new all the way or I’ll have some posts giving out before others and end up with another crappy fence. So I spent the afternoon getting them out and then took the tractor with a scraper blade and went down the fence line leveling and clearing all the way.
Weather is supposed to be here tonight, a quick wet storm and another due the same time next week. We need the moisture but I hope it melts fast. It started getting cloudy about noon and after that it was pretty cold. Hi 25 lo 9.
Saturday, February 8, 2003
I woke late this morning, realized it was because it was snowing hard. I had
been up at 4am to feed the woodstove and the stars had been out. Now at seven
there were 3 inches. It was coming down pretty fast. Someone smiled on me
as I pulled my boots on and it let up as I fed horses. But as soon as I was
done it forced me back inside. Which wasn’t a bad thing. I have been
waiting a month to get a lousy stay inside day doing office stuff, like finish
putting away 2002 files and setting up 2003. That really took most of the
day. I went out in the afternoon to hot pack Rusty, the little colt we doctored
on a few weeks ago. He never got better and today had swollen back up especially
along his upper neck. He was raspy sounding and snotty. I got him in the
chute and got the hot pack on which he enjoyed. It was still snowing but
we were pretty well protected by the barn. I felt a soft spot in the abscess
and stuck a needle in it getting a good flow of infection draining. I massaged
a lot out but wanted to get it draining more than just a needle hole so I
took a scalpel and was going to open the hole a bit more. I knew I had to
be careful since there is a pretty good-sized vein that runs long the jaw
line. Just as I make the cut he jerks making a half-inch incision, infection
flowing everywhere but also lots of blood. I had cut the vein. I could watch
the abscess go down but the amount of blood worried me. I tried pressure
but all it did was pocket up in his cheek and come spilling out when I let
loose. I was wearing exam gloves and noticed that one of the fingers had
split through. I thought that was pretty cheap of them and not too useful.
It was messy. I then realized that I was adding to the mess. The glove finger
had not split; I had cut the end of my finger open when he had jerked. It
had been five minutes before I noticed it. Five minutes of mixing his blood
and infection with mine. That made me feel a bit ill. I headed to the house
to clean it up. It was a pretty deep cut. I cleaned and scrubbed and disinfected,
and cleaned some more. Finally wrapped it up and went back to check Rusty.
The bleeding had slowed but by no means had stopped. It was getting dark
and there really was little I could do. I don’t think, I hope he can’t
loose enough blood to die from it. Thank God it wasn’t an artery.
Maggie is driving home from Phoenix in the storm. Making a long day of it, she should be home about 9pm. So far at 7pm we have gotten 8 inches. Hi was 22 overnight lo 16
Sunday, February 9, 2003
Rusty was still alive this morning and doing OK, not great. My finger was about
the same. We got just over 12 inches yesterday and last night. Back in winter
work mode. My oh my am I glad it hasn’t been this way since the first
of the year. Bundling up in insulated coveralls, wearing snow pacs that must
be 6 pounds each. It just wears ya out walking to the barn. Today was sunny
but cold, the wind came up in the early hours dawn. It really blew and took
most of the snow with it, piling it up in the trees. The open country should
be clear in a day or so. I went out on Dakota to get the loose horses in.
They haven’t been in for a couple weeks. I plan on weaning the late
foals in the morning so I want these horses in, that way I can take the wet
mares and put them with this bunch and drive them out to Negrito pasture.
Hopefully with these others the wet ones will stay out there and not do anything
stupid trying to get home to the colts. I found them pretty fast and all
went fine till we got to the top of the road that drops into the H.Q. valley.
That’s where one mare we call Pretty Face decided it was not a good
idea to go down and get penned up. Now she is one of my wild mares, never
been touched by a human, and she acted it today. She stopped that herd and
turned them around so fast she caught me by surprise. Dakota was great and
got around them as fast as he could in the snow. Back to the top of the road
again and she started it up once more. She was zig-zagging back and forth
in front of the others not letting them go by. I was hollering and charging
her and she was doing the same right back. It was a battle of wills. We inched
our way down the road, she ran some horses one way and when I went to get
those she ran some more another way. It’s a dang good thing I didn’t
have a gun with me. Finally after over an hour to go less than half a mile
I got them in the corrals. I was mad and frustrated and Dakota was plumb
worn out running and cutting around in the deep snow. The wind had just about
frozen me through so I called it a lousy day and went home. It had just been
a cold day in the saddle.
Hi 19, lo –4
Monday, February 10, 2003
A lot better day today that yesterday. Sunny with almost no wind. We weaned
the foals at chore time, that’s always exciting but today was pretty
smooth. We cut the mares off here at the house corrals, then I went down
and got the wild horses and pushed them up the long alley and mixed the two
bunches. After they settled awhile I pushed them out the back of the H.Q.
and started toward Negrito. I had 16 horses in front of me and Gambler underneath
me. He was great. It was something out there, Hollywood should have been
around. Snow covered pines, deep blue sky, horses churning through the snow,
steamy clouds of breath blowing from flared nostrils. The snow was light
and fluffy and filled the air as they went. It was beautiful. And so quiet.
Usually there is the thunder of hooves pushing so many horses. Today it was
dead quiet except the sound of them breathing.
About two miles out two young mares quit the bunch and broke to the south. I attempted to turn them but saw the whole bunch was going to scatter so I stuck with what I had. I got them all to Dog Spring and left them there in a meadow that was mostly clear of snow. I had trucked some salt and protein blocks out the day before so that made them stick around. I went back for the other two mares and found them right back at the H.Q. gate. I let them back in and penned them in the shipping pens. I’ll trailer them out in the morning.
On my way back I had crossed some fresh cow track, a bunch of them. So I went back and started following them. They headed toward Burnt cabin and when I got to the edge of the meadow I saw a dozen cattle. Cows, heifers, and calves. I eased up, quiet thanks to the snow and got a good look at them. One cow was Alan’s, four where mine each with calves, and there were three Rockin’ Arrow cows. Well as usual as soon as those Rockin Arrow cattle winded me, heads popped up, a twist came to their tails and away they went. Gambler was set for the chase and took off. We got around them and I tried to stop the whole bunch but they just broke in singles and took to the trees. The snow was too deep in there and the day getting to late for a big cow chase so I let them go. Gambler was pissed. Shaking his head and trying to get back to them as I asked him to turn away. I got home about 3pm and went to doctor Rusty. He wasn’t happy about seeing me I can tell you that. Got hi in the chute and looked him over. The abscess was the size of softball, hard, tight and tender. He wouldn’t let me touch it. Maggie came out to help and with her in front of the chute keeping his attention I was able to poke a needle into the abscess. Got nothing but Rusty hating me more. Again I tried and again nothing but pain for Rusty. I guess I was being a bit to cautious after the other day and not going deep enough. Third time I got the needle in and saw a bit of good sign so I got a scalpel and went deep at the same spot. That was the spot I had wanted all long. That blew it out! What a lot of mess. The pressure it had been causing must have been near unbearable. As soon as it broke and drained I was suddenly Rusty's best friend. Where he had been rearing up in the chute and biting a few moments before he was now leaning against the side as he let me milk it with his eyes rolled up in his head. We flushed it and left him alone with some hay in front of him to keep his jaws working and the pocket draining. Maybe I shouldn’t write about all this gross stuff but it’s life out here. The beautiful, the ugly, some die, some are born. It’s all part of it.
Sunny but stayed cool, hi 25 lo –4 sun factor of 40.
Tuesday, February 11 2003
The weather channel is calling for some weather coming
in later in the week so I spent the day filling feeders. It took
six hours, most were almost empty and it was cold so the molasses
flowed slower. It was pretty nice out there tho; very little
wind, mostly sunny. And if you like cows it makes it even better.
They stand around and watch and wait till the feeders are full,
I think they like the fresh stuff. I never spent so much quiet
time around my cattle, usually I’m horseback and hollering
and cussin’ them. You sure can tell the heifers that we
had at the lower ranch last winter, they come walking right up
and lick the feeders while the others stand back in awe of their
bravery. I saw another newborn calf, that’s three so far.
I got home about 3pm and thought it a good time to haul the two young mares out to join the others. I got everything set up and ready, opened the gate and pushed them to the trailer. Both of these are wild though they are registered horses. So there is no slipping a halter on and leading them on. They are sisters, both 4 year olds named Fancy and Lucky. Well Lucky jumped right on and stood waiting for her sister but fancy would have nothing to do with it. I sweet-talked her, I cussed her, I whispered her, I hollered her. She refused to go on. After an hour I was tired of it and left food on the trailer and a bucket of water and Lucky as happy as could be inside enjoying life in the RV. If Fancy wants to eat or drink she has to get on the trailer. She has always been a bit of a dumbass.
Rusty is feeling lots better. I drained him again and cleaned him up a bit. He walked right in the chute, held his head up as I worked on him, just the perfect patient.
Maggie had gone to Silver City to ship some stuff and do some shopping. She got home after dark with PIZZA!! We don’t see that too often here. She also brought home some young hens. Our chicken flock is nothing but a bunch of geriatrics, there are a few hens there I know are 10 years old. She got a half dozen Plymouth Rocks, the gray and white birds. And two Rhode Island Reds, I never liked those kind since I was a kid and we had a rooster that terrified me. That damn bird would know what time I got home from school and would wait for me between the barn and the house. I wasn’t stupid either and knew he was there somewhere so I would start running 20 yards before the corner and try to get to the back porch. It was a fifty/fifty deal. Finally my folks gave him to a poor family down the road. My mom trying to soften reality told me they needed him for their hens. I was about 7 and muttered something about how they shouldn’t breed him but eat him. My grandpa busted out laughin’ and said that was exactly what they planned to do. I went to bed happy and walked home worry free the next day.
Hi 30 lo 2 mostly sunny.
Wednesday, February 12, 2003
Clouds blew in overnight warming things up; it was 28 when I got up at 6am.
As we were doing chores it started raining. Just like last month I have never
seen it rain in February, just snow. I hear that California is getting a
good soaking. If L.A. gets rain we will to.
Everyday something comes up to put a kink in things, today it was the pull cord on one of the generators broke. So had to round up material and tools to fix that which took almost two hours. While I was at it I decided to change oil in the two generators and the air compressor. Then it was a wood splitting day. The rain was just a drizzle so I decided to get the wood in while the getting was good. Got about a cord set up on the porch for this big storm that’s supposed to be coming. We’ll see if it really gets here.
Hi 40 lo 26
Thursday, February 13, 2003
The storm got here, but not snow! Last night I heard rain on the roof and listened
to it all night. I got up a few times and checked the temperature, the coldest
it got was 35. I have never seen this before. As we were doing chores last
night I mentioned to Maggie how nice it would be to have a long soaking rain
and no snow. She reminded me it was February and I shouldn’t expect
anything like that. But here it was almost an inch of rain at 6am. That would
have been about a foot of snow. It was a light rain all day and never got
above 38. I drove out to Ewe canyon to get that feeder filled and on the
way out I could see that we were just below the snow level. I mean by only
about 300 feet. Corner Mtn. And Bearwallow Mtn. were lost in the clouds so
I bet they are getting a couple feet up there.
Just as I got to the feeder it really started raining hard with some snow mixed in. The raindrops were thick, cold and heavy, a dozen would be enough to soak you through to the skin. I had a decision to make. I could stay, fill the feeder and probably be stuck in the mud or I could head home. I figured since I was there I may as well fill it. I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to get back out there again. 45 minutes later I started home and sure enough in less than a half-mile I was stuck. I didn’t dig it down; just shut it off when I started spinning. I only had about a two-mile walk but the rain was going to make it no joy. I started along my way and within moments the sun came out. Soon there was steam rising and it made a fog that rose from the ground up about 12 feet. I couldn’t see more than a few yards. I wasn’t worried I knew where I was. It was very cool. Then as I got to the rim of the H.Q. valley a huge low rainbow - well actually it was a snowbow - spread out below me. It was worth the walk. The mud made the walking a bit tiring but it was really pretty nice. When I got home it clouded right up and started a drizzle. I swear someone has really been helping me out the last couple weeks. Not just the weather either, when I went looking for horses there they were. When I went out after my bulls the other day, there they were. When I went to find the two mares, there they were.
I must confess I did something I almost never do. I took a nap this afternoon. The rain on the roof and the knowledge there was nothing I could do outside let me nod right out on the sofa in front of the fire.
Rusty is feeling great; he was running and bucking around this afternoon. The dumbass mare Fancy finally got on the trailer. I hauled her and her sister out to the Dog Spring turn off. I didn’t go down the lane; it was just too muddy but unloaded them pretty close. I’ll bet they’ll be back at the house in the morning.
It seems we have been in a pocket here. All around us heavy rain and snow has come down but right here it really wasn’t that much. A bit over an inch of rain is all we got. In Glenwood they got almost two inches. In Datil to the east they got 22 inches of snow, and they are at a lower elevation. In Quemado they got 20 inches of snow and are 2000 feet lower. I mean it, someone is looking out for me.
Hi 38 lo 36 cloudy.
Friday, February 14, 2003
All night I heard a light rain falling, when I got up at 6am it was 30 and
raining. I couldn’t figure that one. Mud, mud, mud, everywhere, it’s
a mess around here. A misty rain all day but as I looked around I could tell
it was snowing everywhere, everywhere but here. It’s like we have a
dome of warmer air over us, or maybe it’s providence, whatever it’s
great.
Mid afternoon I drove south towards Snow Lake. Just a mile away, before Burnt cabin I ran into snow falling. Within moments it was heavy snow. Two miles from the house I had to turn around. There was easily over two feet of fresh snow in the road. I turned then drove north. Two miles north it was snowing and four miles later I turned around when there was a foot of snow in the road. It’s kinda spooky.
I drove out into 7HL where the cattle are and they were happy as could be with a nice drizzle coming down and clear ground. I got on the knoll above Cowcamp and looked around. There was snow and thick weather in every direction but right over our place. We have over two inches in the rain gauge. That would have been over two feet of snow.
I helped Margaret a bit in her studio then caught up on correspondence.
Hi 34, lo 30
Monday, February 1 7, 2003
The weather cleared out Valentines night and has been nice since. Here wasn’t
much that could be done around here on the 15 th; the mud was just too much
to do anything in. But it was a bright sunny day with a bit of a breeze so
by evening it had really dried up. After evening chores we went out and got
my truck where I had left it when I got stuck. I was able top drive it right
out with no digging or chains.
Yesterday we left here early and drove down to the lower H.Q. where we met Frank and spent the day loading up all the stuff in that house. It was a huge job and really sad. That is such a great house. We loaded one horse trailer and two trucks. All kinds of stuff, it’s amazing what we had collected there in just three years.
We got home late and exhausted. Just the drive wears me out. The roads are pretty good. All the snow it seems was on the southwest side of the mountains so there was very little new snow on the road. The usual spots had some, just enough to be too much to get a semi rig to haul the cattle from the farm up here. So we will be spending most of the week next week hauling them with pickups and goosenecks. We can only get eight on a load so it will take at least ten loads for the cattle and three for the horses. My lease was up on the 15 th and I am not going to renew it. So we have to get our livestock off the fields. If I had known how mild the winter was going to be I never would have sent them down there. Wish I had a crystal ball. I hate trucking heavy bred cows; the stress is just no good for them. I think traveling in a gooseneck is less stressful than a semi though.
It was just about hot down there, well relatively. It was about 65.
I saw and chatted with Alan, he and his winter are doing fine.
Today was no fun. We had to unload all the stuff from the lower H.Q. It wasn’t like we could just put it all in one place. Some went to Lindsey’s house, some went to Franks cabin, some to the shop, some to the storage shed, some to the guest camp, some to the barn. Before we did anything we had to clean out the storage shed. That had been needing to be done for a half dozen years. Everything from car engines to portraits, from sofas to crutches. Stuff belonging to people that had been gone for years. We loaded the dump truck twice with useless junk. Then swept it out and brought in a whole new load of junk.
It was so good to finally get the last stuff put away about time to do chores at 6pm.
Tomorrow I’m heading down to the farm and start hauling cattle up. John is going to give me a hand. Frank is taking a day off to help his dad out with some things.
I think the illness in the horses is finally all cleared up. Everyone is bright eyed and squirrelly tailed.
Tuesday, February 18 2003
After chores I headed to the Farm to start moving cows.
While in town getting some fuel I met up with the cattle hauler.
After bitching about the price of diesel I mentioned I wished
the roads were a bit better as I had a load or two of cattle
to get up. He said he had just been up the mountain over the
weekend and that it would be no problem to get his rig up. So
we made plans for him to haul a load on Thursday and another
on Friday.
When I got to the farm and told John the change in plans he seemed pretty pleased. He didn’t want to make all those trips anymore than I did. We spent the rest of the day penning, loading and hauling cattle from the farm to John's house where there is a good ramp to load the cattle up. It’s only about 12 miles between the two places. First trip I was following John as we were coming down a pretty steep hill just before his turn off. I see his trailer and truck start wobbling and weaving back and forth and figure there are some cows fighting. I had just been having them doing the same on mine. But then he goes past his drive. I pull in and see him turn around down the road and head back. He said whenever he touched his brakes it started violently shaking. We unloaded and he decided he’d keep going. He has a manual transmission so he doesn’t have to use the brakes much. He hauled another five loads and never touched them. We got enough for a semi load hauled. It got harder as the day went along. All the smart ones, or stupid ones depending how ya look at it were left for last and they didn’t want to go in the pens, much less on the trailers. The biggest problem was all the horses we have there were getting in the way. Chasing cows and hanging out along the trailers keeping the cows from going on. We finally stopped about 3:30. The new plan being John won’t feed them tonight so they will be good and hungry tomorrow. Then he and Frank will come in the morning and feed the horses on the other side of the two-acre lot they are all in and put the cows hay in the pens before the horses catch on.
I headed home about 4pm after helping John get a load of hay at his place to feed the cows till they leave.
It was a nice sunny day, few clouds puffing by. Hi up top was 40; at the farm it was about 60. Overnight was a balmy 33.
Wednesday, February 19, 2003
I stayed up top while Frank and John hauled cattle from the farm to John's.
The plan worked well. The cattle all went right in the pens and the horses
stayed out. They got all the cattle off the farm. I worked on fence; it was
a good day for it. Sunny with no wind at all till mid afternoon. I set and
tamped 96 posts today. Not to exciting but very rewarding. To me there are
few efforts more satisfying than looking down a row of fresh set fence posts
and have them all look like a single post because they’re so straight.
Or if you stand and look down one edge of the posts the optical illusion
makes it appear to be a solid wall.
If I had a penny for every post I have tamped in my life I could…
But I must admit today I retired from the forty pound tamping rod. It just got to be too much for me old back and shoulders. I made a new one that some of you who tamp posts may want to try. I had been thinking of it awhile and today finally put it together. I took a 1 inch galvanized pipe 5 feet long, threaded both ends, capped one end, filled it 3/4 full of water and capped the other end. It’s less than half the weight of the old solid steel rod and the momentum of the water up and down I think makes up for it. It sure is a lot easier to use and I get a post tamped in the same amount of time, five minutes.
Other than moving some round bales to the bulls this morning that’s all I did all day.
Hi 42, lo 19. Sunny a few clouds drifted in late in the day along with some wind. We are supposed to get some weather tomorrow. I just hope that it’s rain. If it snows then the semi won’t be able to get up and we will have cattle stuck in the corrals at Johns. I hope I keep getting looked after.
Thursday, February 20, 2003
I woke this morning to three inches of snow and the trucker calling to say
he wouldn’t be making the run. That was fine with me I don’t
want to take any chances with the cattle. They are all really heavy bred
and the less stress and smoother ride the better they will handle it. It
snowed off and on all day. The sun would come out for about fifteen minutes
every couple hours and melt most of it. It made a lot of mud. Tomorrow is
supposed to be clear and sunny so hopefully it will clear any snow left on
the roads and the truck can make it up the day after. Hi 35. Lo 28.
Friday, February 21, 2003
Yep, it was sunny all day and cleaned everything right back to the way we were
a few days ago. Frank hauled a load of horses up from the farm. On board
were Chile, Doolin, T.J. Cimarron, and Cisco. He hauled them right out to
Dog Spring which is in Negrito pasture. He said as soon as they were off
the trailer they took a run down the little valley that goes to the tank.
Bucking and squealing, throwing up clods of dirty snow from their hooves.
A moment later Tang and his group of mares shows up and it was hootin’ and
hollerin’, rearing and jumping time. Then as one large group they took
off at a gallop across the huge meadow there below the tank and disappeared
over the rise. That pasture is a mix of meadows and timber, and is cut with
some pretty deep canyons. It goes all the way to Snow Lake and borders the
Wilderness area about 12,000 acres. I’ve never turned horses loose
there before but it’s a great place for them. It hasn’t really
been used in a couple years, the grass is belly high in some meadows and
there’s plenty of water and shelter. We wont be using those horses
till early May so they should enjoy themselves out there. They might be a
problem to find.
I fed the bulls after regular chores. There are 14 down there and they are eating about 4,000 pounds of hay a week right now but they all look good. A couple didn’t look too good when I brought them in a few weeks ago.
I then saddled up Gambler and headed out to ride the North Fence, try and find where those cattle were getting through. We rode out through the south trap then up over feathery hill. All the way the fence looked pretty good. A few places it was low but there were none where a cow was going over. I was about to Cowcamp when I decided to turn around. I was almost to the corner and the day was getting short. As we came down to the gate we spooked a little bunch of elk. They took off out of a stand of aspen and headed right to the corner of the fence. Then they were on the other side. Hummmmm not a one of them did I see jump. I rode over there and sure enough the fence was down. All five wires were broken and beaten right into the ground. Every kind of critter had been going back and forth through there for a long time. I set Gambler to grazing and started to put the fence back together. I had to straighten out the wires and get it all untangled, it was a real mess. Gambler had been nervous about the wire and was eying everything with a lot of suspicion. While I was pulling the wires one snapped tight and sent a small stick flying through the air. I could not have been a better shot as it hit Gambler right in the ass. He spooked and took off down the hill out of sight. Oh well, I thought, not much I could do about it now. I wasn’t going to go chasing him around. I was thinking about which way would be the shortest walk home. This wasn’t the first time Gambler has headed home alone, he did it a lot when he was a kid but it has been years since. About an hour later, just as I was finishing up here he comes back up the hill. He was all perked ears and snorty looking for monsters as he walked right up and stood next to me. He seemed to be telling me it was time to get out of that freaky place. I swung on and as we got to the bottom of the hill I saw by the tracks that was as far as he had gone, just out of sight about 50 yards. We hustled home, he had his fast walk going and he ate up the ground with a few good jogs thrown in. I got home just after dark to a worried wife.
Hi 38, lo 24 a few clouds, a bit breezy in the afternoon.
Saturday, February 22, 2003
Yesterday Frank had told Maggie that the roads were
back in good shape so first thing this morning I called the trucker.
I told him the roads were ok and we were ready to go again. He
allowed as how he wouldn’t be able to make the trip. I
asked why, he told me he had sold his rig. I was a bit upset.
He said he had it planned but didn’t want to turn down
the work in case the sale didn’t go through. Well that’s
just dandy. I’ve got 80 head of cattle in the corrals and
now no truck. I made a couple calls through the day but could
find nothing.
Frank hauled another load of horses up, bringing Chico, Cibique, Zeno, Vaquero, and Rocky.
Hi 39 lo 26, breezy with some good gusts up to 40 mph. I spent a bit of time organizing the shop after so much stuff from the lower ranch got dumped in there. After that was done I moved onto the tack room getting that a bit better situated.
Sunday, February 23, 2003
Tried all evening to find a trucker, with no luck.
Called a friend of mine who knows every truck in New Mexico I
think, and he’s on a mission to find me one. Those cows
are really starting to calve down there now. Since day before
yesterday we’ve had 7 calves born in the corrals. John
is feeding out 25 bales a day to them and it should really be
more.
Supposed to be more weather coming in on Tuesday so that will probably set us back if a truck is found.
I spent the day cutting firewood; our woodpile is really low. Too low for this time of year. I cut up all the old fence posts I had pulled last week. Boy that’s some dry stuff there. Gofer wood. Put one piece in and Gofer another one.
Frank hauled another load of horses up, Jesus, Hondo, Levi, and two more I just can’t remember right now. That leaves just two more down there, the old farts, Belle and Moses.
The hi was 34, sunny, lo 24. Not much wind.
Monday, February 24, 2003
John and I talk every morning a bit before 7am. This morning was a long chat
about what to do with the cattle. We made plans to put some on a small field
he has planted in wheat, a few more in his big field and then hold the rest
for Frank to trailer up. As soon as we were done my truck finding buddy called
and said he had a truck and it would be at John's at 10am. So I call him
back and change all the plans. The weather channel is calling for a lot of
moisture starting tomorrow, so we hope this works. As soon as we hung up
it started snowing hard here. It was just the first of many snow showers
of the day. I had to get the feeders filled so I left the house hoping everything
was set and nothing would come up while I was out. It was a cold blustery
day out there, not as bad as a few I have spent recently but enough to really
enjoy that heater in the truck driving between feeders. The only problem
is there is an old mouse nest somewhere in the heater box and when it gets
hot it really stinks. Saw another calf out there; the cattle all still look
pretty good. They all look like its winter but only a few jump out at being
a bit thin, maybe 4 out of a hundred. I’ll start riding to gather those
over the next few weeks. I’ll push them closer to the H.Q. and feed ‘em
some hay.
I got home a bit after noon. Maggie said the truck was on its way and John wanted a call. I spoke with him and he suggested that we wait on the second load maybe about a week or ten days. There were calves being born a few a day there right now and the cows that were left were the heaviest bred ones he sorted off the rest. So we are on that plan now.
Maggie gave me a hand for a while after lunch. We went around the place and gathered up a couple old round metal water tanks that were no longer watertight. These we hauled down to the shipping pens and put them in separate corrals. I later set round bales in them for the incoming cows. The old tanks work pretty good, keeps the cows from stomping loose hay into the ground and wasting it. The only thing not as good as a regular round bale feeder ring is the sides are low enough that when the bale gets low they can climb into it.
Frank pulled in about 3pm with the last two horses on board and the cattle truck right behind. Everything went well, but the driver was scared to death. I don’t think we will be seeing him again. The cows will stay in the pens overnight so they all have a chance to relax and understand there is hay and liquid feed there if they want it. I’ll open the gates in the morning and let them drift out. I’m hoping they will drift through the north trap out into 7HL and stay fairly close. They are all due to calve in the next month so I’d like ‘em a little closer in so we can ride them regularly. There were about a dozen calves that came up today that need to be branded. They were all born around Christmas there on the farm. If we wait till spring branding they will be bigger than I want to mess with. Plus the fact I will want to sell them about then and the brand has to be healed before I can.
Hi 39 lo 23 a bit of a breeze. It’s now 4am, I hear the wind picking up and the stars have disappeared.
I need some help from all of you. I am interested in your travel plans and ideas for the next year.
Is the war talk keeping you from going any where? Are you driving instead of flying? Staying closer to home?
E mail me or post it to the message board.
Thanks a bunch!
Tuesday, February 25 2003
It was snowing as the sun came up and stayed that way
most of the day. Chores are taking a bit longer around here now.
We have a few more horses to feed. Moses is living here at the
main barn, he got a bit thin at the farm so he has his own pen
and loves it. Gets a big breakfast then goes out and stands in
his spot by the barn. He found it quick, on the lest windy side
and in the sun. He’s no fool; ya don’t live 30 some
years and not learn a few things. Belle is here too. She’s
back in with her blind daughter Helen. Helen was so happy to
see…. well, smell ... her mom after 3 months, whinnying
and chomping. Belle was like “yea, yea out of my way and
don’t bother me”. Ben has moved himself down here.
He was up at the upper corrals and able to go out into Bearwallow
pasture with nine other horses. We feed that bunch once a day
in the evening, so he started jumping the fence and coming down
for breakfast then going and jumping back to go out with his
buddies. Now he is just staying down here with the yearlings.
I think he put on a little weight and doesn’t feel like
jumping anymore. Dakota saw what was going on and he’s
now here as well. He showed up and has become like a dog in the
yard. Hangs out at the front gate. As soon as I come out he’s
right behind me where ever I go. If I go in the shop he stands
at the door and watches, if I get in a truck he looks disappointed.
The snow was pretty heavy at times but as usual every hour or so the sun would break through and did a lot of melting. We had probably 8 inches fall and three stay around.
I spent the day inside helping Maggie. A good place to spend the day.
Hi 30 lo 22
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
About ten inches of snow this morning and snowed all day off and on. The sun
popped out and made some progress but then it started right back up again.
About 4 more inches fell during the day.
I had opened the gates so the cows could drift out but not a single one wanted to go anywhere. I walked through them and saw one blonde cow has a bit of amniotic sack showing. She’s just a four year old cow, this would be her second calf so shouldn’t be a problem. I had notice the other day one of her teats was swollen but didn’t pay it much mind. Today it was really big as was the rest of her bag. Looked to be a big milker. I checked her a couple more times as the day went on. I spent most of it in Maggie’s studio, it was another good day to be there.
At evening chores the cow was still happy next to a round bale gorging on it. It was snowing hard and I knew she was close to calving. All she needed it to be was a bit darker, a bit colder and a bit snowier. Stupid cow. After chores when it was just dark, the wind was really blowing the snow, and the temp was falling I went to check her. There was a new calf lying in the hay pile. He was really big, bigger than Lizzie the 8-month-old orphan here at the house. What were also big were mommas teats, they were like balloons. I had a not so good feeling about this as I stood there looking at the wet little guy. The snow blew sideways in the truck headlights. I moved the calf so the round bales acted as a wind block and covered him in some hay. Mom didn’t really seem to care much about me messing with him. There wasn’t a lot to do. A calf is always best off with its mom. I hoped that if he could get a little nursing in he could get a teat down to a manageable size. My biggest worry was the teats being so sore mom wouldn’t let him nurse.
I was awake all night worrying about him. The wind howled and the snow fell all night.
Thursday, February 27, 2003
I was out at the crack of light checking on him. I found he was still alive
but didn’t look like he’d nursed. I hustled through chores then
got Maggie to help me get the pair up the lane into the pen that leads into
the squeeze chute. Without much problem we got mom in the chute and a rope
around one leg holding it back that Maggie held as I milked the cow. She
was pretty wild at first then as soon as I started milking her she stood
a quiet as a ten-year-old Holstein. I got a couple pints off two teats but
found the third was dry and the fourth was infected. I put the milk in a
nipple bottle and stuck it in the calf’s mouth. I didn’t have
to teach this one how to suck. That couple pints was down the hatch in about
a minute. He hollered as I went back to get more. She didn’t have that
much milk. My milking hands are out of shape so it took awhile to finish
her off. Got a couple more pints and the kid downed it fast. We put some
antibiotic cream in the infected teat and hope that it clears up.
As we were driving past the upper corrals I looked over and saw Rocky standing there. Funny he should be at Dog Spring. Then I saw Cimarron. And hey there’s T.J. and Doolin, and Cibique. And Chico, and Vaquero. There must be a gate open somewhere so we saddled up to check. We rode out following tracks, which took us up to N Bar Park. All the way across the park and down the green gate road we went. It was kinda sloppy and pretty tiring on the horses. Maggie was on Cooleye and I was on Gambler. Along the fence about two miles we found the crossing. They had traveled about ten miles from Dog Spring to find that hole and all the way they were single file with a mission in mind. I am sure Doolin was in the lead, giving orders and yelling at anyone out of line or dallying along the way. We fixed the hole as best we could, I’ll have to pack new posts in when the snow clears.
It snowed a bit off and on but was really pretty nice.
At evening chore I mixed up a bottle of fake milk and took it to the calf. He gulped it right down. Then Maggie gave me a hand building a tarp shelter around the lead pen to the scales. It worked out pretty well and when we left the calf had a full warm belly and was asleep on a hay bed we made with momma standing over him. We’ll all sleep better tonight.
Hi 34, partly cloudy with wind and snow starting in the evening.
Friday, February 28, 2003
It snowed all night and gave us about eight inches by morning. Now with so
many of the Dog Spring horses showing up we are feeding 48 here at the H.Q.
There are still 18 out at the spring or somewhere in Negrito pasture. After
chores we put the cow we named Elsie in the chute again and milked her good
teats, got about a quart that we gave to the little guy we are calling Elmer.
Then I took a long nosed syringe and slipped it in her bad teat. It ran like
a faucet draining out all kinds of rotten milk. It was pretty gross smelling
as I held it in there for about 10 minutes. But when I was done her teat
was back to a normal size. I injected more antibiotic cream in the teat and
will drain it again tomorrow; hopefully it will come back on line and start
working. The fourth teat is hard as a rock and I hold little hope for it
to ever work. Such a shame, she’s a really nice cow.
It was snowy and sunny off and on all day. Most of the nights snow melted from the sun even tho it never got over 25. We have water everywhere; it’s going to be a great spring. As usual just at evening chores it started snowing and it really came down. It seems to always snow at chore time.
Most of my day was spent pouring over maps. Studying a ride I am planning this year. I’m calling it the Pathfinders Adventure Week, June 1 st through 7 th.
We are going to leave Albq. On Sunday as usual but instead of driving all the way to the ranch we’re going about half way to just west of Magdalena, New Mex. The rest of the week will be spent riding to the ranch. We will be in the National Forest all the way and going through country we have never been in before. The first couple days will be kinda rugged as we go over the Black Range and through the Aldo Leopold Wilderness area with elevations of close to 11,000 feet. After that it should mellow out as we get farther west. It’s going to be a faster paced trip, we will have truck support, meeting us each night with our gear so we don’t have to be held back by pack animals. Now, I’m not saying we are going to gallop our horses all day, everyday. We like ‘em too much for that. But we will be doing a lot of trotting and a few long lopes, conditions permitting. I think most of our travel will be on old two track roads and trails. There are some marked on the maps but we know not to trust them. Roads become trails and trails become roads. A lot of the ride will be along the Continental Divide. Anyone want to come along?
Frank pulled in about dark, he’s back to work. Lyndsey called today wanting to come back but I still can’t afford to pay her. She said she was sick of the city and wanted to get back anyway so she will probably show up next week.
Hi 25 lo 19 sunny early, clouds and snow in the evening.
Saturday, March 1, 2003
More light snow over night putting a couple more inches
dusting on everything. The day was like the last few; some snow
then some sun, then more snow and lots of mud. I had planned
to ride today and try to find something out there to sell. Things
are tight as a new fence around here. But the weather kept me
in a truck. I put some salt out around Dog Spring and gave the
horses out there some hay. They were pretty happy about that.
Then drove out to 7HL and looked at the cattle there. The open
country is almost clear of all snow except in the little draws
and ditches and the steep north facing slopes. The cattle were
scattered well and seemed to be having a fine day. The afternoon
got sunnier and a whole lot of melting went on. It was mushy
on the way home and I almost didn’t make. On the way out
I had unknowingly been driving over ice that was frozen in the
ruts along the two-track road. On the way back I was breaking
through the ice that was a couple inches thick and sinking into
deep water filling the ruts. It really bogged that old truck
down but a lot of grinding and hoping got me through.
As the weather turned out I probably should have ridden today.
Frank is working for Maggie right now; he likes being in the studio listening to her off main street music collection.
Hi 30-morning snow, afternoon sun. Lo 20
Sunday, March 2, 2003
It was snowing again when I got up and as usual it
got heavy while we were feeding. It keeps doing that. As soon
as we walk out the door to do chores it starts to snow. I wasn’t
going to let it keep me from riding like it did yesterday. I
had to get out and find some cattle.
I saddled up Gambler and headed out with a bag of cookies and some water. We first went out to Burnt Cabin, as I got into the trees the snow was pretty deep. Over two feet of it in some places. The pines were all covered, with the gray, cloudy sky it seemed like I was riding in an old black and white movie. I cut some tracks before Burnt Cabin and lined out on them. They had snow in them but the farther I went the fresher they got. Right on the edge of the Negrito Triangle I came across five cows and two heifers. I headed them back toward the nearest gate into 7HL, which was about three miles away through the timber. The snow was still falling and getting a bit harder but luckily it was at my back. The cattle traveled well, they seemed to know I was taking them some place better. That area of Negrito pasture we were in is all tall ponderosa pine and thick. Once the snow gets in there it stays around.
About and hour later I closed the gate behind them as they headed into 7HL seeing other cattle up on a clear south slope. The snow was really starting to come down but I headed back south. On the way to the gate I had seen fresh tracks of other cattle. Half an hour later I was deep in the pines on tracks and the snow was dumping down. It was piling up on my lap so much I was brushing it every two minutes or so. Before leaving the house I had put a snow blanket on Gambler. This is done by taking a saddle blanket and not folding it but laying it out length wise along the horses back before saddling. It hangs over his rump. Any way the blanket had 3 inches on it within an hour. It was snowing so hard I could hear it in the trees. It was hard to tell if I was gaining on the cattle since the tracks were filling fast but I knew I was close since I could still see them even a little. Soon I came across two pairs and a bull. The calves I can sell so I wanted to get them all the way home. I was about five miles out and the snow was now coming in our faces. This of course made the cattle reluctant to go that way and balky. The bull was the worst - he just quit after a mile. I had hell and my vocal cords to pay getting the cows to leave him. Gambler was great; he wanted to get home but knew we had a job to do. He worked his butt off and ended the day with a mouth full of hair from biting the cows all the way back. About 3pm I was not having a lot of fun, I was kinda wishing I had never found them. But I couldn’t stop there. The snow was getting deep and it was cold and getting colder. The sky was without light it seemed but that of the snow. It looked like it was after sunset. I have been out riding when it was snowing but never in a snow like that. It was amazing. I would brush it off my legs and in less than a minute I was covered again. Even as hard as Gambler was working and as warm as he was, he still was coated in snow.
We were just above the H.Q. valley when suddenly the snow stopped. In moments the clouds broke to show ragged blue patches. It was almost 6pm and the sun was low, casting an incredible light. I knew something special was going to happen soon. It did. The sky swirled and wind came up scuttling the clouds into different layers and types. Some were still so gray and so laden with snow they were purple. Others were blown into streaming tendrils that suddenly blossomed into prisms. Glowing with all the colors of the rainbow as the sun broke for a brief moment before setting. I had to stop and try to take a picture, one of the few times I had a camera with me. I hope it comes out.
Soon after I came to the rim of the valley and looked down to see home. Smoke lifted from both chimneys, and a yellow light glowed from the windows with the promise of warmth and dryness. I could see horses in all the different pastures, all with heads down enjoying the evening meal. It was all a welcome sight after a long day. I penned the cattle and forked them some hay for the night then walked Gambler to the barn. Steam rose as I lifted the saddle from his sweaty back. I slipped him a hand of grain as I came back with the currycomb. Fifteen minutes later I took the halter off him at the gate and he trotted out to tell his pals of the day he’d had. He deserved to brag, we’d gotten a good days work done.
As I walked stiffly to the house I saw we had gotten about 13 inches during the day. Kicking the snow from my boots at the door I opened it to the smells of hot coffee and frying potatoes.
Hi 22 lo 18.
Monday, March 3, 2003
What a difference a day makes! Overnight the last of the weather blew out and
it got cold! It was –2 at 6am. I know not as cold as you poor folks
there in the New England who have been getting the winter of winters up there.
But still it was a big change after the warm winter we’ve been having.
The sky was deep blue and the snow was blinding. There was no going out without
sunglasses.
Frank and I had plans of riding but were slow to get going. Maggie was headed to Silver City so we had recycling to load up, laundry, make shopping lists and pay some bills. She left about 10am and we were finally ready to go when the bank called. Last week I had applied to get an account to take credit cards so it would be more convenient. The application was nothing short of a credit application, three pages. Now they want my last two years tax returns, a financial statement, and will need to do an on site inspection. What the hell is that all about? I thought they’d want to make it easy for a business to get set up since they’re making money on it. Screw that! We’ll look and see if another outfit is easier to work with or we’ll just stay a cash business.
We finally got out of here about 11am. And headed into Negrito again. I went south and Frank went north of Dog Spring. The day was incredible! There was not a cloud in the sky, not even a jet contrail to scar the deep, deep blue. It seems if there is snow on the ground the sky is bluer, wonder why that is? The snow was deep in the timber and under it was thick soft ground so it was hard on the horses. Frank was riding Kitten, I was on Gambler. Kitten is my wife’s dumbass horse, the only horse I know that I really dislike. He feels the same way about me. Everyone else gets along fine with him and enjoys riding him. He’s a blimp and needs the work and it sure was a good fat burning day.
The cold of the morning worn off fast and when we left the house it was vest weather. Air temp was about 40; sun factor was in the 50’s. I have a black down vest and I tell ya it’s the best color for winter riding. Gambler was spooky the whole time because of the avalanches of snow coming off the tall pines. With good reason I suppose, they could really hurt if you got a direct hit. Most of these trees in that area are 70 to 100 feet tall. The sun loosens the snow on top and it falls creating a shower of snow that WHUMPS down on the ground. Anywhere close you can feel the shake of it. I bet it amounts to several hundred pounds, definitely enough to break your neck. So he spent the first part of the work looking out for those while I looked for cows. Up in a meadow I saw 6 head of cattle digging around in the snow He was so busy we rode to within 50 yards of before he saw them and then jumped and snorted when he did. What a dork.
We gathered these up and headed back down toward the spring. They were a pleasure to trail; three of the cows were about to calve so they had no intentions of running around. The lead cow took the path and they all lined right out behind her. There were two ’01 heifers that must have been in that pasture since last fall when we gathered. Where the others came from I’m not sure. Just north of the spring I met up with Frank. He’d seen nothing. We made a new plan. I’d take my bunch to the Silver gate and put them in 7HL pasture since none were any I wanted to sell. Then I’d ride down to Ewe canyon and try and find a couple to sell that I knew were in that area. Frank would keep riding the area he was in. We knew there were at least a dozen more cattle in there and with the snow it should be easy to find them.
When I got close to the Silver gate I saw there was a welcoming party. Eighteen horses were hanging out a couple hundred yards from the gate. They were enjoying the sunny day after the last week of snow. Some were flat out on the ground, the others were standing hip shot, heads down and I’m sure that if I’d been closer I’d seen bottom lips drooping.
But I knew as soon as one woke and saw me that they’d all become trouble. I tried to get by them with no disturbance but Chili popped his head up and an instant later they all reacted. Getting to their feet and ears perked. We were only 50 yards from the closed gate so it was a critical moment. The cattle had come about two miles through deep snow so they were tired. I left them along the fence and went and opened the gate. As soon as those horses saw that gate open they started for it. I swung back up on Gambler and we stood our ground and shooed them away from the opening. It was touch and go for a minute as they were intent on going through, I hollered and charged Chili and Vaquero who were the most insistent and they gave up and broke into a run up the valley. All the others took off with them, bucking and farting, kicking up showers if snow. Of course they had to charge the cattle as they went by but luckily the cows just sort of spread out of the way and then stood watching the show. Gambler was perfect, they all ran past within 30 feet of him, Cisco coming in close and throwing a kick his way. I swear that little delinquent horse would have a switchblade strapped to his ankle if he could afford one.
I gathered up the cows and we went on through the gate. The open country was already clearing off fast. It was about 2pm when I got there and it was 50% clear of snow. Just lots of mud. I left the cattle in Ewe canyon and started looking through the cattle that were already there. About a 100 where hanging out along a mile of the canyon bottom. I spotted four heifers that I wanted to sell, a paint and three brindles. They are nice heifers but just not going to be my type of cow. I tried easing them out and up the canyon, almost got it done. About a half-mile we went till we got to Water At The Rock they realized that there were four of them and just one of us. They broke four different directions and it was a done deal. Stupid heifers.
I rode back to and through the Silver Gate, and back to Dog Spring. Along the way I saw a wolf cross the meadow ahead of me, had a radio collar on. It was big and in really good shape.
I’d seen no tracks telling me that Frank had come that way with the cattle. When I got to the trail at the spring I saw he was headed home. It was only about 4pm so I worried that something was wrong with his fat horse. I put Gambler into a trot and ten minutes later caught up with him. He hadn’t seen any tracks of cattle and his horse got tired.
We headed on home. When we got there he put his horse up and I went and pushed the bulls out of the corral their round bale is in. They have been in there for weeks; the gates have been open the whole time so they could wander whenever they wished. They just never wished. Once I put them out on the grass on the sunny slope above the corrals they were happy. Just needed some direction I guess.
All day there was not a breath of wind, really unusual for
this time of year.
Tuesday, March 4, 2003
Another day and another world of difference. I woke to snow and wind, both
hard and heavy. Of course it lightened up right after chores were done. Frank
and I spent most of the morning unloading rails he had brought up the other
day. These are ones I bought a couple years ago from Maggie’s old assistant
Gene. We are just now getting them up here. They are pretty nice rails, 8 ft
long, 6 inches around and pressure treated. I’ll use them to rebuild
the upper corrals. They are in such poor shape the other day when the wind
was blowing so hard a whole section blew right over.
By the time we got them unloaded we were done being outside, the temperature was only 22 with a good stiff breeze. Frank worked on some broken things in Lindsey’s house, and put a woodstove in his cabin. I did some house stuff as well. We have a 1962 O’Keefe & Merritt gas cook stove, just your basic white enamel with a center griddle. A couple years ago while at a friends place I saw a stove of the same vintage sitting in his junk pile. On closer inspection I saw it was a fancy one, chrome oven and door pulls and best, a solid chrome top. He said I was welcome to it and I stripped all the parts off I wanted including all the little gas lines to the burners and oven. Today I finally got around to messing with it. The chrome was all dirty so I spent several hours cleaning it with navel jelly {where does that stuff come from?}. My oh my did it sparkle when I was done. The hardest part was getting all the old stove parts off, but finally did, and put on all the chrome. It took until chore time to get it done but man did it look good!
Maggie got home about 8pm, walked in the door, and was surprised and amazed at her new stove.
She arrived with a truckload of food and supplies. The first few days after a town run we have salads and veggies with every meal. As I mentioned before we only have old fashioned ice boxes so produce doesn’t last long. There is also ice cream the first night, but we have to eat it all because of no freezer, it’s a tough chore but we manage it. There’re also all kinds of treats, chocolate, fruit, nuts, ummmmm. But the last few days before a town run are rough. We try to wait as long as we can and get right down to the bottom of the box and cupboard. Some of the concoctions Maggie creates take all of her imagination. It helps to have one when you eat it too; it’s always good tasting but curious.
The snow was off and on all day, just making more mud. Hi 25
lo 19.
Wednesday, March 5, 2003
Snow again at sunrise, it’s getting to be a regular thing.
Rusty I guess hasn’t forgotten the torture I put him through during his treatments last month. This morning as I walked by with a bucket of grain he kicked the hell out of me. He blasted with both barrels but luckily only one got me, caught me right on the point of the hip. It woke me up. We get too complacent around these half-ton animals. It’s a good thing it was just a weanling who gave me a reminder how quick it can happen. There is no way you can react fast enough to avoid a seriously thrown kick.
I spent all morning working on accounting stuff. I am sure I will upset someone out there when I say I would rather go to the dentist than deal with an accountant. They are a breed of their own.
It was cold and windy again all day, with off and on snow flurries. I oiled my saddle. My once a year oiling. I am not concerned about the appearance as much as I am about the longevity and silence. I hate a squeaky saddle. I hate riding with some one with a squeaky saddle. I want to hear the birds, the wind in the grass, not EEE EEE, EEE EEE, EEE EEE. Just drives me crazy! Folks have commented that they oil their saddles all the time but they still squeak. Rubbing oil on the surface does nothing but make you slip around. You have to flip that thing over and get into the guts of it. I believe in Neetsfoot oil, nothing else. I use a syringe and squirt the oil way up into all the cracks and joints. Pull the fender straps so you can get oil where the leather wears over the tree and D rings. Get it in all the stitching, get it everywhere. It’s messy, especially the first time but it’s worth it. I’ve got an old Textan that has been done once a year for about 15 years. It is absolutely silent. The saddle has thousands of miles on it and I have only had to replace the lining twice and the main latigo twice.
March sure has been a lion so far; I hope that the old saying proves to be true. There are a lot of things I should be doing outside but on days like today with a wind chill of 0 you just don’t really want to be out in it.
Hi 26 lo 19 cloudy with flurries.
Thursday, March 6, 2003
The weather keeps going back and forth. Today was a
nice one. Bright and sunny but still a bit chilly. Gambler and
I were out early headed back into Negrito pasture to hunt that
bunch of cattle we couldn’t find the other day.
We left the H.Q. through Big Pine gate. As soon as we got through
it I saw fresh tracks of a single horse. Kinda strange I thought,
so I followed them. I found Lucky about a mile up the canyon
asleep under a tree by herself. I had last seen her two days
before out at Dog Spring. I gave her a holler and she came right
over nickering all the way. I’m not sure why she came down
there, we had weaned her colt but that was weeks ago. I headed
out toward the spring and she fell in behind us. It had gotten
down to 9 degrees last night so everything was frozen hard. It
was tough on Gambler, he was not enjoying the chunky frozen ground
and all the icy puddles. When we got to the spring there all
the other horses were. Lucky ran up and got a big welcome and
where were you from the others. I had somehow left home without
gloves and was really hoping that I could find these cattle quick
since it was pretty cold in the shade of the trees. I took gambler
for a drink and looked down the valley, my spirits soared! There
was a line of cattle headed my way. When Gambler was done we
headed down. There where 6 cows and 5 calves. They stopped when
they saw me coming and I eased around taking a look at whose
they were. 5 cows and 2 calves were mine, the rest were Rockin
Arrow. I got them turned around back toward the Silver gate,
which was less than a mile away. With the Rockin Arrow cattle
my only real hope was to get them in the south trap. They started
off a bit trotty. I saw one cow of mine had placenta hanging
and a big bag. My guess was she had calved the day or night before
during the snow, probably lost her calf but I cut her back and
left her just in case she still had it somewhere. I got the bunch
to the gate with no real problems. It was a bit touchy as they
were more than inclined to bolt if I gave them half a reason.
Slow and easy we went. Checking them a bit this way and a bit
that way, it’s always delicate with Rockin Arrow cattle.
I swung down to open the gate into the south trap and as soon
as I hit the ground and they saw me on two legs they freaked
and bolted. I got the gate open and swung back up and ran them
down and got around them. Well from then on it was fast paced
as I got them headed back towards the open gate. They ran by
it once and I got them stopped and backed off just holding them
while they settled down enough to see the gate, Finally one of
my good cows saw it and went on through and the rest followed.
They were still pretty heated up and started trotting along the
fence. About then the cow I had left behind moooed and a Rockin
Arrow cow hollered back and just went over the fence like a deer.
I saw all the cattle were planning the same move and put the
heels to Gambler driving up the fence between it and the cows
turning them away from it. One yearling Rockin Arrow calf made
a wild jump and cleared the fence; the rest went wild through
the trees. I kept them in sight but well back, they were headed
the right direction and that was all that mattered. The snow
was pretty deep and it wasn’t too long before they tired
out. A cow of mine took the lead; she seemed to suddenly remember
the way home. The rest lined out behind her and they were pretty
much trouble free from there on. About 1pm I had them in the
pens and headed to the house for lunch. I gave Gambler a big
rub down and told him again what an awesome horse he was.
I grabbed Doc after lunch and headed down to sort the cattle. I wanted to cut
my big steers off their mommas so I can sell them next week. And I wanted to
get the Rockin Arrow cattle in a secure pen of their own till some one picks
them up. I feel like I should get a finders fee. Doc was excited to get saddled
and pranced all the way to the pens. It was a mess in there. The mud was half
way up his cannon bones and thick. His feet stuck with every step and I soon
decided it was no place for him to be. He was so excited I was worried that
he would wreck a joint trying to turn too fast in the gluey mess. We got the
Rockin Arrow cattle cut from mine and then I tied him up and sorted my pairs
on foot. It was really hard to walk and a stinking mud to boot. A hundred years
of cattle in those pens was really noticeable. I ran mine in the chute to ear
mark one, it was a bad decision. I really didn’t need to do it but I
had time and wanted there to be no questions at the sale from the brand inspector.
I reached threw and made the notch. The steer threw his head and drove the
edge of the knife deep into the pad of my finger. Same one I cut a few weeks
ago. I had just been out of that bandage a few days. This new one lies within
a hairs width of the first. Having a finger that looks like a Q Tip kinda gets
old. It has really changed my style of typing. That delayed things a bit. I
didn’t really even look at it. Just felt it. Left the steers in the chute
and Swung up on Doc all the while pinching the wound closed. Maggie helped
me wrap it up after a good washing. You sure get a good immune system to stuff
like that out here. It amazed me the first cut didn’t get infected considering
what I was dealing with at the time. But put me on a plane or take me to a
city, I’ll be sick within 24 hours.
I went back and let the calves out of the chute then hitched my trailer up and hauled the momma cows out to 7HL leaving the calves in the corrals till sale day next week.
Frank is working for Maggie most days right now. Still no sign of Lyndsey.
John says we have 17 calves at his place now.
I have plans to meet Don And Jeanie in the morning at cowcamp. They have a couple head of cattle in 7HL and I have two bulls I want to get out. Hopefully the weather stays good.
Hi 35, sun factor 50, lo 9. Sunny and just a bit of a breeze.
Friday, March 7, 2003
It’s always a pleasure to ride with Don and Jeanie. We met at the gate
to cowcamp and rode down into T Bar Valley. Our plan was to get 5 cows of theirs
and three bulls of mine. We were going to pen them at Fence tank. We got to
the first feeder at 7HL and there was not a cow to be seen. I have been out
there at least once a week for the last three months and always there are at
least 40 there. We rode on down to the Y and there were only about 30 there,
usually there are 70 to 100. But luckily of those 30, 4 of them were Don and
Jeannie’s’. We headed them toward fence tank with a heifer of mine
I wanted to sell. I expected to find a pile of cattle at the fence tank feeder,
got there and there was not one in sight. The cattle we had traveled easy and
went right in the pen. And right out the other side. It was Don’s first
time at the corrals and he didn’t realize there were two gates. I was
on Dakota and we easily got around them then turned them back and into the
pen. We were real lucky they weren’t wilder. After that we headed out
into Pitchfork hoping to find my bulls and see more of my cows. We did a pretty
good loop and the only cattle we saw were four Rockin Arrow cattle trotting
off in the distance. We got up on a ridge and saw cattle way off to the west.
Not as many as I thought there should have been. Usually when I go out I can
see 150 in an easy loop and always see those three bulls. The weather last
week really drifted them somewhere. I just need to get out and find where.
While we were sitting on the ridge looking around I was thinking to myself just how damn beautiful it was. Even with the browns of winter. There were streaks of snow here and there lying in the gullies and on a few slopes. Water ran down every draw and was pooled up all along the valley. It doesn’t get any better than this I thought. Don broke our silence with the comment “ You could go a long way and see a lot of country and never see anything as pretty as this”.
I was riding a new saddle pad Maggie got me when she was in Amarillo. A Bach pad, it’s like a COWBOY”S CHOICE pad but has a higher center with a memorizing foam in it. It’s almost 2 inches thick where the saddle sits. I felt like I had a mattress under my saddle and I was swaying side to side. Dakota started out the day a little juicy and I was a bit worried about this whole set up. As the day went on my horse and my pad worked out fine. I did have to get off and tighten my cinch twice as the pad settled but I think it may work out to be a dandy. When I pulled the saddle I really liked the sweat marks I saw.
It was a pretty good day, hi 45 sun factor 55. It made a lot of water run and really softened the ground up so we decided to be safer than real sorry and leave the cattle in the pen overnight. We will bring the trailer out in the morning while the ground is frozen and haul them home then.
Saturday, March 8, 2003
Maggie and I were out early to get the cattle that were at Fence tank. On the
way out we saw a hundred cattle and of course all the bulls. Where the heck
were they yesterday?
We got to the pens and put out some hay. Everything was going well since they were pretty hungry.
It went well till we climbed in the pen. There was a black cow that suddenly pulled a Dr Jekyll on us and charged me right away. I told Maggie to keep her eyes open and not get too far from the fence. This cow was bad. We eassed them around getting them all up to the end of the trailer several times, even had a couple get on. But that damn cow would freak and turn and charge back at us. Maggie had never been in the pen with a cow like that. She’d watched a few times but that fence being there or not sure changes your outlook on it. The cow made a rush at her and she froze, I threw my stick and hit it in the head diverting its attention. I yelled at Maggie to stay awake and ready and keep a hand on the fence, there was no bluff in that wildass bovine. A few more minutes of quietly easing them around and the cow made another charge at Maggie. I watched in horror as the cow moved fast and she didn’t. The cow just about had its head buried in her belt buckle when she let out a blood-curdling scream. It was something out of a picture show. It did the trick, that cow stopped after blowing snot on her shirt and ran the other way. It didn’t stop running till it was on the trailer. Another one jumped on with it, I wasn’t going to let her get back off and dashed through the other cattle and jumped on the trailer to close the center gate. Just as I got on the trailer she turned and started back. I got a hold of that gate and swung it for all I was worth. It slammed shut and latched fractions of a second before she hit it. If it hadn’t of latched I’d of been a mashed potato. Things got better now that she was out of the way, but she was still kinda in the way. The trailers are set up with the front section being the largest holding 6 to 8 cows and the back section will hold only 2 or 3. The wild cow and her buddy were in the front. So we got two more cows in the back and then had to open the middle gate and poke and holler them around the gate into the front. Of course that black wild thing came back the other way and got her self hip locked between the gate and the side of the trailer. She got mad and fought harder which only made it worse. We backed off and let things settle down in there and finally she was able to realize if she went backwards, not forward she could get out. So now we had four in the front and were able to get the last two on the back. It had taken two hours to get them loaded and the sun had been shining bright. It was only 9am but things were getting plenty muddy already. We made it out but most of the way we were throwing up rooster tails of mud from the spinning tires.
We had left home with no breakfast so now that it was mid morning when we got home we had a big brunch. Frank had taken care of the feeding while we were gone. I left the cattle on my trailer, I wasn’t about to let that crazy thing back off. Don came to pick them up just when we got done eating. We backed his trailer up to the rear of mine to run the cattle from one to the other. We roped and tied my heifer that was on so she couldn’t follow the others. It went fine and they were on their way with our warnings about the crazy cow.
Frank and Maggie headed off to her studio to work and I fired up the tractor and put out round bales for the bulls. As I was doing this I saw Elmer nursing one of Elsie’s good teats. Yahooo.
I spent the rest of the afternoon cutting old wood around the shipping pens. We had a lot of junk wood scattered around there, old fence rails and such. We’re about out of firewood so I figure to clean the place up and add to the woodpile. I got a truckload cut in an hour or so and dumped it off at the house.
I had broken a round bale down at the pens so I haltered up Chancy to lead her down there knowing all the weanlings would follow her. We were just coming down past the house when Ben comes charging down the hill. He ran full speed into the group of weanlings chasing and biting at them, he chased them right into the barbwire fence. They hit the fence just yards from where Early had been killed a couple years ago. Of course the best of the bunch, Darkeye, got into it the worst. She got her front end over ok but the wire twisted like a vise around both hocks. She was fighting it and I watched knowing she was destroying herself. There was nothing I could do, I was 50 yards away. Frank had been outside starting a generator and was closer than I was. He started to run to her and I hollered for him not to run. It would just freak her out more. After 45 seconds of fighting and trashing she pulled her legs through the wire. She stood shaking and dazed now caught in an alley between two fences. I caught Chancy who was dragging her lead and led her to Darkeye. I was amazed to get close and see there wasn’t blood and was no gaping wounds. I walked Chancy and Darkeye followed to the end of the alley where Frank had a gate open. All the while Ben is still running all around chasing the other weanlings and trying to cause another wreck. I was so pissed I could have shot him. We got Darkeye and the other weanlings in their corral and looked them over. Rusty had a couple cuts as well as Melba, fortunately nothing serious. Darkeye was lucky; she must have had her legs in the six-inch spacing between barbs. Her hocks are cut a bit and missing hair but the worst is the heavy bruising and the broken blood vessels. Swelling and edema set in fast. If she were halter broke I would have iced her hocks but as it is I knew that would just freak her out more right now. She didn’t want to walk but I was able to get her in the hospital pen. I gave her some feed and bute and she seemed to relax some. My big worry is all the swelling and fluid will break apart tendons and muscles and ligaments messing up the joints up for good. I have a feeling she is about to get halter broke.
I think we have rounded the corner of winter and I can safely feel the worry of it is over. Even if a big storm does come now, the days are longer and the sun stronger where I don’t think it would be life threatening to the cattle. Spring is in the air. Today was 51 after a low 0f 19. Sunny with a bit of a breeze. Now we just have windy season top get through, usually march 15 th through about mid May.
Monday, March 10, 2003
I was right, spring blew in yesterday. Warm and balmy with a hi of 55 and a
sun factor of 70. I worked on fence and worked in a T Shirt! I know you folks
up north are still in the grips of winter but take heart, spring is here
and headed your way.
Not a lot to write about seems if I’m not horseback I’m working on fence. We have a cattle guard on the driveway next to the shipping pens. Every fall during shipping the fence on either side of it gets trashed. Last year was especially bad and we ranch rigged it with old boards and wire. It was the first thing you see as you come into the valley and looked terrible. I tore everything out and started from new. Dug holes for four posts, got them set and tamped. Put up four rails and then drove wood posts stockade fashion nailed to the rails. No cow is getting around that cattle guard or will even think of trying. I had planed on a half day job and ended just as the sun was going down.
Today I worked on the long alley fence here near the house where Darkeye and Early both ran into it. The ground is perfect for driving posts. It’s moist all the way down and takes a post. I drove 36 4-inch wood posts along the fence between the metal posts that were already there. And stapled the wire to the posts. This will keep the wires from twisting and flipping over it’s self if something does get caught in it. The staples are large U shaped devices with one leg a bit shorter than the other. This is done I think so your first blow with the hammer will always glance off and smash your holding fingers. After that I set a top rail along the posts even with the top wire. Now they will see it. A wire fence with steel posts is just too hard for a frightened horse to see.
Today was another perfect spring day. Lots of sun with a hi of 62, sun factor of 75. John said it was 82 down at the farm today. Overnight low was only 27.
The best thing about the last two days was the lack of wind. We should be just about to start our windy season. It usually runs from mid March to mid April. It blows from 10am till 6pm, any thing under 20 mph is a gentle breeze. I can’t wait.
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Yesterday was one of the nicest days since last fall.
Hi was 64 with no wind and a sun factor of 75. I was Manual Laboring,
driving fence posts all day. This time up at the guest camp,
replacing all the railings along the boardwalk. Kind of a pain
in the ass but way overdue in being done. As I was cutting the
old stuff up to clear the way it was literally dust in the logs.
I use a 12 lb sledgehammer to drive the posts, it makes you sleep
well. I got 36 posts driven, I figure about 120 will do the job.
Frank and Maggie have been stuck in the studio while I was out enjoying the day and breaking a sweat. I actually got sunburned arms!
Overnight lo was 21.
Today I was feeling a bit done in from my post driving so I grabbed Gambler and we rode a loop out through a bit of Negrito pasture. First to Dog Spring, seeing 13 horses along the way. Then up to the Lookout Meadows where we saw tracks of a few more horses and a few cattle. None were new so we didn’t follow them. We crossed over Negrito Mountain and suddenly found ourselves back in winter. That side of the mountain was still deep in snow. We stayed to the ridge but still we found our selves in patches that were easily close to three feet deep. We crossed Quaking Aspen canyon where the creek was running out of its banks. Gambler is not a water horse so he fretted a moment over the fast water before he leaned back and launched himself. He is such a smooth jumper. We lightly landed with ground to spare. From there we hooked up with the main road. Not a track on it. No one has been past our driveway in months. I followed the road home getting in just in time for lunch. The ride loosened me up and the fence posts called so I headed up and got 22 posts in the ground before chores. I have filed the teeth on one of my chainsaw chains till they are really long. It works great this way for cutting length wise along the post making sharp points on the end for driving in the ground. An old trick I learned years ago from a fella I use to cut timber with.
After chores just before dark I loaded up a 200 pound protein block and some salt to take out to the Dog Spring horses. On the way out I saw 11 Mule deer standing right on the road. Deer are scarce around here, I was happy to see them. I dropped off the block and salt then on the way back I saw about 125 elk jump into the south trap headed to the new green grass around the Homestead well. I wasn’t happy to see them! It is starting to green up under the trees and along the tanks and streams. Those folks coming out in May and early June are in for a treat, the wild Irises. We haven’t had them in over five or six years but this year will be great with all the moisture. Millions fill every bottom and draw with their purple color; it’s amazing to see.
Thursday, March 13, 2003
Another great spring day hi was 65 with a sun factor
of 80. I worked on fence all day, driving posts with sweat running
in my eyes. Twenty feet away was a patch of snow 2 feet deep.
Since I was alone I worked bare-chested, got sunburned too. It
felt great. We better enjoy it; the weather channel is calling
for a big change at the end of the weekend. I was on the hill
driving posts like a mad man when I saw a truck coming down the
drive. It looked familiar but I couldn’t place to whom
it belonged. It got nearer and stopped, a door opened and a dog
jumped out. I knew I’d seen that dog somewhere. Then a
woman gets out, she was short, real long hair and a big smile.
I was pretty sure I knew her. When she said “Hey Boss man” It
all came back to me. It was Lyndsey! Back from 10 weeks living
the soft life in the city. She was sure happy to be back, we
were happy to have her back.
She may not be so happy at the end of the day tomorrow. We are gathering the North trap and branding some calves. The corrals have dried out enough to work in there. We need to get it done before the weekend weather muddies them up again. Besides warm it was a bit breezy in the afternoon as some high thin clouds moved in, Overnight low was 19.
Friday, March 14, 2003
Was cloudy from sunrise to sunset, but warm. Hi was about 60, no sunfactor.
Got a bit breezy in the afternoon. We all saddled up and got gathering pretty
early, had the whole north trap gathered in the corrals before 11am. We had
about 100 head in there and decided to let them settle on hay while we ate
lunch. After lunch Frank and I sorted the cows from the calves just a slick
as you please with good horses, leaving us with 13 that were big enough to
brand. There are new little ones all over the place now. We got a fire going
and soon were at work. It’s been months since we had our hands on a
rope and we were all rusty, heck to be honest we were corroded! It took forever
to get the job done. I was roping off Dakota; his first time in the branding
pens other than sorting. I had swung a rope off him but never actually roped
something. At first as I got close enough to a calf to throw a rope he would
reach out and bite it. It took a few minutes to get him to understand that
we were not biting them today. We were in stealth mode. He picked up on it
pretty quick. Every time I missed….every throw… he would stop
and stand still as a post as I rebuilt my loop. The first time I caught a
calf and dallied asking him to pull from the horn he scoooched up and got
humpy but settled right down. That first calf I caught, Frank was tailing
down and I was able to move Dakota to the side pulling the rope and pulling
the calf’s feet from under it at the same time making it an easy throw
for Frank. Dakota started getting into it and understood how to set me up
for a throw. It was as if he had been doing it his whole life. The only thing
he didn’t like was the smoke from the branding fire; he shied away
from that messing up a couple throws. He was perfect when I swung down to
help get a caught one to the ground. He stood right where I parked him even
with calves running under and around him and ropes flying. I couldn’t
have been more pleased with the way he worked.
Maggie got a couple good catches with her fat horse Kitten. He’s great in the pen working but just head home and he’s a jigging fool.
Lyndsey had twisted her ankle last night so she was little help compared to her usual in the pens. Frank was having an off day too, cussing his rope most the time.
Saturday, March 15, 2003
I turned the post driving over to Frank and Lyndsey. Frank had said he needed
some exercise after working in Maggie’s studio so much. He got it.
They got about 20 posts driven which finished off all needed along the boardwalk.
I went out to fill up feeders getting ready for some moisture coming our
way.
I got about a mile south of cowcamp when the truck started bucking like it was running out of gas. I knew both tanks were fresh filled but it died any way. I had a good idea what the problem was. We have six five hundred gallon storage tanks for diesel and gasoline at the H.Q. Late every fall we get them topped off for the up coming winter when the delivery truck can’t make it in. About March we are always almost out of fuel. We try to make it last as long as possible, never filling a truck just taking as much as you need for the next job. Always making sure there are a couple gallons around for the generators. Last week I put a couple gallons in the truck and it was the last couple gallons in the tank. The fuel truck came that very same day but the old fuel had already gone through the system. So I figured my fuel filter was clogged. I spent some time under the truck getting the filter out as well as getting a good bath of gas. Seems you just can’t work on a fuel line from below without at least a pint running down your arms and up your sleeves. The filter was a mess; all kinds of crap from the bottom of the storage tank had stopped it up. I ran a wire through it to allow the fuel to go straight through. Not recommended unless you are a long walk from home. Put it back in and drained some fresh fuel off the tank to dump in the carburetor to prime it. It fired right back up and in less than 45 minuets we were back on the move.
I saw about 150 cattle out there, 11 new calves, and plenty of cows about to calve. The two year old heifers are so heavy bred they look as tho they swallowed a 55 gallon barrel.
Clouds came up in the afternoon and the wind really started cranking with gusts up to 30 mph.
Sunday, March 16, 2003
A few snow flakes as we did chores this morning, the wind blew hard. Frank
left about midday to get some of Maggie’s packages to UPS pick up.
The closest is in Glenwood 2.5 hours. Then he is going to stay and take his
dad to a Drs. Appt. on Monday. Lyndsey asked if she could have Sundays off
till things got busy. Strange concept, I thought things were busy. But you
know me, I let her. I spent the day working on the roads around the H.Q.
Things have dried out to just the right point to do some road work and have
it set up well and pack. I cleaned all the run off ditches and little catch
basins filling the dump truck 9 times. I dumped each load back on the road
where it had come from in the first place. The runoff takes it one direction
and every couple years I take it the other.
Through the afternoon as I worked the snow flakes became flurries, then about chore time there was light snow and a fierce wind. As we were getting done with chores the snow became pretty heavy, the wind driving it sideways. Now at 7pm the wind is howling, snow is flying, the house is filled with smoke from the woodstove that won’t draw against the continuous blow. It is 19 and I have no idea what the wind chill is.
Monday, March 17, 2003
All night the wind blew like I have seldom heard it.
I am sure there were gusts well over 50 mph. The house shook
and rattled. Curtains fluttered and the snow was driven under
the door and lay white two feet inside the house. We had to let
the woodstove go out due to the smoke and the fireplace had no
chance to compete against the chill the wind drove in.
As I listened to the wind rage, the night outside was a strange, soft glow with the full moon and all the snow. Getting up at 5am you couldn’t really tell when the sun came up, it just stayed dull white.
It was a white out at chores, visibility was 15 yards, and the snow was falling and blowing. Just swirling white. The wind took your voice away, there was no talking unless you were head to head with someone. It stayed that way all day, white and windy.
I had put out three round bales yesterday and the cattle seemed happy as can be with heads buried in the bales. There is no color to them but white. We have a lot of calves here near the H.Q. and they were all lying in the loose hay covered in snow. Tough creatures. At evening chores I was the last out and when I got to the corrals I saw one of the weanlings was missing. Lyndsey hadn’t noticed, she’d just been head down against the wind and snow. Looking around the corner of the barn I saw Melba down in the snow colicing. Couldn’t have been a better time for it. We got her in the chute pen and really had no problem getting some Banamine in her. There was no walking her around since she’s not halter broke. We just let her alone and hoped for the best. By the time chores were done she was feeling a bit better but still pawing and rolling. We tried to catch her before she did but she got a couple good rolls in. The worry here is that they will twist a gut. I’ve had few weanlings colic, and never had one twist so I hoped for the best. Maggie says their guts are young and tight, who knows we’ll see.
By days end there was very little new snow around the house area, the wind swept it all away. I’m sure it’s piled up deep in the trees. The hi temp was 22, lo was 18.
Tuesday, March 18, 2003
The wind blew just as hard all night, again a night with no woodstove heat.
The snow tapered off to flurries, some were pretty heavy.
Melba was still alive and looking for something to eat in the morning. I had gone out and given her more drugs about midnight. I guess Maggie’s theory was right. After chores here, we hauled some hay out to Dog Spring. On the way up the driveway two wolves crossed the road right in front of us. They had been down around the cattle and all the young calves. We will have to start coming down every hour or so to keep them away.
All the horses there at the spring were ganged up in the pines and came drifting out as the chuck truck pulled up. They all looked good and were feeling frisky. The snow in the trees was two to three feet deep. I stepped into one drift that was way over my waist.
On the way back down the drive way we saw three coyotes, doing the same thing the wolves were. Not much out there to eat except calves.
As we crested the rim of the valley you could see the snow coming over the mountains to the west. It was on us by the time we stopped the truck in front of the house. Now at 4pm it has been snowing and blowing all day. Just the sort of day to stay in and do taxes. This is the third day of no heat, we are wearing coats and hats around the house. What happened to that great weather of last week!
Thursday, March 27, 2003
It was a cold windy day, gusts to 50 mph.
Frank went to Glenwood to take a colt-breaking clinic from Buster McClaury; he’ll be gone four days. He took our horse Cowboy to work. Lyndsey hid in the barn all day cleaning saddles. I loaded up tools in my truck and headed out to the north fence along Pitchfork pasture. It took an hour and half to get out there. I had to cut three big pines out of the road that had blown down in the last couple months. My job was to replace a section of fence that had burned out last year during the Middle Fire. The forest service had paid someone to fix it but it never got done. All the wood posts had burned out at ground level and a hundred yard stretch of fence was laid down. The wire was fine so it was a matter of driving some metal T posts and building two H braces for the gate. It took all day to get the job done. The wind howled and pines swayed the whole time, drowning out any other sounds. A flock of Blue birds swarmed in and watched for a few minutes. On the way out I saw three groups of elk, each numbering about 30 head.
Hi 35 lo 22 few snow showers at evening chores.
Friday, March 28, 2003
A really raw day, gray and windy. Lyndsey and I rode out to check the Dog Spring
horses. It took awhile to find them; they were way down in the meadows along
Snow canyon. I decided to bring Babe home and put her on feed. We got home
about 2pm and were chilled to the bone. The temperature dropped all day and
snow started just as we got in. the rest of the afternoon was spent trying
to warm up.
While we were doing chores I saw a bunch of cattle run in from Bearwallow and go to the shipping pens, strange. I jumped in the truck and drove down there and found four Rainy Mesa ranch cattle and one of mine. They were wild and took off as I pulled up. I quickly laid a Hansel and Gretel trail of hay to the corrals and jumped back in the truck, zoomed up the road and cut them off just as they were about to jump the cattle guard. They turned and ran back to the corrals. I let them settle a bit and get a taste of the hay, and then eased up. They saw me coming and tried to make a break for it. I floored it and then slammed on the brakes sliding to a stop across the gate opening. The wildest cow slammed into the brush guard on the front, that stopped her. I jumped out and swung the gate, caught! At chore time it was snowing really hard with about 2 inches on the ground.
Hi 28 lo 19.
Sunday, March 30, 2003
Yesterday I rode down through Rocker Canyon to Negrito canyon and around past
the airstrip still looking for a few pairs I know are back in that country
somewhere. I saw some old tracks but nothing new enough to follow. The day
was sunny; by noon all the snow was gone leaving mud for a couple hours but
it dried out fast. There was still some deep snow under the Spruce trees
on the north-facing slope of the canyons; the streams were running deep and
fast. On the south slopes yellow and white snow flowers were blooming, there
were flocks of Bluebirds and a few Robins. Just 20 yards of canyon bottom
separated winter from spring. It never really got too warm tho, the air temp
was only about 35 but the sun factor was 55. I was on Dakota who was just
not into it at all. He slogged along and tripped and stumbled his way down
the canyon. He hates going for a trail ride. Now if we had come across some
cattle he would have been all right. He just really irritated me.
Lyndsey stayed close to the barn cleaning saddles, doing a few repairs here and there. Maggie stayed busy in her studio up close to the gas heater.
Today I spent the day working on the corrals at the main barn, I got four sections replaced. It took all day. First take down the old fence, cut it up for firewood and haul it to the fire pit. Then dig six postholes, set new posts, tamp ‘em tight. Then nail up the rails and call it done. I worked alone but had plenty of help. This is in the area the weanlings are in and it was all pretty exciting to them. Especially when I fired up the chainsaw. But with in a couple minutes they were so used to it they were in the way when I was cutting. Of course the usual bucket of nails got knocked over, and a hammer carried away. While I was tamping the last post the first one was getting used as and ass rubbing post and pushed sideways. Oh they are so cute!…yea right. It was a great spring day, temp up in the 50’s after a low of 22.
Monday, March 31, 2003
Some friends from Albq. whom we hadn’t seen in a couple years came by
so the day was spent visiting with them
Tuesday, April 1, 2003
Don and Jeannie came over and
helped us gather 7HL pasture today. Maggie was on Cooleye, I
rode Dakota, Lyndsey on Ben and Frank rode Cowboy. We started
from the H.Q. about 9:30am. Pushed out some cattle that had been
here at the house living off the hay pile. Leaving behind a couple
steers for roping practice.
Cowboy was pretty juicy for Frank. Putting on a couple shows. He doesn’t buck, he tries to run off. Frank did a good job of getting and keeping him under control. Frank came back from the clinic he went to all jazzed up. He wasn’t much into riding green horses before but now wants to take them all on. More power to him. He was telling us all about what the clinic guy said and did, pretty impressed. Later Lyndsey rode up and asked me why he doesn’t remember us telling him all that stuff for the last couple years. I told her it was because you listen to instruction better when you’re paying for it.
The gather went great, Lyndsey and Jeannie covered the Feathery hill area, Frank and Donnie went in the middle through Nedra tank, Maggie and I stayed south along Ewe canyon. Right after we started the wind came up Earlier we had been talking about how the windy season was late and thus jinxed ourselves. April and May is windy season, a day will start out great but about 10am the wind starts blowing and keeps going till after sunset. Today was a classic wind season day. We had it at our backs all morning, but luckily it wasn’t cold. We all met up at T Bar tank and had just over a hundred adult cattle and about 25 young calves. A lot of the cows are about ready to calve and moved pretty slow. But even with that we made great time; we were at Fence tank by 3pm. We put the cattle through into Pitchfork pasture and called it a day.
We had left my truck and trailer out at Cowcamp yesterday so we would have a ride home at the end of the day. But the trailer only holds five horses so I rode home the way we had come. I like doing that after a gather, riding back through and seeing what we missed. I was pleased to see no cattle anywhere. But I was not pleased to have the wind in my face for a couple hours. It was really blowing, gusts to 50 and a steady blow of 25. As I came up and crested out on the top of T Bar ridge the wind staggered Dakota for a moment.
When we came into the North trap there were six pairs, which we had left behind in the morning because the calves were big enough to wean. I gathered them up and headed them to the H.Q. It was easy going till we got to the driveway, then for no reason one big steer took off back the way we had come at warp factor 10. Dakota took off after him and the race was on. Jumping streams and ditches and over rocks and mud we just couldn’t get up with him till almost a mile had passed. Finally he tired and Dakota got around and slid to a stop in front of him. I was a little upset and ran the little S.O.B. all the way back to the others who stood waiting under a tree. We finally got home about 6pm. It was a long day.
Wednesday, April 2, 2003
Maggie and I spent the day driving around the ranch
moving and filling feeders in Pitchfork pasture where most of the cattle are.
She hauled the feeders in her truck and I drove the feed truck. First we went
to Incognito camp and set a feeder on the canyon rim above the camp. It took
us almost two hours to get out there. As we were pulling up to the gate separating
Canyon Creek pasture from Pitchfork pasture I saw it was open, as soon as I realized
that I saw six heifers come over the hill headed to the opening. It was a race
to the gate when they saw me. It seemed they knew exactly what was up. I floored
the old dump truck and got there seconds before they did. Last I saw them they
were walking the fence looking to go somewhere else. On the way out we saw eight
Rockin Arrow cattle at Juniper tank. I had hoped I’d seen the last of those
things. No telling how many are still on our range. The elk were everywhere out
there; we must have seen 300 in several bunches.
We got back to the H.Q. had a bite to eat, refilled the feed tank on the truck and headed out to Dead Horse Corral. As we were going up the driveway we met a truck coming down with Texas plates, the driver didn’t give any of the one lane drive at all. I was creeping along in first gear trying to make the hill with 4300 pounds of liquid feed on board. I had to take to the ditch to let them pass. I was pissed. Just who the hell was that any way? I made it out of the ditch and up the hill where Maggie was waiting for me. She went back down to see who the heck it was. I continued on since I didn’t travel fast and the road out there is really rough. Forty-five minuets later she caught up to me and had a young gal with her who she said was looking for work. Ummmm..All right I’ll talk to her when we get to Dead Horse. We both knew we weren’t hiring so she must have been persuasive to get Maggie to bring her along.
It took almost two hours to get there and when this gal stepped out I knew she would never make it here. A 24-year-old Texas gal who was fashion magazine cowgirl. Supposedly raised on a ranch, she looked like Lindsey’s primpy little sister. Definitely a two shower a day gal, not near tough enough to work here. When we got home I changed her flat tire and sent her on her way.
Frank and Lyndsey went to town, hauled Belle to the vet. She is a 24-year-old mare who worked five years for us before becoming a brood mare. She always gives us great foals. She has arthritis in her right front foot and pains her a lot especially in the mornings. I wanted to see if a nerve block would help her. The Dr. checked her out and because it’s in her fetlock there was nothing he could do. We will keep her on Bute and set her up with rocker-toed shoes, which may help. They picked up five cows from Johns on their way home leaving about 25 still down there.
The day was windy and cold; a few snow flurries hit the windshield. Hi was 40 lo 19.
Thursday, April 3, 2003
The wind just keeps on; we haven’t been able to
have a fire in the stove for days now. We are just using the fireplace, which
does little to heat the house, 85% of the heat just goes up the chimney.
Lyndsey was under the weather so she didn’t join Frank and I as we saddled up to re-ride 7HL pasture. Maggie announced she was a fair weather cowgirl and had no intention of spending the day out in the wind. I saddled Gambler and Frank did the same to Kitten. We headed out in two trucks, Frank went to 7HL tank and started from there and I hauled the five cows they brought home yesterday out to Fence tank and started from there after unloading the cows. I first went up on T Bar Ridge and rode the length of it east to west. It was some kinda windy up there. I left my cowboy hat at home and wore a winter hat and was glad of it. I only found one Rockin Arrow bull, which I pushed down to the valley, then rode back to the top. Gambler was firing on all twelve cylinders and really covering some ground. From where I was I could see Frank about four miles north pushing a bunch of cattle and could see a few more to his west. That’s the time I wish we had radios so I could tell him. I came off the ridge and went down T Bar canyon al the way to the south fence. The canyon is narrow with a creek running the bottom, cliffs rising several hundred feet. It was like a wind tunnel in there. I had to go all the way to check a gate and I wanted to make some time so I could get back out and help Frank. Gambler sensed my eagerness and strode out in his super fast trot. He jumped every stream crossing of which there are about twenty. With every jump he got more and more aggressive until he was pretending to be a grand Prix jumper, balling himself up then launching across the creek. We found no cattle and when we turned around he had the wind up his butt and got even more fired up. All the way he was galloping and jumping and looking for monsters. One 50 mph gust came a long and flipped my rope, which was tied on the right, up and over his neck. Oh he loved that, blowing off sideways like a colt.
When I came out of the canyon I could see Frank had gone back up for the rest of the cattle on the mesa so I rode down into a cut bank along the creek and hid from the wind while I watched the cattle he had left on some salt. He showed up about a half hour later and we headed to fence tank. He had a good day; we had two bulls, 36 cows with 16 calves and 13 heifers. I was happy to see those calves, the other day I was a bit concerned just how few we had gathered, but I guess he found the nursery school.
When we got to Fence tank we had a bad-eyed cow of mine I wanted to haul home for the sale and a pair of Donnie and Jeanie’s to get home as well. The two bulls I wanted out of there too, one was the Rockin Arrow bull. We penned everything and then pretty slick cut out all but those we wanted plus one extra heifer that was in love. We had a bit of trouble getting them loaded, the pen is too big and they have too much room to run around. The cow of Donnie and Jeannie’s went on the fight and started charging us. Fortunately she didn’t have horns, she slammed into Gambler's shoulder once really getting us both mad. I untied my rope and when she came again she got whipped in the face and a bite from Gambler. She was ready to take directions now. She ran up into the trailer with the other cows along behind her. I jumped off and slammed the center gate shut. That just left us the two bulls. Twenty minutes later we finally got my big bull on the trailer but the little Rockin Arrow bull wouldn’t go on. We left him there and hoped he would be more inclined to load after a day or two of being alone. There wasn’t room for the horses so we left them there as well. Frank rode with me to his truck and then went back to get them. He said when he got there it looked like the horses had been chasing the bull all over the corral, good for them!
I had a heck of a time getting Donnie’s cow cut off from mine when we got home, Frank hadn’t gotten home with my horse so I was afoot, also was aclimb as she sent me up the fence a half dozen times snorting and charging and blowin’ snot. She was a piece of work.
It was a long day; the wind just seems to suck the energy out of you.
Hi 40 lo 20 steady 25 mph wind.
Friday, April 4, 2003
I woke early to the sounds of running horses, and it
sounded like a lot. There should only be six around the house and this was definitely
a lot more than six. There wasn’t enough moon to see anything but when
the sun finally came up I could see that just about every horse we own was in
the house lot. Somehow all the Dog Spring horses had gotten through two fences
and brought the Bearwallow horses with them. There were over 50 horses in the
yard just having a great time. Some hadn’t seen each other in months and
others had never met. Every horse was here except my old mustang and two brood
mares. It took awhile but we finally got the weanlings separated, then the yearlings,
then the two year olds. Then the mares from the geldings and finally got all
the geldings back into Bearwallow pasture. That took half the morning. The rest
of the day was spent repairing the rail fence separating Bearwallow from the
house.
It blew all day, not as bad as yesterday though.
Hi 45 lo 12.
Saturday, April 5, 2003
Another windy day, I know
I shouldn’t expect any thing different this time of year.
Dakota and I trailered out to Fence tank. The bull we had left
there was still in the corral, which kinda surprised me. On the
way in I could see cattle way up on T bar ridge so we headed
there. The higher we got the windier it got. I was riding with
a ball cap today, something I hardly ever do but the wind just
wouldn’t let a cowboy hat stick on. When we got to the
top there were no cattle to be seen. It’s about a 30-minute
ride from the road to the top and in that time they had dropped
off into one of the many draws that cut the slope. I took to
the peak of the ridge and started riding west along it so I could
look down each draw. I got all the way to the end of the ridge
where it drops off into T Bar canyon about a mile and a half
from where I started but saw no sign of them. I went back the
way I had come and found them in a draw about a quarter mile
from where I started. That’s always the way in a deal like
that, you have a 50/50 chance of heading the right direction.
I should never go to Vegas; I don’t even get the 50/50
deals.
There were five cows and three calves
in the bunch. I pushed them down to the valley then up to Fence
tank. It was nice having the wind at my back the whole way. That
took up about three hours and I was wanting to get home for some
office time so I decided to load up the bull. I put some hay
in the trailer and eased him to it. He smelled it but was too
suspicious to go in for a taste. Dakota and I sat back at the
other end of the corral and waited but finally after 15 minuets
he didn’t look as though he was going to go in on his own.
We tried easing him in but he went on the fight and got underneath
Dakota and butted him in the gut. Not a pleasant experience for
him, he jumped but never bucked. Next attempt we went in backwards,
the bull butted Dakota in the ass. Well that was the wrong thing
to do. Dakota started kicking and kicked that bull till he saw
it was a lost fight and jumped on the trailer to escape the beating.
What a damn great horse and working compadre. Hi 50 lo
14.
Sunday, April 6, 2003
I spent the day picking up all the rocks that I had
piled up around the arena a couple years ago. I hauled them back to the south
end of the H.Q. where we are having some erosion problems. I loaded the dump
truck seven times. I knew I had moved a lot of rock but hadn’t figured
on seven truckloads. And I didn’t even get the ones along the backside
that I had never piled up.
Sunny, windy, hi 50 lo 18
Monday, April 7, 2003
Lyndsey and I worked on the
guest corrals, putting up rails on the posts we had set a week
or so ago. We got two sides of one corral done. At that rate
it will take 6 days to finish.
Frank missed the fun, he was still down in Glenwood, had called Saturday to say his truck was broke down. We found there was a big paintball game there Sunday, which precipitated his truck breaking. He got in late tonight. It was windy all-day but sunny and warm.
Hi 60 lo 20.
Tuesday, April 8, 2003
Lyndsey and
I were back on the corrals and Frank went to Glenwood to pick up more rails.
About noon we ran out of nails so we started to clean and fix up the guest camp.
Maggie came up and she and Lyns spent the afternoon painting the outdoor furniture
while I sanded and poly coated the counter tops in the the Cookhouse and shower
house.
Wind was a bit less today but it was cooler. Hi 45 lo 13 sunny
Wednesday, April 9, 2003
Maggie and I headed to Silver City mid morning.
Frank and Lyndsey were left with some sorting and cutting to do with some cattle
we have in the H.Q. corrals. We are getting a load ready for the sale. John was
bringing a load of hay up and taking the cattle down to his place till sale day
next week.
Thursday, April 10, 2003
We got home late tonight after spending the morning getting
my tooth pulled and the afternoon running errands. I’m not sure which was
more painful.
On the way home we stopped by Johns and picked up five momma cows and calves, which we hauled home. My truck has no rear brakes so it was slow going over Salize pass.
Frank and Lyndsey got the hay unloaded and got one pair in from the Negrito creek area, which accounts for all the ones that we knew were out there.
It was almost 80 in Silver city, about 20 when we got home at 10pm.
Friday, April 11, 2003
Maggie and I spent the day up at the guest camp. There’s
lots to do but we are getting a good start on it. She spent here day painting
the floors in the cookhouse and outhouse. My day was spent putting another coat
of poly on all the counters in the cookhouse and the shower house.
Frank and Lyndsey rode looking for more stuff to sell. They were mostly after paint colored heifers and any steers we missed last fall. It was a nice day, not too windy and warm. They got home with three of each. Pretty good day hunting.
Hi 60 lo 21 sunny, light 10-15 mph wind.
Saturday, April 12, 2003
Another day at the guest camp,
fixing this and that, putting a final coat on everything we did
yesterday. Frank and Lyndsey took the day off and headed to town
for a day of bar leaning.
Hi 60, lo 18 sunny and windier.
Sunday, April 13, 2003
Another day spent up at the
camp, this time not having near as much fun. Spring at the N-
means finding broken pipes. I took extra time last fall draining
everything but of course I now have breaks where I have never
had them. From the Cookhouse hot water heater to the sink is
totally shattered. I got as much as I could fixed but ran out
of CPVC pipe used for hot water. I usually have a good supply
of stuff but came up short there.
Maggie just keeps working her butt off at the camp, the place hasn’t looked this good in years. The past couple years we have been so rushed moving from the lower range up here in the spring that a lot of things never got tended to properly. It sure makes a difference having a bit of time.
Hi 55 lo 16 a few clouds in the afternoon.
Monday, April 14, 2003
Maggie finally took some time
and got back to her own work for the day while the rest of us
rode.
I trailered out to Incognito with Dakota while Frank and Lyndsey went to Fence tank with Cooleye and Frio. I rode the fence east from Loco saddle to Incognito gate then went north to white tank and then back west to Doubtful tank where I met up with the other two. I didn’t see a cow till I got there, lots of Elk and Antelope though. Right before I met up with them I found one cow that needed a horn cut so I sent it back with them. They had already penned a big steer and a paint heifer.
Dakota and I headed back to our rig while they headed to Fence tank with the cattle. They had a hard time loading the bad horned cow; her attitude was bad as well. After a couple foot races and some patience they got her loaded. Frank said Frio worked really well and wanted to eat the old cow up.
As I rode back I was noticing just how green it was getting. This country isn’t known for being spring country but we sure are having one this year. Lots of little flowers I haven’t seen in a long time. Water running everywhere, it sure is something. I suddenly heard and seemed to feel a rush of air and Dakota jumped a bit. A Redtail hawk had come up behind us, he couldn’t have been more than a foot or so above my head when he buzzed us. I now know the last thing a field mouse hears.
I had left them about 1:30pm and headed down into Pine Canyon where I found six cows, this was in Canyon Creek pasture so I pushed them back into Pitchfork that took about a couple hours. I also saw a couple Rockin Arrow cows busting through the brush like deer.
Since about noon I had been watching the clouds building up and scuttling fast on a east wind. I commented to myself that they looked like summer clouds as they came over the 10,000 foot peaks in the wilderness area. About 3pm they were really building up and sure enough looking like a summer day. Within moments I saw a flash of lightning and a low rumbling of thunder drifted in. Before I made it the two miles back to my trailer it was lightly raining and smelling great. I crested Canyon Creek Mountain and saw, four different rainbows scattered around, of course no camera. It didn’t amount to much rain but maybe it’s a sign of things to come. I would like to see some rain get that high country snow melting a bit faster than it is. We have a pack trip into the wilderness area starting May 4 and I have a worry about the high water in the Gila River.
We all got home at about 6pm, just in time to start chores.
Hi 55 lo 28 moderate wind. Sunny till noon.
Tuesday, April 15, 2003
I woke about 2am to the sound
of gusting wind and rain on the greenhouse roof. It was pretty
warm out so I opened the window a crack just to enjoy the sound,
which quickly put me back to sleep.
At 4am I woke to just the sound of gusty wind, it was cold so I got up to close the window. There was no sweet sound of rain because it was now snowing. Shit.
At 6am when I got up for the last time there was about and inch on the ground and the temp was 30.
After chores Frank and I saddled up Dakota and Gambler and gathered in from the North trap the cattle we collected over the week to go to the sale. It didn’t take long as they all were under the same tree about a mile out. We cut off a few that were just in for horn cutting and loaded the rest on the trailer and Frank headed off with them. He is just taking them to Johns tonight were we have some other cattle waiting. He and John will leave early to go to Deming for the 10am sale, takes about 3 hours to get there from Johns. I put hay out for the bulls then retreated back into the house for the rest of the day.
All day the temp dropped and it snowed till about 4pm giving us a total of about 5 inches. The sun came out and in just the couple hours it had left to work it melted half of it. The temperature at chores, was 19 with a steady 20 mph blow.
It was really pretty seeing the bright green grass with snow on it. Around the H.Q. here it looked like a golf course, the patches of snow resembling the sand traps, the little tanks all brimming with water and the grass bright green and close cropped by the weanlings in the yard.
I consigned 16 horses to a sale on May 10 th. Almost all of the weanlings and yearlings are going as well as all but three of the broodmares. We just have too many horses right now.
Hi 30 lo 19 snowy most of the day.
Wednesday, April 16, 2003
I spent the day filling feeders, they are
scattered so far apart that it took 7 hours to get to three of them. Maggie spent
time in her studio, Lyndsey worked on saddles and tack.
Every morning she spends time with the weanlings. Trying to get them all halter broke and being good little kids for the sale next month. A couple of the fillies are still pretty skittish, they are the daughters of Fancy and Lucky who are kinda freaks themselves. She had tried whispering to them, and sweet talking them but they just won’t come to you.
Well today I found the key, I arrived home with a liberal coating of molasses on my coveralls. It’s hard not to get messy with that stuff on a windy day. I went in the weanling corral and within seconds was mobbed by seven weanling all wanting to lick the clothes off me. I was soon rubbing them all over and they thought I was pretty great.
So if you ever have a hard to bond with horse, just smear molasses on yourself and see how fast you become a best friend.
Sunny, windy, hi 50 lo 16.
Friday, April 18, 2003
I worked on the plumbing problems
at the cookhouse most of the day. Ended up being a much bigger
job than I first had hoped. I had to take the water heater totally
out of the little closet it lives in and replace the floor. Water
had leaked out of a bad fitting on the top of the heater. It
was in such a place you couldn’t see it unless it was out
of the closet. It had been leaking since it was first put in
I figure. That took all morning and most of the afternoon was
spent putting in new pipes to the sink. But at about 5pm I had
water running!
Frank and Lyndsey worked on the corrals, tearing out old stuff making way for new. This place looks like a bomb hit it. Piles of old rails and boards all over. The lines of posts standing empty, gate holes with no gates, boardwalk looks like a gap toothed old grin. It’s a mess and only two weeks to get it all done.
After chores I was back in the shower house replacing the wall covering in the showers. The more I got into it the more the old ones didn’t look so bad after all. Wish I’d never started that job and had just painted them again. I got one done and will wait till the next wet day to work inside and finish the rest.
Wolf people called this evening and
said that the wolves were back around our cows again. They chased
them off one day but they were back the next. We have so much
else to do without having to deal with wolves!
Saturday, April 19, 2003
I was out at the crack of dawn and drove out into Pitchfork
pasture. I had the receiver the wolf folks gave me to locate the radio signal
from the wolf collars. I spent most of the morning out there driving from one
high spot to another but never picked up any signal. I didn’t really see
that many cattle, only about 80, not sure where the rest are. It was pretty cold
last night so they were probably all up high avoiding the cold bottoms and valley.
I got home and headed to the guest camp where I worked on the boardwalks the rest of the day, tearing out soft boards and replacing them with new ones.
Frank and Lyndsey are making pretty good progress on the guest horse corrals. They totally rebuilt the alley from Bearwallow pasture into the corrals. They are using the jackpots I made during the winter. Jackposts are X shaped and you use them instead of posts in the ground. Well the ones I made were made from 8-foot timbers that I left full length figuring to cut them down to the appropriate size depending on the job, which they were used. I didn’t think to tell them that and they had half the alley done before I saw what was going on. I couldn’t tell them to tear it all apart and start over. So now we have a fence safe for any Giraffes we may pick up sometime in the future.
Hi 38, lo 17 a few snow flurries late in the day.
Sunday, May 4, 2003
What a hell of a two weeks.
We pretty much worked non-stop on the guest camp. Up at 6am work
till 8pm, an hour off for lunch, damn sounds like a city job.
Most of last week after we were done working I drove to Johns
and picked up a load of cattle and drove them back here. That
made for some late nights, it was just about a five hour round
trip. I finally got so tired Frank did the last load, but finally
we have all our cattle back up here in one general area. On one
of my trips I saw four head of our cattle about 25 miles from
here at an area called Sheep Basin. The next morning Frank and
Lyndsey trailered down and spent the entire day looking for them
with no luck. I sure want to get them back a bit closer to home
and on our range.
We had a gal show up last week looking for riding work. She is part of the Spotted Owl research group based a few miles away. My first reaction was move it on down the line darlin’. But I saw Idaho plates and George Strait sticker so I decided to give her a try. She has been working out all right, coming over in the afternoon when she is done with her owl work and riding the guest horses to get them in shape. Lyndsey nicknamed her Hoot and since her real name is Annie I call her Hooteannie.
We got all the horses working we need for our Pack trip and decided to start a new packhorse. We had a lot to choose from G Man, Cibique, Annie,
Quentin trying to decide I notice W.C. A coming three year old. He was on the list to go to the sale but something about him always intrigued me. Ever since he was a kid he wanted to be a big horse. As soon as he was weaned he started hanging out with the kids a year older. When they went to work and were put in the big herd he jumped the fence and insisted on staying with them. He watched them all go to work everyday and you could tell he wanted to go too. He’s a very common; almost ugly until you get to know him sort of horse but I always knew he was very smart. We had never halter broke him but I told Lyndsey to go catch him. She went out slipped the halter on and led him into the corrals. Within 15 minutes I had him tied hard with a packsaddle on, then tied four big feed sacks to the pack harness. It was a really windy day, the sacks billowed around him and he just stood there with a sparkle in his eye. The next day Frank and Hoot took him out and packed 100 pounds of salt five miles with him, no problems. The next day he had box panniers on and a loose tarp going through the trees. After banging a few trees he quickly learned how to twist around them and get by smooth. He has been out every day and just keeps getting better. Cassady named him W.C. when he was born because those are his initials for William Cassady. I have decided W.C. means Wonder Colt. We’ll see how he does on this long trip but I think he’ll be great. Needless to say he’s off the sale list.
We have the place looking great! It all came together about Friday leaving us a couple days to deal with the horses and gear.
Frio strained a suspensor ligament in his ankle last week so he has been set up with sweats and standing wraps, seems to be getting better slowly. I was going to use him on the pack trip, so now I’m back to Ol reliable Gambler.
The weather has been dry and windy for the most part, hi’s in the 50’s and lows in the upper 20’s and 30’s.
We have a great crew for the trip leaving out in the morning. Bob from Ohio here for his third time, Kathy from Ma. Here for her fourth visit. She brought along her brother Victor this time. Rounding out the crew are Julian from here in New Mexico and his adult daughter Patricia from Al.
Everyone is excited about the trip as I am. I told Maggie tonight that after the last two weeks it well be a well needed break.
Monday, May 5, 2003
A great week packing around
the wilderness.
We had along with us Kathy from ma. Here for here fourth time, she brought along her brother Victor this time. Julian and his daughter Patty, he’s from Albq, she’s from Al. Rounding out the crew was Bob from Oh. Here for a third visit.
Monday was a long day, too long perhaps. Frank and the crew rode from the ranch all the way out through 7HL, Pitchfork, and Canyon Creek, about 25 miles. Lyndsey and I met them at the Loco Mtn trial head when they came in about 7pm. We had trailered out the gear and the pack animals.
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
After a comfortable night we
were all up early and getting ready to drop off into the wilderness.
But before we got going Bob insisted on putting on a show with
the help of Chili. He was riding Cisco, leading Chili to water
a long half-mile away. Out of the blue Chili bit Cisco on the
ass and he set to bucking. Bob rode him well, for a few seconds
then hit the ground. He skinned up his knuckles pretty good but
he’s tough, and through it all he never lost his hat.
Packing is always a slow process but we were on the trail by mid morning. Right out of camp we crested Loco Mtn and there before us was the breathtaking view of the wilderness spread out. We picked up trail 705 and headed across Aeroplane mesa.
About three miles later we dropped hard and fast into the Middle Fork Canyon, the trail was kinda crumbly with rocks and steep with switchbacks. We could see the river shinning in the sunlight below beckoning us. When we hit the canyon bottom we found ourselves in another world. Behind us were the wind blown grass lands, here we found the Cottonwood trees leafing out, as well as the willows, the grass was lush and green and the sound of the river filled the air.
We headed north up river another five miles and made camp at the confluence of the Middle fork of the Gila and Iron Creek. A nice streamside meadow and a cottonwood grove, it was picture perfect.
Tents were quickly set up; a downed tree became the kitchen. We had packed an electric fence and made a large corral for the horses in the meadow.
All the packhorses did great, W.C. was as good as they come; he never made a bad move. He made me proud of the little booger.
That night as I drifted off to sleep under the stars I thought I could spend the rest of the week right there. In the morning when I proposed the idea it seemed everyone else was thinking the same thing.
Wednesday, May 7, 2003
Wednesday we did a huge loop into the upper country.
Riding up Swinging Cross canyon, topping out on Jackson mesa, where we passed
the grave of a trapper killed by Apache. Then on to Clear creek where some Deer
and Elk antler where found. We followed Clear Creek to Chicken Coop canyon and
then dropped back down into the Middle Fork about 8 miles below camp. We came
in about 7pm tired but happy.
Thursday, May 8, 2003
Thursday we decided to pack
up and head north to Snow Lake and then ride on into the ranch.
I had mentioned all the cattle work to do and they decided on
a day of that. I didn’t take the time to weigh the packs
and paid for my laziness on the trail. When we headed out I was
in front leading Ben, Frank was behind me with Rocky, Margie
and W.C. strung out behind him. We had to stop and adjust Margie’s
load a couple times in the first mile or so then the big wreak
happened. I heard it start behind me and turned to see W.C. on
his side rolling around, then he was up, then back down. The
trail was going across a pretty good slope and he was fighting
to keep from going down. I jumped off and quick tied my animals
expecting him to come running through us. Frank was off his horse
even faster cutting ropes. W.C. had an odd load of coolers and
such but most worry some were 20, 4 ft fiberglass electric fence
posts. It was only a minute before it was all over and W.C. was
standing catching his breath. Luckily he didn’t shish kabob
himself; he actually didn’t really have a scratch on him.
When it was all figured out we discovered he’d didn’t
cause the wreck. It was old Margie the number two animal, the
old veteran, the one who has packed everything. She went the
opposite way around a tree than Rocky the number one animal.
When she got caught and snapped back W.C. plowed into her and
got knocked off the trail. He stood quiet while we repacked and
reorganized, we split the pack string up with the three of us
and Kathy each leading a packhorse. We got to the lake about
noon where we unloaded the horses and put the gear in a pile.
Lyndsey and the crew gathered some cattle there and started cowboyin’,
moving them north to put them into Negrito pasture. Frank rode
Chili back to the trailhead where we had left a truck then picked
up the gear on his way home. I had the loose pack animals, which
I pushed home. I enjoyed the ride, Gambler was great as usual.
I only had a bit of trouble when I was getting them up onto Snow
Ridge but from there on they knew they were going home, it was
just a matter of keeping up with them. W.C. lost a few atta boys
on the way home when he blasted both barrels at Gambler who was
right behind him. It was a high kick, Gambler dodged them but
I got a hoof in each elbow.
We got home about 4pm and the shower house soon became the center of activity
Friday, May 9, 2003
Friday Julian and Patty headed
back to Albq. Frank, Lyndsey and the rest of the crew spent the
day in 7HL pasture getting about 40 head of cattle back into
Pitchfork pasture in preparation for next weeks branding. I changed
four tires and then did a round trip hauling horses to Albq.
for a sale this weekend.
It was a great trip, with a great bunch of folks, just the right way to start off the season.
Sunday, May 11, 2003
I hauled another load of horses
to the sale Saturday then spent the weekend watching horses sell.
Our young stuff sold about what we expected maybe a bit lower,
it was a buyers market. The mares sold real cheap but Travis
was the 3 rd high selling horse in the sale. There were some
real nice horses that I would love to have gotten but I sat on
my hands. It was the first time in years that I came home from
a sale with an empty trailer. It was good to sell all those yearling
and weanlings, they were just a pestilence on my pocket book.
A big crew for our first week of branding. Alan is here again from England for his fourth time I believe. Fred from Ca. here for I guess his 12 th time, he brought our stallion back with him, Saint has been standing stud in Ca. for the last two seasons. I wanted him home to breed our mares then Fred will come in the fall and take him back to all the California girls for the winter. Two sisters Marla and Carla are here, one from ca. the other Tx. They are with their friend Candice who arrived via helicopter, an N- first. Keith from Mi. is here for a second visit, he brought his buddy Perry with him. David from al. is enjoying his birthday present from his wife. Then last but certainly not least are Mike and Joe, two firefighter buddies from Kansas City. It’s a great crew, a bunch of good riders.
Monday, May 12, 2003
Monday we got right at it,
getting horses set and riding out from the ranch to fence tank.
Lyndsey led the group while Frank and I trailered out with branding
gear. There was no trouble finding cattle, they were there waiting
for us at the water. Before the sunset we had twenty calves branded
and a crew that knew what they were doing. We left the horses
at the tank trap for the night and got home tired, dirty and
feeling good.
Hi 65, lo 30 sunny
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
We went out, got saddled and quick gathered a big bunch
and had them sorted by noon. The rest of the afternoon was spent in the pens
having a good time with lots of laughs and getting some serious work done. 40
calves left the pen wearing fresh brands. We had come across a cow with a bad
udder and poor calf, at the end of the day we penned her to haul home for some
doctoring. It was the damdest thing, she walked right on the trailer and you
better not have gotten in her way.
A few folks were in bed early but there was still enough energy to run a poker game into the early morning hours.
Hi 60 lo 31 sunny
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
We worked the south side of
Pitchfork and up on T Bar ridge, we only found a handful of cattle
and just three to brand. We had a lot of fun with them, split
the crew into three teams, it was a race to see which team roped,
tied and branded the fastest. Besides time, form and quality
of branding counted. It was a hilarious spectacle; all teams
took a first in at least one aspect. We were home pretty early,
about 5pm, just in time to enjoy some quality porch sitting.
Hi 72 lo 37
Thursday, May 15, 2003
We did some long loops checking
water and fence. We laid off branding so the ones we have worked
can rest before being moved 7 miles to new pasture on Friday.
It was really windy, couldn’t have branded if we wanted
to.
Frank headed south with Carla, Marla, Joe, Mike, and Fred. Mike was on Chico and decided to put on a show for us. Chico is Frank’s personnel horse and is a bit nervous; the wind didn’t help settle him any. Just as we were all mounted and heading out Chico took of in a leaping sort of bucking, Mike rode him well and had him back in hand within just a few seconds. He did a great job of riding the horse and was kind enough to do it in front of everyone. Once they got settled they headed down to Snow Lake, then up Snow Canyon. Everyone enjoyed the trip even the steep hill they didn’t think they should go down. It set nerves on edge but once they were at the bottom they were all smiles and pride. They were out about fours hours and missed most of the wind by being down in the canyon.
I headed north with Alan, Keith, Perry and David. We set out at a brisk trot up passed Steve tank, around and down to hay tank, then followed the north fence all the way to Dead Horse Corral, after a short break we turned south to T Bar ridge then up to the top. Along the way we saw several groups of Elk and being we were down wind we got pretty dang close. We traveled along the ridge for a mile or two then headed down to the Point of Rocks Ruins in T Bar Valley and on to Fence tank. Our horses were really traveling out, what usually would have taken 7 hours we did in just over 5. A good stiff wind up the butt really kept them going. We found the fence to be in pretty good shape, White tank was just about dry, Ridge tank was totally dry.
The first half of our day we were in the trees mostly and missed the worst of the wind, the last half of the day was out in the open country and you could hardly even talk.
There had been the plan of camping out at Fence Tank to watch the eclipse but with the wind and idea of no fire, the plan was with out volunteers, I was the first to back out.
It was a warm wind. Hi about 70, lo 37.
Friday, May 16, 2003
We saddled our horses at Fence tank again and started
gathering the cattle we had worked earlier in the week and left in 7HL. Some
folks rode high on T bar ridge while others waited below to hold cattle as they
were pushed down. We had pretty good luck and by noon we had a hundred or so
holding on T Bar tank. From there we headed east picking up just what was in
front of us as we went. We saw several bunches way to the north but left them
since it would have taken too long to drive them in. We had a good push; excellent
drag riders keep the little calves from falling behind. Up past Elladean tank
and through Ewe Canyon we went finally getting to the Silver gate about 3pm.
We pushed the cattle through into Negrito pasture where they all came to a stand
still glad to be on new grass. Along the way we picked up a bull we call Banana
Horns who we had been hunting all winter. The only time we ever saw him was when
we were in a truck. We had wanted to get him out of the herd of cows so we wouldn’t
have a bunch of winter calves next year and because his horns that hang down
along his head were growing in giving him a permanent bad attitude. We had penned
him at Fence tank earlier in the week but within five minuets he had jumped the
fence smashing a panel all to hell. Last fall we had him in the pens at the H.Q.
and he had done the same thing. So after we got into Negrito pasture we cut him
out along with a cute red heifer for company and pushed him home. I was prepared
for a fight but he traveled along well and we got him into the corrals about
5pm. Lyndsey had the girls and Perry ride with her to ease the just moved cattle
into the trees where the best grass was around Dog Spring. They had a hell of
a time getting them to move but finally got them yelled into it. They got home
about 6pm. Frank had gone back out with a couple of the guys to get a little
bunch we had passed along the way, they were within a mile or so of the gate
so we wanted to get them before they drifted off. They got 14 cows and two pairs
put onto the new grass. They got home not too long after Lyndsey. All together
we put 145 cattle and 60 calves into Negrito pasture. It was a great drive; weather
was perfect about 75 with a light breeze.
A great crew this week, we got a lot of work done and a lot of miles under us.
One of the things I enjoy the most is seeing the improvement in folks riding as the week goes a long, and with each visit, this crew was good to start and got better. The most improved award goes to Alan from England. When he first came here four years ago he was a beginner at best. Now he is right there doing anything and going anywhere. It makes us smile.
After everyone left Saturday I went down to the pens to feed Banana Horns, surprise, surprise, he was no where to be found, no broken fence or open gate. So he must have cleared the five foot steel fence. Dumbass.
Sunday, May 18, 2003
Another big crew for our second week of spring
gather. Jim from Ct. is here for his 3 rd time, bought along his friend Ralph
this time. Phillip from Tx. Is here for a 2 nd visit. Bill and Jackie, also known
as Ralph and Alice are here for their 6 th time. Joe and Marc from N.Y. are here
again for a second go round; they brought a buddy with them, John. Christian
is here all the way from Austria. Ferrell is here from Ca. And rounding out the
crew is Karen from Germany, don’t hold it against her, she’s all
right.
Monday, May 19, 2003
Kinda a repeat of last week,
Lyndsey rode from the H.Q. to Fence Tank with the crew while
Frank and I trailered out with our horses and branding gear.
It was afternoon by the time they got there so it just gave us
enough time to do a couple small loops into Pitchfork. We found
a bunch of cattle but only five to brand, the rest where too
small. It was late by the time we got to the corrals at Fence
tank so we cut the five pairs off and left them in the trap over
night with our horses.
A good long day to get the week going and butts broke in.
Sunny, hi 74, sunfactor of 80, light breeze. Lo was 39.
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
We were on our way early to Fence tank where we
caught and saddled in good time. Just over the hill from the tank we came upon
a fresh killed cow elk, wolf tracks all around it. It had only been down a few
minuets, the blood was still dripping. I thought about butchering out the tenderloins
but decided to do it later when we came back by. We pulled some really long loops
and covered the country. Our goal was to find 50 head for the day. Frank has
been riding Cowboy the last couple days, the little dun horse is doing great.
He went up on T Bar Ridge with five riders, working east. I rode the valley with
Karen all the way out to Incognito then went up into the rough country on Canyon
Creek Mountain. We are using small radios this year; it’s really saving
a lot of time. I was spotting cattle on the slopes and giving Frank directions
since he couldn’t see them from as high up as he was. Lyndsey was riding
Tom, one of our young homebreds; she rode with the other riders from Witch canyon
to Dead Horse Corral. They came across a cow and calf and she told me the calf
had an injured face and was bleeding from the nose, she thought it should be
put down. Mid afternoon we all met up near Doubtful tank. She took me to where
the pair was and along the way a wolf crossed 100 yards in front of us. It was
limping so it must have been the one we caught in the trap last December. I feel
so sorry for it. Yea Right! As soon as I saw the calf I knew what had happened
to it. Its muzzle was punctured and badly swollen with a hunk missing off one
lip. When the heifer was down giving birth the wolves or coyotes started to eat
the calf as it came out, for some reason they didn’t finish the job. The
calf was healthy and alert and the momma was doating on it. I’m a believer
in miracles so we left them be hoping it will recover.
Before the day was over we came across another wolf, a young one that was looking at a bunch of little calves.
When we came back by the dead elk it was just about gone, so much for fresh tenderloin.
Lyndsey came back raving about Tom, said he was really something special and it was time for me to take him over for his college education.
Once again we didn’t come up with too many to brand, but we did put 42 through the gate. We started branding at 5pm and before 6pm we had 12 done and everyone getting a taste of what it’s all about.
The day was cooler as a cold front pushed in over night, a bit windy in the midday but calming in time for a branding fire. Hi 65, lo 38.
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
A long day in the saddle.
We started out from Fence tank again, gathering 7Hl moving west. Lyndsey went up on T Bar ridge with half the crew and worked the slope. Frank went north past 7HL tank and across the mesas and draws with another five riders. I rode the valley with a couple more riders moving along and holding the cattle that were gathered up. It was a slow day with lots of really small calves. All the groups met at Elladeane where we cut back 20 of the smallest pairs and left them there for the night. At least we got them away from the main wolf area. We put 94 head through the gate, one of them being good Ol’ Banana Horns. Once again we cut him back with a couple girlfriends and pushed him home with no problems. When we got there we cut him off and put him on the scale, it has 10’ steel sides and there is no way he can get out. As we came out of the corrals and headed home a Fish and Wildlife guy pulled up and parked behind the liquid feed tank, which is just outside the gate. I was on Dakota who is always really worried by that tank. As I was swinging down the guy stepped from behind the tank. Dakota spooked and spun whipping me off and hammering me into the ground. I wish he could spin that fast after a cow. I only suffered a few good bruises.
Hi 74 lo 30 sunny till late afternoon when a few thunder heads built up and tossed some lightning around. It’s usual for May, no rain just lightning and fires.
Thursday, May 22, 2003
I headed down to check on Banana
Horns right after breakfast. We could see that he was still on
the scale from the cookhouse so I had been in no hurry. When
I got there I found he had stomped the wood floor of the scale
to pieces. So we got ready to take care of him in the chute and
cut his horns. We had riders lined along the outside of the corral
and a good plan worked out. I let him out of the chute and sent
him down to Frank, Phillip and Ferrell who were waiting for him.
He was like a locomotive and was hitting full stride as he came
through the chute. He had all 1800 pounds in forward motion and
nothing was going to stop him. From his ears to his hips he is
one solid chunk of muscle and like a wedge. Frank was on the
catch handle and that bull blew through there not even slowing
to say howdy. The handle flew up with such force it knocked him
back a few feet. Banana went on the prod and tested the fence
a few times before he jumped over it into a line of horsemen
and bowled on through them. He jumped another fence into the
next pasture and the fight was on. Lyndsey had seven riders and
they tried to turn him back over and over. They went over the
ridge but we could still hear the yelling. Around and around
and over one fence then back over again several time till they
were a mile away at the North Trap tank. Finally with blown horses
and nerves they watched him head up Feathery Hill and disappear.
Dumbass.
All that took till about 11am, after it was all over Frank and Phillip {who is now wrangler 1 st class, meaning he gets a radio and a crew}, along with Ferrell and Karen trailered out to Fence tank to hunt up the couple little pairs we had left back there the day before. He was especially after the one with the muzzle eaten calf. They rode and rode and rode in two groups and only came up with one red cow.
All the rest of us went back to Elladeane where we quickly found the 20 little pairs we had left there yesterday. We pushed them slow and easy, stopping to rest them for 30 minuets every hour. It made for a long afternoon. We finally got them through the gate about 5pm and then headed home. On the way we passed Dog Spring where over 200 cattle were hanging out. Among them was Agnes, the orphan we raised year before last, my little loveable cow. Well I should smile; she had the dandiest little black baldie calf about a day old with her, jet black but her white face and the white tip of her tail.
Frank got home just a few minuets after we did, they were tired and disappointed about the lack of luck they had. Hey, we know where not to look.
When I got home I had a message that a fella had some of our cows in his corral, they were 30 miles from here, so Maggie and I went and picked them up.
Hi 70, few clouds and afternoon thunder, lo 38.
Friday, May 23, 2003
Frank took the day off to be a good son and take his
mom to Drs. Appointments in town.
The first job of the day was to brand the calves I had picked up yesterday. The riders gathered everything from the Water lot and pushed them into the corrals where we cut off the ones to brand. There were only three so we split the crew up into three teams again and had a competition. It was fun to watch, Phillip, Jim and Ralph got thiers done first, the N.Y. guys, John, Marc and Joe ran a close second. Ferrell, Christian and Karen got the award for most try. They had a wild dang calf and Ferrell had a work out trying to keep up with it and get a loop to set, but he got it.
After the branding most of us headed out to pack salt into Negrito pasture. We want to keep our cattle to the east side of the pasture and you can control the movement of cattle by where you put the salt. I loaded eight hundred pounds in a truck and with the help of Phillip, wrangler first class; we drove it out and left it near Dog Spring so we could reload our packhorses there. Joe, Karen and Christian wanted to ride on their own and go to N Bar Park. Lyndsey drew them a map and off they went.
We used Rocky and Doolin as our packhorses. We had salt frames on Doolin, wooden pack racks I made just for hauling salt. We had to use regular panniers on Rocky and that is where our wreak started. We set the panniers and them Ralph and I dropped a 50 pound block into each one, well that big bang set Rocky off. He reared and took to bucking and it was a sight to see. We just stood back and watched him buck out like a PRCA bronc, he got down to it, going hard for about two minuets then stopped and settled down. After that he was fine. I was riding Doc and for a small horse he sure walks fast, too fast for Rocky, so I was twisted around. After the first trip I turned the leading over to Phillip who was on Chili. They were a much better match. In between loads we took a long break under the pines surveying the sky. It was a great day, about 70 with a light breeze and a few thunderheads. When we got home about 5pm Joe was back but not Karen and Christian. He allowed as how he and Christian had a disagreement as to which way to go, so Joe went his own way and came on home with no trouble. It wasn’t till about 8pm that those two came dragging in. They had gone the complete opposite direction but finally found home. The horses had been trying to tell them all day where to go but Christian was sure they were lost too. All I can say is it’s a damn good thing it wasn’t up to the Germans to discover America; they’d still be looking.
It was a good week, got a lot of cattle moved. I feel lots better getting all those little calves out of the wolf country.
Saturday, May 24, 2003
The crew left this morning, leaving us with all the work
to do. Maggie drove them up and then picked up her sister Mary who is coming
for a visit. Lyndsey went to Albq as well to meet her boyfriend for a long weekend.
Frank headed out to work on the Bearwallow fence; he was hard at it till about
7pm. I spent the morning in the office then saddled up Doc about 1pm and rode
till 6pm pushing cattle back over to the east side of Negrito, showing them the
salt and hoping they will stay there.
Hi 72, sunfactor 85, lo 37
Sunday, May 25, 2003
Frank went down to the hay
farm to start hauling the rest of our hay up here; John who is
leasing the farm this year is already cutting hay and needs the
space.
I went and picked up where Frank left off on the fence the other day. I wore myself out carrying all the equipment up and down the hills, I needed a packhorse. There is only about three more miles to go on that stretch but it’s all steep and full of deadfall.
Clouds built up and there was a lot of thunder in the distance but no rain here.
Hi 73, sunfactor 80, lo 30
Monday, May 26, 2003
It’s a holiday, so we unloaded 200 bales
of hay Frank brought up yesterday, a good before breakfast work out. We kinda
took it easy in the middle of the day, sitting around the guest camp. About noon
we looked down and saw the stud horse Saint running up the hill to join up with
all the 2 y.o. fillies, all of them in heat. It was a rodeo trying to get him
caught. They all ran circles around the camp raising all kinds of hell. I finally
got him caught and back into his corral. He had jumped a 5-foot fence to get
at the girls. Fortunately he didn’t get to breed any of them, they are
all his daughters. No morals I tell ya.
Late in the afternoon Maggie, Mary and I gathered the little pairs we had been collecting around the H.Q. here and moved them out to Dog Spring. It was a great time of day to be out, the sun was low and the shadows long. We got home about 8pm riding under a beautiful pink sky.
Hi 75, sunfactor of 90, lo 40. Again, lots of thunderheads but no rain.
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Frank was back on the
road early for another load of hay. It’s a good way to
start the day, unloading and stacking a couple hundred bales
of hay before breakfast. Gets the kinks out.
I went out and fixed some line leaks on the Homestead Spring getting water flowing again for the bulls. Then I spent the rest of the day working on fence, Cutting dead fall tress off it and splicing. It was hot and kinda humid (30%). I came home worn out.
Maggie and Mary spent the day redecorating stuff around her, them gals got a talent.
Hi 73, sunfactor 90, thunderheads with a few sprinkles over night. Lo 37.
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
Maggie, Mary and I saddled
up after unloading hay and getting Frank on the road. We headed
to Snow Lake where we gathered about 60 head that weren’t
supposed to be there and moved them up Snow Canyon. On the ride
back down I found a big hole in the fence where they had gotten
into the lake area. So after taking the horses home and dropping
off the girls about 2pm, I got my fencing stuff, went back and
fixed it. That pretty much filled up my day.
Hi 72 sunfactor 85, lo 39
Thursday, May 29, 2003
Frank was on the road for more
hay today. I spent my day riding with Forest Service people.
Oh you bet I had fun. I just kept my mouth shut so I wouldn’t
get myself in trouble. They wanted to see where the cattle where
and where to set “Key Location” areas to monitor
grazing. We spent awhile doing that then headed to Snow Lake
to look at some tanks that I need permission to repair. About
3pm they decided they had to leave so they could be sure to make
it back to their office before 5pm. There was a lot more I wanted
to show them but…Government employees.
I kept riding around Loco Mountain, came across about 100 elk down in Loco Canyon. They had a sweet spot, deep in a timbered canyon, nice spring pool, grass up to the knees. I rode around not disturbing them and continued down the canyon to another pool where I got off and let Gambler grass on the fresh grass. It was a perfect day in a perfect place. The trees were full of bluebirds, meadowlarks sang in the meadow. I am the luckiest man in the world to live and work in this country. If heaven is anything like this it will be perfect.
I finally dragged myself away and we continued on down to Snow Canyon. There I found five head of cattle I moved into the trap where I left them till sometime I can get back and move them into Negrito pasture.
Hi 73 sunfactor 80 lo 40
Monday, June 2, 2003
We spent a long weekend in
Albq. this week, got home late on Monday. It was a hurried weekend
of errands and shopping.
Tuesday, June 3, 2003
I spent the day at the courthouse
going back thru all the title changes for the ranch back to 1880.
I have some legal stuff coming up and need all my facts and chain
of title straight. It was pretty interesting, there have been
a lot of folks who have owned it, the longest was 12 years anyone
one person had it. In most cases the deed read for the sum of
one dollar, folks didn’t want to disclose the actual selling
price. I can’t blame them. But one in 1928 stated that
the place sold for $35,000, which was a lot of money back then.
Frank spent the day on the road again so we could do our morning 200-bale work out. Lyndsey spent the day working on tack. Maggie is just finishing up her order for the Sundance catalog.
Hi 76, sunfactor 90, lo 45
Wednesday, June 4, 2003
We gathered all the horses before breakfast and
sorted the mares off then ran them down for their summer with the stud horse.
Saint sure was excited to see all his gals and got right to work with a couple.
Then we unloaded hay and Frank headed down for more. Maggie left about noon to
get to Silver City and ship off her jewelry it’s an overnight trip. Lyndsey
and I spent the rest of the afternoon worming horses. It has been a tough week
or so on our horses. Kitten is lame with an abscess from a stone bruise; Frio
is still lame as he’s been for a couple weeks now with ligament problems
in a rear ankle. Cooleye is lame from a stone bruise; Babe is lame from a puncture
and hematoma from being kicked by Cooleye. Rusty came in with a huge cut above
his tail, and Vaquero is lame with a stone bruise. Late in the day Lyndsey and
I branded a couple calves that were too close to the house for their own good.
I roped off Dakota and we had it done pretty fast.
Hi 68, cloudy but no rain, lo 48
Thursday, June 5, 2003
A woman from Datil called
about buying a horse for her 12-year-old son. She’s a gal
I have sold a few horses to and I know they have a good home.
Well at first I told her I didn’t have anything that would
work that I was willing to sell. Then I thought of one, the one
horse I said I would never sell. Doolin. He has worked for us
for eight years and is worth his weight in gold, but he is also
getting close to twenty and shouldn’t be working as hard
as he does here. I quoted a price and they came out to look at
him. It took the better part of the day, but they met my price
and he left in their trailer.
After they got on the road Lyns and I saddled up and headed into 7HL to try and find the fillies. We got a late start and only covered about a third of the pasture. We saw no sign of them anywhere, not a single track. We did come across the mean cow that Frank tangled with and got butted by a few weeks ago. She was no more cooperative today than she had been in the past. She was with three other cows and they took off right up the rockiest slope of T Bar Ridge. We tried to turn her back a couple times then she went on the fight. It was no place to have a showdown so we let her go till another day. No wolf is going to take her down.
Hi 76 scattered afternoon thunderstorms but none here, lo 45.
Friday, June 6, 2003
Maggie, Lyndsey and I gathered
the bulls out of the south trap and pushed them into Negrito
pasture. Time for the party to begin.
It took a couple hours to find them all and when we did they were all a pain in the ass. Fighting and arguing all the way. When we came through the gate into Negrito they got a whiff of women and started bellowing and bucking around, just being real idiots.
We got to Dog Spring about 2pm and let them drift. We took a break for a few minuets then heard a huge smash of thunder, looking west the sky was blue black and we decided to get a move on towards the house. As we headed that way the wind came up with some spitting rain, then more wind and lightning ripped the sky. Just as we were getting into the H.Q. it started a light rain that was driven sideways, more lightning put a quick in the horses steps.
It was down right chilly when we got to the barn, in about 30 minuets the temperature had gone from 75 to 51.
Just about the time we got the horses put away and back to the house for a cup of coffee, Frank called. He had been hauling hay, as was the usual this week but his truck had broken down in Reserve. I unhitched my trailer and headed there. He had a car pull out right in front of him and had to down shift a 15,000-pound load. The compression blew out the freeze plugs in his engine. Something else to fix.
Maggie’s ’01 pickup is not running right now either, I thought it was the fuel filter and swapped that out but it made no difference. The engine just shuts down with no warning. I’m sure it’s some stupid computer thing, a sensor sending a false message. But it’s no good when you are 4 hours from the dealer; all they can tell you is to bring it in. So we will have to load it on a trailer and haul it with my truck that has only one front brake.
Hi 75, very little rain, lo 45
Saturday, June 7, 2003
Three new fires we can see
from here started by yesterdays lightning, the closest is about
15 miles from the house.
We unloaded hay again as we have every morning this week, but it was the last load! That made it a bit easier. We have about 1300 bales in the barn now, it should last till November. After we got done with that we branded a couple more calves, then spent the rest of the day fixing rail fence just around the H.Q.
The horseshoers Doug and Cathy are here for a couple days, I’ve shod a few this week just to try and save a couple bucks. They are doing the problem ones and special needs, I do the easy ones.
For those of you who have met Doug he just won a four state regional shoeing competition and also is getting some air time on an Albq. Radio station with some of his songs. He knows and always plays my favorite when he’s here, Fire On The Mountain by the Marshall Tucker Band. The man is good!
Hi 72 few clouds in the afternoon, lo 42.
Sunday, June 8, 2003
Frank and Lyndsey have the
day off. I hauled some cattle out to Gilita Ridge then came back
and got salt and Maggie and headed to Snow Canyon to restock
that area. It was a pretty drive but the smoke is really pouring
in from the fire to our east, seems it must be getting pretty
big, we can see the smoke rising over Loco Mtn. and it appears
to be about a 2 mile fire line.
We got home about 2pm, a quick lunch then I was out on Gambler hunting up loose horses to get them in for shoeing. I rode and rode and rode and couldn’t find them. All I saw was Elk and lots of elk babies, earlier in the week we had been talking that is was about time but we hadn’t seen one yet. I saw at least 50 brand new babies within a couple hundred acre area. I worked my way up the mountain to a small park about half way up and found them all lying around. I roused them up and sent them scampering home. It was a great run, face full of dust and the sound of thundering hooves. We started out about three miles from the H.Q. and were home in just a couple minuets. A nice Sunday afternoon ride.
Hi 73 few clouds, lo 39.
As all in our fair country have noticed by the smoke heavy in our normally sweet mountain air, there are fires in the high country. Thousands of acres of choice timber and grass lands have been burning for a week now, making life in the area generally unpleasant. The chance of rain seems to be just on the horizon and moving this way. Hopefully it will douse the flames and cool things off.
But, Alas! There is a new fire of sorts flaring up and one, which no rain will be able to extinguish. Fearless Frank and the Frisco River Gang are back in the area. Word reached this office several days ago that Fearless Frank was seen in Horse Springs with a whole new bunch of ruffians. He is back to get more loot, which he has stashed over the years in the far reaches of the high country. We can only assume he is in need of some financing for other evil exploits he has planned.
A source of low reputation reported that Fearless Frank and his new gang spent
several days drinking and hell raising around that nefarious establishment
in Horse Springs which we all know honest men don’t frequent. Riding
with Fearless Frank are five known outlaws, every one of them worse than
any we have seen before. They include “Skeeter” Glass, and his
partner, “Big Mike” Collett. These two men have been known along
the Ohio/ Kentucky River country for years, card sharking killers to the
core. Worse yet they have brought along a young vixen already known for her
expertise stealing horses and cattle, she goes by the handle of “Cattle
Katie” whom I am sure we will her more of if something I not soon done
to correct her wayward youth.
Rounding out the gang are “Nevada Mike” and his partner “Raging
Ron,” Two drifters from the Nevada territory who unfortunately drifted
our way. They have left behind tales of terror on their journey south; from
stage hold ups to bar room brawls no town has forgotten their visits.
News of Fearless Frank’s presence made its way to the office of the New Mexico Rangers as well as to the office of this fine reporter. Arriving in the country late last night were our old friends Capt. Bates and “Loco” Lyndsey Hobson. With them a company of rangers eager to best Fearless and put in end to the tremors he puts in the hearts of good men. Two familiar faces are among the rangers, “Rowdy” Russ and “Anything Goes” Andrea Imler. They have ridden with the Capt. Several times over the years and are known to be ones to ride the river with. “Rowdy” stated he returned with a gun belt full of cartridges and every one of them has Fearless’ name on it.
From up north in the hole in the wall country “Pappy” Vail and
his woman, “Luscious Liz” have ridden south to throw their guns
into the tempest. Three members of the famous Lukic family of lawmen are here
as well, with a well earned reputation that extends from California to the
Ohio Valley. They are brothers Dan AKA “Hoss”, and “Crazy” Otto,
and their cousin “Ten Guage” Tony.
Rounding out the posse is “California Lori” who appears to be a
lady of fine upbringing and culture. We hope she has the killer instinct deep
within which will enable her to survive the upcoming endeavor.
The wishes and prayers of all the good people of this country go with the rangers,
and the wishes are that soon the carrion feeders will enjoy a feast of Fearless
Frank and the Frisco River Gang.
A good group for this week's general ranch week. We have
no veterans, kinda unusual for us
The crew includes Tom and Patricia from Ireland, Bill
from Colorado, Don from Virginia, Mary Anne from Arizona, and John and Marge
from New Jersey.
Monday, June 23, 2003
Mid morning saw everyone set with a horse
and outfit and headed out into Negrito pasture. The job of the day was to ride
the heifers and check them over. It’s about time most of them were calving
and we want to keep a good eye on them. Frank found one last week dead from
birthing and we want to try and catch that from happening again. Frank took
a long loop with his group down into Snow Canyon where a lot of heifers are
while Lyndsey rode the Dog Spring and Little Fence Spring area. Lyndsey reported
that a lot of the heifers had calved and problems seemed to be apparent.
When Frank got to Snow Lake trap he found about 60 head in the trap, this area we are trying to keep ungrazed till later in the growing season. They quickly gathered them up and moved them to Snow Canyon. We’ll see how long they stay there.
Hi was 78, sunfactor of 90 lo was 43.
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
Lyndsey worked for Maggie today,
she is way behind and buried in orders for her jewelry.
Frank and I rode out with the crew into 7hl gathering up cattle that had slipped thru a gate which someone had left open last week. We rode to Elladean where saw old Banana Horns with about twenty cows. They were happy at the tank so we left them there till we came back with others. We split up into two groups, I took my half of the crew up the main draw of Feathery Basin while Frank and his gang went over the upper end. We passed a few head along the way and rode all the way to the north fence. There we meet back up again and started working our way back sweeping up everything. A bunch here and a bunch there soon added up. By the time we got back to Elladean we had about 80 head, but there was no Banana horns waiting for us. He had grabbed his gals and split the scene.
It was a long afternoon pushing the bunch to the North trap where we will hold them till the end of the week and do some branding. Everyone got a good handle on cattle driving and by the end of it was a well working crew.
A hot day, not a cloud in the sky was to be seen. Hi 77, sun factor 90 lo 46.
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Frank worked around the ranch a bit today, moving
generators, fixing a big hole in the south trap fence where a tree had fallen
over it and the giving Maggie a hand.
We trailered out to Cowcamp to work the rest of 7HL pasture. Lyndsey took the top with her crew and I went down the canyon with mine. Before we had gone a 1/4 mile we ran into cattle and the days work was on. We pushed these ahead of us and kept picking up more along the way. By the time we got to T Bar Tank we had about 60 head, there we met up with the other crew and their dozen head. We held them for awhile finding we had a couple split pairs which we left behind. As we headed up past the canyon the tank is in we found all our missing pairs and I was happy as we headed off with a quiet herd.
We also found about 150 elk at the tank. It was a hell of a sight as they streamed out and wound up the side of the canyon across from us. Another long afternoon was spent driving the cattle into the North trap. By the time we got to the trap we had about 80 head more making a good size bunch to work for the rest of the week. But we never did find Banana, he sure is good at hiding out.
A few clouds, it spat rain a couple time but just cooled things off, hi 76 sun factor 85 lo 43.
Thursday, June 26, 2003
We all rode out into
the North trap and gathered in everything we had put in there
over the last couple days. It was pretty fast gather and we were
able to enjoy lunch at the H.Q. The wind started up as soon as
we sat down to eat, this changed the plan we had for branding.
We just couldn’t risk a fire so we decided to sort all
the cattle, cutting the unbranded pairs into a separate corral.
Instead of branding we would work the cows thru the chute and
worm them.
Our ground crew helped Frank and three riders with Lyndsey and I in the sorting corrals. We sure had a mixed bunch of cattle and it took all day to sort them all out. I was riding Doc and he was his usual awesome self cutting. He makes the most amazing moves and just when you think he is wearing down he does it again and then throws a couple yeeha bucks in his glee of a job well done. He almost got me off once, but slipped back under me. He’s not doing it to get me off his back, he just loves what he does so much. When he felt me lose a stirrup and my weight shift he was right there to catch me and stood absolutely motionless till I was rearranged and then he was back of in his springing lope to find another cow to work. John use to do all the pairing in a situation like this and I was always glad for it. It is so time consuming and stressful. But when the day was done we had made no mistakes it seemed. But not trusting myself we keep the branded pairs on the water lot and the unbranded ones in the corral, this way if we did have a split pairs they were all handy and easily put back together. The ground crew had lots of tales of excitement with proddy cows, they learned how to climb a fence fast.
The day ended about 7pm with a lot of work done and a crew hungry for one of Tawnya's good dinners.
It rained a bit just about the time we got done which put a freshness in the air. Hi 76 sun factor low, clouds and wind. Lo was 47.
Friday, June 27, 2003
We woke to a silent morning
as no cows were bawling and no mistakes made the day before.
As soon as breakfast was done we headed right to the corrals
and got a branding team whipped into shape. The wind was calm
and the temperatures cool so it was just right. Everyone found
a job and soon got handy, as the morning went on we got better
and faster. By mid afternoon 28 calves were sporting new brands
and the crew was satisfied. We then got our horses and put the
two bunches of cattle together and started the push out to Negrito
Pasture. As we headed across the H.Q. lot the crews mind seemed
to be else where or just the weariness from branding but we quickly
lost a calf who took off and ran back to the corrals. The last
place it had seen his momma. There was nothing that can be done
to change a lost calf’s mind so we only had the option
of turning the herd around and getting them all back to where
the calf was so we could get momma who didn’t seem to care
back with her baby. We got back, got the calf and got them paired
up and headed out again. This time everyone was back on the ball
and things went well. After we left the H.Q. lot we went thru
Big Pine gate and then up Negrito Canyon, it’s a tough
push and made no better when the weather came down on us with
rain and lightning. About half way Cisco who was being ridden
by Patricia started parking out to pee and only grunting. I swapped
horses and started walking him home. I traveled right into the
path of a major, back beating hail storm. Of course I had left
my slicker on Dakota who Patricia was now riding. It was a cold
and uncomfortable walk home.
When the riders got the cattle to Burnt Cabin they headed back and then pushed the last bunch out of the corrals and into the north trap where they will rest till next week. It was a great crew which got a lot of work done. It makes me feel good that most of the cattle are out of 7HL for the growing season and that all the calves of branding size are officially mine.
Hi 70 no sunfactor, lo 44.
Sunday, June 29, 2003
I made the Albq. trip again
this weekend, but for a great reason. Cassady flew in Saturday
night! Yahoo!
He traveled from Ma. with his next-door neighbor Rick, who works at the same school his mom, does. It was a long five months since I have seen him, and he sure has changed. He has new front teeth! He had his baby teeth knocked out when he was three, kinda started out being rough on his body just like his old man. He really looks so much more grown up now with them.
Besides Rick our other crewmembers for the week are Barry from Tx. He is here for his second time, last time he left here as the new owner of Coal. Barry brought along his college age daughter Lisa this time, instead of his banker buddies. Dan is here from Ma. Don from Ca. Lisa and Andrea from N.J. and Bob and his son Steve from N.Y.
A pretty good-sized, crew with a lot of work to do for the week.
Monday, June 30, 2003
Maggie and Cassady had gone
to Snow Lake last night and had seen lots of cattle around there
so Frank went that way with a crew and worked the day around
there. They Gathered cattle out of School House canyon and moved
them around to Snow Canyon and up a couple miles, that took all
day and it was a long one for them. Lyndsey took her crew out
into 7hl and found about 50 head near Nedra, they were all ones
that had been gathered out of there before. She pushed most of
them into the south trap. We will go through them at the end
of the week and work anything that didn’t get last week.
She found another hole in the fence with lots of tracks going
through so we will have to ride 7HL all over again, just like
last week. Maybe along the way we can find old Banana Horns again.
When both groups got home it was discovered that both sisters Lisa and Andrea who had been in different groups had fallen off. We had gone two years with no fall offs and here these two go and both do it in one day.
Cassady and I worked on some fence both here at the H.Q. and down near Snow Lake, then just kinda hung out for the afternoon. Hi 78 sun factor 88, lo 50
Tuesday, July 1, 2003
Lyndsey had to run to Silver
City to ship jewelry for Maggie and pick up a few vet supplies.
Frank took the crew out into 7HL to fix the hole in the fence and hunt up some cattle. Maggie, Cassady and I left an hour or so behind them and rode into Negrito just looking things over then headed into 7HL as well. Frank found Banana Horns and a few cows hiding in a big bunch of elk east of T Bar tank, He started out with them back towards Elladeane. Rick and Barry our two wranglers for the week took a couple more folks north and came up on another big bunch of elk that was hiding a few pairs. They pushed them west towards where we were riding in Feathery basin. We all met up at Elladeane and cut of a couple small pairs then moved the rest into the south trap. Cassady rode six hours and was sure tuckered out at the end of the day. At one point he told me he thought the bones in his legs had broken. He needs to get back in shape; it’s been a long 7 months of no riding since we didn’t ride at all over Christmas.
Today was N.J. Lisa’s birthday so we had cake and candles. Hi 80 sun factor of 95 lo 49
Wednesday, July 2, 2003
We worked the east side of Negrito pasture looking
up some more unbranded calves and found a pretty good bunch, which we pushed
to the Silver Gate. There we spent an hour or so pairing everything up the putting
what we needed to brand through into the south trap. I then saw a few head that
had already been in there from earlier in the week looking like they hadn’t
been to water. Concerned I decided we should gather all the cattle we could find
and get them to the spring. We worked a couple hours getting that done and found
most of the cattle in the trap. When we got to the spring we found the tank had
been moved an inch too far from the spout and had not been catching any water.
So we had to move all the cattle the extra two miles to the H.Q. and put them
on the water lot. It was slow going with a lot of real small and hot calves.
But we had to get their mommas to water. When we got to the top of the H.Q. ridge
most of the cattle ran down to the water in a stampede, they were that thirsty.
Frank had taken the day off to go see his dad who is ailing.
Hi 81 sun factor 95 lo 50
Thursday, July 3, 2003
We spent the morning
gathering the south trap getting everything we could find and
getting it into the water lot. When we got in, half the folks
went on ground crew with Frank, as we got ready to worm more
cows. But first we had Banana horns to reckon with. The first
try he blew on through the chute as before, but this time we
were ready for him and had a couple cows waiting in the corral
below so he stayed with them and we were able to get him back
up for another try. Plan B worked, we slowed him down with steel
pipes in the chute and finally got him caught! He was none to
happy about it but we were able to get his horns cut, one had
gone almost two inches into his fat head. Getting him out was
exciting, he had gotten a pipe up under his chest and we couldn’t
budge it. We loosened the squeeze sides and he started thrashing
around and finally busted the whole side of the chute open bending
a few rods and levers a long the way. I quick grabbed the pipe
and Frank quick opened the front and he finally got out and went
of to his lady friends sporting a new horn style. A couple folks
asked how long till they grew back and we would have to do it
again. I told them I didn’t know or care, as we would not
be his owners at that time.
We got an assembly line going to work the rest of the cattle. Lyndsey and I with our riders Barry, Lisa, Rick, and Andrea sorted cattle out of the lot. We pushed small bunches up the ground crew who ran them through the chute. It went well and we had everything sorted and wormed by 6pm. We left a bunch in the corrals for branding in the morning; the week is going just like last week. It was hot today; we are looking to the skies for the summer monsoons to start but so far no luck.
Hi 81 sun factor 98 lo 48
Friday, July 4, 2003
We branded while it was still
cool and calm, a good crew that got right to it. We didn’t
have but a dozen and a half but it was plenty of fun and everyone
got a chance to do what they wanted to try.
A bit of roping, branding, throwing and laughing.
After branding and a long lunch break we saddled up and gathered the entire north trap where we had let everything we had worked yesterday drift into. We got them headed to the T gates when we spotted a cow and new born on the other side of the fence in the south trap we had left yesterday on purpose. The momma started along the fence following the herd and we wanted her to go into the north trap with another newborn pair we had left there. So we had to turn the herd around till she got back with her baby and then get her through the gate then turn the herd again and get going back the way we were started. The herd thought we had gone crazy but we knew the old cow would walk off following the herd and leave her baby. We finally got the herd to the gate after a long push over not to far a distance. It was hot and they just didn’t want to go anywhere. We all wore out our voices and our patience. Once through the gate most of the riders headed home but a few went longer into Negrito with Lyndsey trying to find a Prolapsed cow they had seen earlier in the week. There was no luck in finding the cow. Along the way Chili who was toting Dan around stumbled and Dan found himself on the ground. Number three for the week! We have never had a week like this!
My birthday is on Monday and someone let it slip so we had cake and candles. The crew got pretty loud and woke up pretty quiet in the morning. It was a heck of a fun week and a crew we wont forget for along time.
Sunday, July 20, 2003
A small crew this week, just four guys. The Cruse brothers are back, Wayne
from Fla. for his 4th time, Robert from Ky. for his 2nd time. They brought
along Henry who also lives in Fla. Then we have Frank; originally from Holland
he now lives in Oregon.
Monday July 21, 2003
We got right to work after getting everyone set with a horse and gear. Headed
out into 7HL and gathered about 50 head, all of them ones that we have gathered
out of that pasture time and again. We have ridden the fence over and over
and just can’t find where they are getting back through. This time
we pushed them all the way back to the H.Q. so we can truck them over to
the south side of Negrito pasture and hopefully break this cycle.
It was a long push back thanks to old Banana Horns who was once again out in front scattering the herd all the way home. Damn that bull really pisses me off. It should have only taken about three hours but ended up taking almost five hours. As we were getting to the T Gates a light rain started and lightning popped all around. One bolt struck the top of the hill right above us, it spooked all the horses. Cassady was on Creek putting his slicker on when it struck and his horse jumped and bucked but he did a great job looking like a bronc rider with one arm waving in the air. Creek is the best sort of horse and stopped after the scare was gone. Cassady was pretty proud of himself, so was I.
Unfortunately the rain amounted to nothing but a dust settler and fire starter. A new spire of smoke was soon spotted about two miles north. It was a long first day and everyone walked like it this evening. Frank and I hauled a few loads of cattle till light ran out on us and we called it a day. Hi 85 lo 47.
Tuesday July 22, 2003
Frank and I hauled the cattle that were gathered yesterday out to Gilita Ridge.
Now those damn fence hoppers better be happy there, the grass is knee high
and the water fresh. We’ll see if they stay there. We saw plenty of
other cattle that we had taken over there last week and they sure looked
fat and slick. The deworming we did is really showing. Then Frank and Lyndsey
headed out into Negrito to the Little Fence Spring area to hunt up some small
pairs to push home then truck over to the same area. It’s time we got
them out of the north side of the pasture and all out to the south.
I then went to town and spent the day meeting with a lawyer, a sheriff and a judge trying to get some legal stuff taken care of. A fella is trying to steal some equipment I have in Alma and it’s come to going to court. I hate feuding but hey force me into it and I’m as good as the best. I got home about 6pm and the riders had not been home long. I heard the usual comments that we don’t know how short an hour is or how long a mile is. They brought in ten pairs a couple of which needed branding.
It was warm and humid after a light rain over night. Hi 80 lo 44
Wednesday July 23, 2003
We spent the morning branding a few calves and cutting a horn off a cow, then
hauled them all out to N Bar Lake. When we were done with that the crew headed
out with Frank and went through the Dog Spring area. They brought in a trailer
load to go to Gilita ridge. It was a long day, they didn’t get in till
after 6pm.
I drove around the south half of the ranch just seeing what there was to see. A lot of cattle at Snow Lake and a gate open into Loco Pasture, so now we have a few head in there. It’s ok since that’s the next pasture we are going into.
It was cloudy most of the day giving some shade but no rain. Hi 80, lo 43
Thursday July 24, 2003
The guys and I loaded up our horses and headed out to Loco Mtn. pasture to
ride the south fence there. The fence border the Gila Wilderness and is always
in bad shape and hard to get to. We started at the Loco Trail head #104,
also known as Harleyville after a guide who pretty much lives there all fall.
The short ride to the top of the ridge brings you to views that make folks
say every thing from poetic expressions to down right cussing. Today was
no different. From there we rode across Aeroplane mesa till we picked up
the fence about three miles out and headed west along it. We found a lot
of elk damage, a few trees over the wire, several spots the fence had been
cut and all the wood posts were burned through at the bottom from last years
Middle Fire. Then we headed off the Mesa into two rough dang canyons to ride
a section of the fence I had never ridden. Because I never wanted to cross
those two rough dang canyons. Well we headed into them, got across them and
everyone was a better rider for having done it. Wayne is one of those guys
I have watched over the years who is just a natural, his brother Robert is
the same way. The only time they ride is when they come here and the difference
makes me smile. Henry was a beginner when he came but is a master of several
Martial Arts and had good balance. Today he was really hitting his stride
He was worried about the canyons and brush we headed into but he trusted
his good horse Zeno and came out feeling pretty pleased. Once across those
we headed up a long ridge that runs along the Middle Fork Canyon. For years
I had looked up at it from the river and wondered what was up there. It was
a country of dead fallen trees and 150 footers reaching to the sky, Of 400
year old Alligator Juniper and sweet ponderosa parks, views to boggle the
mind and a fence that was a mess. We patched some holes here and there in
the areas where cattle might travel but we just on a recon, to see what I
needed and how much repair there was.
The day ended on a ridge way above Snow Lake in the black timber
of Douglas fir and Spruce and steep. We swung off our horses
and led them about a half mile down the slope that was moss covered
and strewn with downed timber. It was a tough walk down but there
was no way it could have been ridden the timber was just too
thick, the slope too steep and the footing treacherous. From
there it was a short ride to where a trailer was waiting for
us in Snow Valley. We covered a lot of new country and did it
in good time. I was riding Doc, never had he been in country
that rough before and he did a great job. He did go to his knees
in the rocks coming up out of one of the canyons and I thought
for sure we were going over. He was athletic enough to get himself
stopped, steadied and gathered back up.
The farriers are coming in the morning, I have a long list and the top on it
is Dakota, he’s been lame for a month now. I was hoping it was a stone
bruise but it’s been too long now, should hava abscessed already. I can’t
find a specific sore spot with hoof testers other than general soreness all
over his hoof.
A hot day hi 80, sun factor 90 few clouds and rain in the distance.
Friday July 24, 2003
The crew rode with Frank around the Negrito and H.Q. area taking care of a
few odd chores. Getting in the Prolapsed cow that had jumped out day before
yesterday, sorting a couple trailer loads to move out, gathering in a few
we had left in the traps.
I stuck around here to get the bad news on Dakota from Doug. He had white line disease so I watched as Doug cut his entire toe off and the front hoof covering up to his coronary band. Then he was fitted with a heart bar shoe with a big toe clip, his other feet were trimmed and left unshod the he was led into the corral where he will spend the next few months. It broke my heart, not so much because I have lost use of a great horse but he is just to full of loving life to stand for months in a corral. We will keep him up at the guest corral where there’s a lot of activity since he is so social. We can’t take the chance of even letting him in the night lot, without that front hoof and toe one good whack on a rock could break his coffin bone.
It was a good week and a lot of work got done, these guys really got a lot of cattle moved around and I feel pretty good about getting them to better graze at the right time. As always it was fun having the Cruse brothers here again, and Henry and Dutch were a great addition. We hope they will warm our bunks again.
Sunday, July 27, 2003
A big crew this week, and one we have been looking forward to. We have two
of the original “Cupcakes” here, Averille from Texas and Katie
from Colorado, here for visit number 6. Also Averill’s daughter Carrie
here for her 3rd time. The rest of our ten person crew are Kim from Georgia,
Bonnie, a friend of Katie’s from Colorado, Brad and his son Alex from
Virginia. Rounding out the crew are three members of the Black Cowboys Federation
from N.Y.C. Lenard, Carl, and Curly. The second time we have had representatives
from that group.
Monday, July 28, 2003
Monday we got right to work back out in Negrito pasture bringing in more to
move to the south side. We rode in a couple groups and got about 25 head
gathered up and eased on home. There we sorted off a half dozen pairs that
needed branding and penned them then put some on the water lot to drive to
Burnt Cabin in the morning.
Hi 81 sunfactor 98; a few teasing thunderheads but still the country begs for real rain.
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
We branded early before the heat and the wind got high. It wasn’t much
of a branding with only 6 calves to do. It gave the first timers a taste and
left the Cupcakes wanting more. They know what the heck to do in a branding
pen and it’s always the favorite part of their visit.
Then everyone saddled up and headed out. The federation fellas went with Frank and moved a bunch of dry cows and heifers up Negrito Canyon to Burnt Cabin. It took them only about four hours but it was a long, loud four hours through that rough canyon. The rest went out to Little Fence spring Area, Ewe Canyon, and the Negrito Meadows hunting up more to move out. While they were doing that I hauled out the fresh branded pairs to School House canyon. On the way back I come around a corner at 40 mph and there in the middle of the road was a wolf. I slid my truck and loud clattery trailer to a stop 15 feet from him and he stands there. Then I honk the horn and he finally moves to the shoulder of the road. He stands 8 feet away looking at me as I take a couple photos. Then I holler at him but he walks up on the road to my trailer and starts sniffing around it like a dog at a fire hydrant. He obviously smelled the blood from the just castrated calves I had just hauled. I got out of the truck and he just turned and looked at me as I hollered at him again from 10 feet away. It wasn’t till I grabbed a hand full of gravel from the road and hit him square in the face did he run away. These wolves aren’t wild, they are like dogs. The researchers and study groups handle them and follow them around too much, now they have no fear of man what so ever.
After a long day of riding in a relatively small area the riders came up with another 20 head which were brought in to the H.Q. Three pairs were left behind at Dog Spring, the calves were too small to make the walk home. These cattle we trucked out to Gilita Ridge late in the day since there were no calves to brand, disappointing everyone.
Wednesday July 30, 2003
We all headed back out into Negrito pasture to hunt strays once again. Averille
took a crew to Negrito meadow area to hunt up some we had seen there yesterday.
They found them and moved them on home to the H.Q. corrals. Lyndsey went
out into the Ewe Canyon rim and rock country and came up with a few more.
I headed down Loco Rd and sent Hebert, Lenerd, and the Federation Fellas
on a loop to meet up with Lyndsey. Kim, Cassady and I did a big loop up over
Negrito Mountain, along the Triangle to Burnt Cabin then on home. We saw
a few around Burnt Cabin but they were in a good spot so we left them there.
We got into some steep rocky stuff but Cassady never uttered a word of worry
though I was thinking about it.
Hi 81 a few clouds in the afternoon, early evening light shower. Lo was 50.
Thursday July 31, 2003
Most of the crew decided to see some new country and ride a long loop through
7hl with me. We were looking for stray cattle that might have slipped back
in but also checking to see if we had gotten any grass growing there yet after
a few light evening showers. On our way out we gathered all the loose horses
out of the north trap and pushed them all into 7HL. I figured when they got
out in that 15,000 acre pasture they would be gone grazing. But for the first
two hours they followed along with us being in the way. Finally we stopped
above T Bar tank for a break and when we left they stayed there.
We covered about 20 miles and it went by pretty fast. Only saw one pair and they were pretty happy along the creek in T Bar valley. When we got to Fence tank I opened the gates so any cattle out in Pitchfork could drift in. Then up past cow camp over 7hl mesa, into Feathery Basin, over Feathery Hill and home. We got in just before a good little rain came down. All day it had been raining around us. I had mentioned earlier in the week that the ranch seemed to have an umbrella over it. After just being missed by big thunderstorms a few times during the day Carrie decided it was me who had the umbrella. When we got back home it had rained hard there. I guess she was right.
Hi 76 sunfactor 80 before noon clouds. Lo 51.
Friday August 1, 2003
I trailered Lyndsey, Curly, Kim and Bonnie down to the N Bar Lake area, about
9 miles from H.Q. Thhe rode from there checking where cattle and water were.
Frank rode from the house with the rest and checked the Negrito area one last
time and to bring in a few little pairs that we had left out since the wolves
are close by.
Averille was in her role as extra wrangler and with her crew they made a good
last sweep. I feel confident that all but just an elusive few are out on
better range. They were all in by mid afternoon and six of us crammed in
the pick up to drive around the snow lake and loco country just to see what
was going on there. Frank followed us out with the little pairs they had
gathered earlier in the trailer to drop them on Gilita ridge. About two miles
from the H.Q. a light rain became a torrential down pour, which soon came
to driving marble size hail. The truck was sliding in the road as 2 inches
quickly piled up, before our eyes it became December. I stopped under an
over hanging tree worried my windshield would soon be smashed. It was coming
down so hard you really couldn’t talk in the truck, it was so loud.
All we kept saying was we sure hoped Lyndsey was already home. If she was
out in that I didn’t want to meet up with her when I got home. We headed
on our way and within a couple hundred yards it was all over. We continued
on to Snow Lake where we saw lots of fat happy cattle. Then on out into Loco
and Canyon Creek where we didn’t see any cattle. Just the way it was
supposed to be. We stashed a loot bag for next week's Posse at on old line
camp cabin while we were in Canyon Creek. All the way back it rained. When
we got home I was glad to find Lyndsey there dry and in a good mood. They
had just gotten in when the storm came through. After dinner it was our traditional
Cupcake egg toss won by Brad and Alex. Cassady and I were the first to break
our egg.
This was Cassady's last week here; they went by way too fast. It was such a
pleasure to have him out there riding along with me. Chugging along on Creek
all smiles and confidence. He got in 53 hours of riding time while he was
here; long days and some pretty rough country. The day Kim, Cassady and I
rode the top of Negrito Mtn. it was steep and really rocky. I give all the
credit to Creek for the confidence Cassady had. Every day he was given the
option of riding or hanging with Maggie. We never pushed him into it, I have
seen too many kids get burned on horses by having to do it. He rode three
days a week on average. He knows what to do with the cattle and how to move
them. He’s a good hand.
I hate to see this crew leave, they were all a bunch of fun. We got the pasture
cleared but just wish we had come up with more branding for them. The fire
restrictions were lifted Thursday but it was just too late to set up pens at
Snow Lake and start there. Heck I still need to get out to Loco Mtn and fix
that mess of fence there before we start going into that pasture.
SILVER CITY DAILY PRESS
DAILY PRESS
!!!*EXTRA*EXTRA* !!!
Fearless Frank Spotted Rangers Return
Rumors had been going around for weeks that Fearless Frank was back in the Gila country, from Horse Springs to the Black Range sightings had been coming in to this reporter. At first they seemed so strange that they couldn’t have been true, reports that he was now riding with an all female gang. These reports were confirmed last night when our illustrious Capt. Bates showed up in town late last night. He too had heard the reports and after gathering some information on his ride down he told this reporter that all the rumors were accurate. Fearless Frank is indeed in the high country with a gang of women. He let it be known Wildcats is the term, which would be more accurate to describe them.
It seems three known miscreants from the state of brotherly love have fled out west and joined up with Fearless. They leave behind a reputation none of the female persuasion should be proud to carry. From pick pocketing, and flim flam to out right robbery and murder they have traveled all the pathways on the wrong side of the law and gracious living. These three dirty doves are simply known as Psycho Sylvia, Mischievous Michelle, and Troublesome Tina. Of course along side Fearless is his gal Hoot-n-Anna whom has been there some months now.
Capt. Bates sent the word over the wire for able bodied, fast gunmen hunters to join him and once again several ill-advised men answered the call to join up as Rangers. They include Mad Mike Davey from New York. A man of good reputation who for the last thirty years has been dealing with the dark side of that fine city.
A father and son team consisting of young Matt and Kirk Barton who were lured from upstate New York with a promise of adventure and a tempting reward. They are known as good honest men who happen to be handy with a weapon.
Alan Rosenfield came over the border from the Arizona territory to join up. There is some speculation as to the reason behind his haste leaving the east coast some years ago but in this case we will let by gones be just that.
As per usual Loco Lyndsey Hobson is present and accounted for with what seems to be a grudge. Of course we have written too many times of the attempts by the Rangers to bring fearless Frank down but this time all good citizens of the country are feeling that this may be the end of the scourge which as held our gentle country rapt for the past years. Our wishes and hopes for Godspeed and sure shots go with our valiant Rangers.
SILVER CITY
DAILY PRESS
!!!*EXTRA*EXTRA*!!!
GOOD NEWS FROM THE HIGH COUNTRY
News just reached this office from the headwaters of the Gila that the Rangers have been successful in sending Fearless Frank and his gang scurrying from the mountain tops. The rangers spent the first days searching the country for the outlaws. They quickly found their camp only to find it empty. The trails were clear of sign and the horizon clear of riders. It wasn’t until Wednesday night that the Rangers found the camp occupied. The outlaws had built substantial barricades around the cabin and the Rangers soon found the situation not in good favor. The loss of two men persuaded them to withdraw for a better opportunity later.
Thursday was spent keeping a check on the camp and doing more riding in hopes of catching the outlaws on the trail and away from the defenses of the camp. It was a quiet day.
Friday the outlaws were up in the wee hours of the day with the plan to get the outlaws as they slumbered comfortably in their bedrolls. In the starlight it was discovered that the outlaw horses were standing outside the corrals paying the posse horses a visit. It was assumed that the gang were close at hand and everyone went into action for the expected attack. Meanwhile at the outlaw camp Fearless and his gals woke to find empty corrals. The fence down and sign of horses leaving at a run. They naturally assumed the Rangers had stolen all the mounts. Tempers hot and attitudes bad they set out with vengeance on their minds. Fearless arrived first and made a one-man attack on the camp, he found himself an empty cabin and locked himself in. The rangers went on the offensive, three keeping fearless bottled up and the rest on the scout for the other outlaws. A half hour later they were spotted approaching camp and plans were made. Gunfire erupted and echoed along the canyon as the rangers welcomed the outlaws. Stiff return fire was the answer and the conversation lasted close to an hour. When the smoke cleared all the gang members were headed to another world. When Fearless realized the demise of his gang he made a break for it, Mean Mike Davey from N.Y. had been waiting under the cabin for an hour for Frank to make this decision. He stuck a gun to the surprised outlaw leaders head and ended it right there. The Rangers lost two of their own during the conflict, Sgt. Hobson and young Pvt. Barton where killed in the main cabin by amazing marksmanship aimed by Fearless from his cabin. Both went down heroically. But it is the price paid to wipe out an entire outlaws gang.
Promotions went to now Sgt. Davey for his exemplary service throughout the week. And also to now Corporal Barton the Sr. for his coolness under fire when out gunned facing two outlaws he brought them both down. Pvt. Rosenfield is mentioned for his good service and determination.
We all can breath easier now thanks to the service of these fine Rangers. We hope Fearless will take it as a lesson learned and stay away from the Gila from now on. But we all should continue to keep a restless eye open, as we know he is like a consumptive cough and will probably return.
Saturday, August 9, 2003
Lyndsey took the crew back to Albq. Frank spent the day breaking down the tents
and getting the rest of the stuff from the camps. I spent the day working
on the generator so I can call Lyndsey with a parts list. We are down to
about 500 gallons of water in the storage tanks. I spent all day taking apart
that Japanese engineering, ranch rigged it back together minus an exhaust
and muffler. The problem was the old one was clogged beyond cleaning and
causing a restriction. It’s loud but pumping water. I had to stop for
a while when a thunderhead came over and threw a lot of lightning around.
I was working under a 40 foot steel well tower and felt a bit vulnerable.
Hi 78 light afternoon showers, lo 49.
Sunday, August 10, 2003
I drove to Snow Lake checking cattle and salt on Gilita ridge as I went. Spotted
a small one-acre fire on the ridge that must have started yesterday. There
were a few cattle in the camp ground that I’ll go get in the morning.
There are at least 200 head around the lake area and over a hundred unbranded
calves. We will do those the last week of the month when the next crew of
guests is here to help. We’ll camp at Snow Tank and have a good time
of it.
I dropped off some salt in a few places and then came home and worked on the
pasture fence around the guest corral. The elk have just about destroyed it
getting in for the horse salt.
Hi 76 sunny till late afternoon, no rain, lo 50.
Monday, August 11, 2003
I rode out to Elladean Tank to check the horses out there. The tank is really
low and there’s a bunch of downed wire in the mud and water. The horses
love to wade out and I worry one will get tangled up. I rode about five hours
and an only saw 17 horse in three bunches, none near Elladeane.
When I got home I spent the rest of the day getting tax stuff organized, always
puts me in a bad mood.
Frank got back from a weekend seeing his folks and went to Az. to get a load
of lumber we will use to repair more of the boardwalk and to start the base
for reroofing my house next month. Lyndsey got back from Albq. late in the
day with generator parts and a 200 dollar muffler. I didn’t even take
it out of the box. Hell I could get a muffler for my truck for less than that.
We’ll just deal with a loud generator.
Hi 78 cloudy most of the day with light rain over night. Things are a lot greener than just a week ago but it’s still the least spectacular August I have ever seen.
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
Frank left with Anna to visit her folks in Idaho for a week. Lyndsey rode Gambler
to Elladeane and back past Little Fenced Spring. When she got to Elladeane
there were 13 horses there so she pushed them over the ridge to T Bar Valley
where the grass is thick and the water flowing in the stream. I trailered
Doc to Snow Lake, along the way I saw the fire on Gilita ridge had spread
to about a hundred acres, just creeping along taking out the brush. I unloaded
at the lake and real quick got the cattle out of the campground then rode
the fence around it and found a huge hole the elk had busted down. As Doc
and I were riding along the shore of the lake we came to a little inlet that
was teaming with trout. They had the water churning and roiling, fish jumping
everywhere. We sat and watched for a few minuets and saw some really nice
fish. I guess there must have been some kinda bug hatch going on though I
couldn’t see any bugs.
Then we rode through all the cattle around there just looking things over.
Hi 80 lo 47, no rain.
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Maggie had gone to Silver City yesterday and came home with a ton of salt we
unloaded to get the day going. Then we gathered trash that had been piling
up for weeks with the fire restrictions. We had a light rain over night so
it was a great time to burn the dump, we had a heck of a fire going for a
while.
After lunch Lyndsey and I went to Snow Lake and fixed fence there then came
back and fixed some more around the H.Q. that pretty much took up the day.
Rained mid morning and then 1/4 inch of hail during lunch,
Hi only 68 after a low of 46.
Friday, August 15, 2003
I am writing this from camp out on Loco Mt. I’ve been here since yesterday
noon. It is about an hour drive from H.Q. due east in Loco Mtn. pasture. Camp
is above the trailhead campground and corrals, near Big Loco tank. The area
gets its name from an Apache chief named “Loco” who stomped around
this area. In the 1880’s, I believe about ‘82; he was being pursued
by a patrol of the 10th cavalry through here. About a half mile above me in
the rocks of the saddle of the mountain he caught them in an ambush. Seven
troopers were killed but Loco was mortally wounded dying the next morning.
The troopers were buried there in the saddle on the mountain, the Apache brought
Loco back and set him under an Alligator Juniper tree to overlook his last
battle. {Story told to me by Quentin Hulse, old-time mountain man and friend
who just died last year}.
Yesterday between rain showers Lyndsey and I loaded wire, posts, tools and
camp gear to fix the wilderness boundary fence out there. I got my classic
old camper going and cleaned out and headed out here. She drove the camper
and I drove a truck with Doc and Gambler on board. We didn’t want to
drag along a packhorse for the splice and wire work so I took an old rubber
door mat and cut it to the shape of a large saddlebag. This I tied on and then
tied several small spools of barbed wire. I hung the fence stretchers the same
way you would carry a rifle on the right side, I also had on board my pliers,
staples, stay wire and small saw. We headed out riding east along the fence.
This pasture is shaped almost like Texas. So we started in Amarillo, rode along
the Oklahoma border to Louisiana, then south past Houston and Galveston till
we got to Brownsville. It was 7pm by then so we cut across country to camp.
We repaired a heck of a lot of holes. Up and down off our horses dozens and
dozens of times, often only going a hundred yards before another hole. But
it was great to be out; the country is so green it’s amazing. Folks who
were here just two weeks ago would not believe the difference. Looking out
from camp here I have a 75 mile view into the Gila Wilderness, it is golf course
green, dotted with Ponderosa pine, and Juniper, then ten miles out is the Middle
fork river canyon and beyond the mountains stacked upon each other till they
reach almost 11,000 feet. It is incredible. You have to see it to believe it.
The horses loved the day, walk a little, eat a little. Little smart ass Doc
soon figured it out, whenever there was an elk crossing or low spot he’d
head to it and stop. Even if I didn’t think it needed fixing he did.
There were thunderheads all around but no rain fell on us.
Hi was only 62 with a low of 44. Mostly cloudy
When we got back to camp Lyndsey headed home not wanting to
be away from her old dog. I bedded the horses and sat by the
fire a couple hours listening to the coyotes and smelling the
damp world, just as the sun went down the elk started flowing
into Big Loco tank for a drink. By the time it was too dark to
see there were over three hundred spread out in the meadow around
the tank. I live in paradise but sometimes I still need to get
out away from the house, get another view of it, to remind myself
how damn lucky I am.
This morning I woke to light rain pattering on the camper roof, it was hard
to get out of the sleeping bag, it was chilly. Looking out the window I saw
the horses looking in, the guilt got me out of bed. After they were taken care
of I made some coffee and had some oatmeal, then took a cup and let the horses
loose to graze in the meadow. It was only 6am and Lyndsey wouldn’t be
here till 9am, another great day to be a horse. It was wet and chilly, the
horses breath was seen as they munched huge mouthfuls of lush grass, sometimes
the clouds strung themselves through the trees which were just dark shapes
in the wet grey world. It felt like fall.
Lyndsey arrived late as usual, but that was fine with me. I’d had a great
morning. Just as we saddled up the sun burned through and blue sky was overhead.
We loaded our stuff up and headed south to where we left off yesterday. It
was more of the same, up and down, splice, tighten, cut stays, wire this, wire
that. But it was good. Midday a huge thunder storm raged on Canyon creek Mountain
3 miles away across S.S. Basin. We were level with the top and the lightning
was awesome. The rain poured, you could see the columns of white hail coming
down. Glad I wasn’t over there! We got wind and lots of it twisting off
that storm. It was cold and blustery. Late afternoon it looked like we were
going to get it but the storm died out just a mile in front of us. Later in
the day Lyndsey pointed to a fence post an there at the bottom was a baby elk
curled up, just born which is very late. I swung down and petted it, checked
and found it to be a bull. I have never seen one born this late and as we rode
long there was not an elk anywhere around. I think Momma knew it was to late
and left it. If we had been closer to camp I would have brought him along.
I have wanted to raise a bull elk and teach it to ride, I could steer it with
its horns. Well half the year anyway. It was another long day, got into camp
at 7pm.
Hi 60 lo 42
Saturday, August 16, 2003
Another long day fixing fence, out at 8am back in at 7pm. Another day of thunderstorms
but none got us, a few drizzles but not enough to put on the slickers. When
we got into camp we loaded it all up and moved it to Snow tank where we will
work out of that camp for the next several weeks. I’m looking forward
to that, the camp sits in Snow Canyon next to Snow tank, a beautiful spring
fed pond of deep water edged by cattails and ponderosa pine. Got back to
H.Q. just before dark.
Hi 68 lo 40
Sunday, August 17, 2003
Light early morning rain kept me in the office a few
hours, then it was out to repair a couple things around the guest
camp. A new wood door handle on the saddle house, repair the
ramp into the saddle house, fix the light in the men’s
shower house, replace a few boards in the boardwalk, defrost
one refrigerator.
After lunch I pulled the top off the old Toyota Fourrunner making it into a pickup and cut plywood to fit the back of the cab closing it off from the elements. It’s my new fence buggy now. More rain late in the day. That was my Sunday.
Hi 63, lo 41
Monday, August 18, 2003
I took my new fence buggy out to Loco Pasture and started working the north
and east fences. It worked out really well. It’s handy as a four-wheeler
but more powerful and has a roof. I worked a lot of damage from the fire
and covered not too many miles.
Rain was all around me but once again I didn’t ever have to slicker up.
Hi 66, lo 43
Tuesday, August 19, 2003
I was back out in Loco pasture working fence again. Rebuilt two gates and put
salt all around Loco Mtn. there sure is some great feed in that country.
I put all the salt a half-mile apart up high in the meadows. The grass is
knee high, but there’s no water up there, one lousy leaky bottom tank
that’s dry. So I hope the cattle will water at Snow Lake and Big Loco
Tank and then chase the salt up where the good feed is. I had seen cattle
tracks yesterday out there and more new ones today. As I came into a small
bowl below the Twin tanks I found 14 cows and 14 calves enjoying life. They
had been going thru one of the gates I rebuilt and watering at T Bar tank
in 7HL pasture. I now had closed them off so I’ll ride out there tomorrow
and push them to Big Loco Tank.
On the drive home I ran into heavy fog from an inch of hail when I got to Burnt Cabin, as I covered the three miles home it got wetter and foggier. There was water running down the road and in every draw. When I came down the drive into H.Q. I had to start laughing; the water ran over every tank and was washing out the driveway. It was running twenty feet wide and six inches deep. Yahoooo! Thousands of gallons of it went on down the valley. I had to stop, watch and wish I could only catch it all. The tanks Cassady and I cleaned in the pastures are full with the new dams cut through. It was actually too much water to settle the dams but hey I won’t complain. I just hope some of it got out into Loco and Canyon creek and filled up those tanks there.
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
Lyndsey and I went to Snow Canyon and set up camp there getting ready for next
weeks branding. We put up two wall tents and four range teepees. We had to
spend about an hour sitting out a heavy rain that ran water. That was pretty
much the whole day. Not too exciting, just a lot of work.
Frank made it home from Idaho where he went to meet Anna’s parents. I expect wedding bells soon.
Hi 63 lo 44
Thursday, August 21, 2003
A good day with a great horse. Doc and I trailered out to Loco pasture and
went hunting the cattle I had seen there Tuesday. We found a lot more than
I had bargained for, 34 cows and 27 calves scattered along the south side
of T Bar Ridge. It took almost an hour of hard work getting them gathered
up, then another three hours moving them to water at Big Loco tank. They
were really stupid but Doc was awesome. He was all over the place working
his butt off. After we got them on water we loaded up and went to Snow Lake
and rode the canyon country around there. Yesterday we had only seen about
40 of the 200 head that had been around there. I found cattle scattered all
over the rough canyon and sandstone cliff country where they were hunting
up good feed. I had thought it was going to be an easy gather next week for
branding but now seems like it will be a lot of riding to get them all back.
Frank went to Fence Tank and loaded up a bunch of panels to build a branding pen at Snow canyon. Lyndsey spent the day cleaning the guest camp. Maggie was busy as usual in her studio. Heavy rain during the night.
Hi 68, lo 42
Friday, August 22, 2003
Today was just one of those August days that makes ya glad to be alive. Deep
blue skies, a few thunderheads drifting around, a soft breeze and cool enough
for a light vest. I saddled up Gambler early and headed out on a horse hunt.
For the past two weeks 34 of our horses have been out livin’ the good
life in 7HL pasture. 12,000 acres of fresh green grass covering the rolling
hills, water flowing in every canyon and draw. Gambler was fresh and feeling
good after four days off and set a brisk walk out. We found seven horses
about 40 minutes out and pushed them into the north trap, coming all the
way at a trot. They behaved like perfect little angels, lining out and giving
me no problem at all. We headed back out after getting them in and found
another bunch of seven an hour out up on Feathery Mesa. It was all the two
and three year olds. I didn’t want to take them all the way back so
I pushed them about a mile and down off the edge of the mesa and watched
them run and buck out across T Bar Valley towards T Bar Tank. I went farther
east and an hour later was within sight of Fence Tank at the east side of
the pasture, and hadn’t seen a sign of the other horses. I was missing
all the fillies and mares and all the geldings who thought they weren’t
geldings. I was riding along the top of the valley so I could get a good
view all around, I came to the crest above a little draw and there below
was a Hollywood shot. Scattered along the draw and the creek running through
it where twenty horses grazing knee deep in thick grass. They had their heads
down and you could just see ears sticking out. Gambler stood majestically
on the rim and whinnied out to them. All heads popped up and oh I wish I’d
had a camera.
Gambler and I took a step off the rim and started down. The horses wheeled and broke down the draw at a run out into T Bar Valley. We loped along at good distance back as they were headed the right towards T Bar Tank. It was a wonderful two-mile run down the valley, the horses wheeling and kicking as they tore their way along. The stream in the valley winds back and forth and was full with big pools of water. The herd would bound and jump over the stream and splash through the big pools. Gambler and I were having as much fun as they were. He is a great jumper and loves doing it, every stream crossing he took like a pro. I use to ride steeplechase horses when I was young, loved it, loved the adrenaline rush. This was the next best thing, well better really. A smart horse under me, great country, perfect day and as much excitement as I need now that I’m a bit older. We got about a half mile from the tank and met up with the bunch of youngsters running towards us. It was a crazy scene as they all met up, the dominant horses getting all wound up, the kids just being goofy and raising hell. They grouped up and took off at a dead run down the narrow canyon that leads to the tank. The tank sits around a bend in the canyon and as we came around it there were over a hundred elk in and around the water. They took off spraying water as the horses came running in, it was really some thing to see.
They horses settled down and milled around while I let them water, then Cooleye and W.C. decided some swimming was called for and they took off across the tank to the other side. In moments half the other horses were in the water, either swimming or just rolling around in the edge water getting a good mud bath. We stayed there about ten minuets, they were enjoying themselves too much to hurry it. Finally as I watched the clouds build I decided it was time to go. They didn’t think so. It was hard getting them out of the water; Gambler was in to his belly trying to get them out, Franks little 2 year old Cuervo was the worst. Finally Gambler bit the hell out of his ass and he decided swim time was over. Getting them up the steep slope going west was a real pain in the ass. They wanted nothing to do with that 80% grade. The trail runs along a deep cut draw that’s rocky and rough. The herd split to both side of it and Gambler had his work cut out. One half would stop on the other side and over there we would go, then the ones we had just left would stop and over there we would go. It was that way all the way to the top, that awesome horse was huffing and puffing and really working hard, but he was into it. He’s the head honcho of all horses here and he knows it and they all respect him. When we got to the top there was no encouragement needed for them to go down the other side. Tails in the air they took off at a dead run all the way down. Gambler just stood at the top catching his breath and watching. By the time we got to the bottom the lead horses were at Elladean a mile ahead of us and the rest strung out behind. They stayed pretty well lined out the last three miles home. They knew where they were going and had tired themselves out. My old mustang was in the lead with the mares all behind him and the geldings next then the juveniles bringing up the rear. We got into the trap and I left them all on the tank once again enjoying the fresh water. I got home about 2pm and took an hours break then collected up my shoeing tools. Babe and Chancy needed their shoes pulled and feet trimmed since they are bred now and won’t work again for a while. By 5pm I was done and exhausted, Chancy is a real b###h to work on and she just plain wore me out. I was in bed by 8:30pm.
Hi 65 lo 42
Saturday, August 23, 2003
I spent the morning working on a few things around H.Q. Frank was at Snow Canyon
Camp finishing up the branding pen, Lyndsey went to Albq. to do the shopping
and pick up some of next weeks guests.
Most of the afternoon I spent working with Doc in the arena. Tomorrow I’m taking him to his first Working Ranch Horse competition so we practiced our sliding stops, rollbacks and spins; he’s got it all down. I expect to place pretty well.
Hi 70, lo 47 light rain in the afternoon and evening.
Sunday, August 24, 2003
We were up early and headed down the road to the competition,
Doc was excited and so was I. We had gone about two miles when
we saw three horses on the wrong side of the fence and one on
the proper side. It was Jesus who was where he should be and
Creek his best buddy, and the two old guys Moses and Hondo on
the wrong side. We stopped and I saw right away Hondo and Moses
were scraped up with wire along their sides, as I walked over
to them Creek whinnied to me and took one staggering step. My
heart sank as I got closer and saw he was shredded by wire all
over his body. Lots of scrapes along both sides and deep cuts
on his legs, the worst was a cut above the bulbs of his heel
and all around his ankle, it was really bad. He was covered in
dried and fresh blood that had sprayed from severed arteries.
I loaded him up in the trailer with Doc and headed back to the house. I called my vet and told him we were on our way in and would be there in 4 hours. We cleaned him up and put a pressure wrap on his ankle, put Doc away and headed to Silver City. Any other horse I would have dealt with it at home but since it was Creek I was willing to do what ever was needed. I could tell the tendons weren’t cut but he needed a lot of stitches and a tetanus shot. 37 stitches and four hundred dollars later we were headed home getting in about 7:30pm.
The guests for the week are Roseanne from N.J. here for who knows how many times, she brought along her husband John this time. Fred from Ca. is here also; they both have been here so many times we have lost count. Mark and Katchen from Tx. Are here for second visit, then we have George from N.J. and Brian from N.H. both first timers.
Monday, August 25, 2003
Everyone headed out into 7HL to round up Ol’ Banana Horns and his gals
again as well as a dozen or so horses that had gotten out there through the
hole that Creek and Moses had made when they had gone through the fence. It
was a long ride out there as they were way out at Fence tank. Lyndsey, Katchen
and Fred ran the horses back home since they were on the best jingling horses.
They had a pretty quick back home. Everyone else had a long ride home pushing
Banana Horns who was doing his typical thing of running the cattle around trying
to keep them from leaving. The all got home tired and understanding why we
don’t carry guns with us. Each would have volunteered to pull the trigger
on him. Why that S.O.B. insists on being out in 7HL I don’t understand,
we put him on the best graze around but he still leads them over fences and
back out.
Hi 70, lo 49, light rain here and there but nothing to slicker up about.
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
We headed out in a couple groups gathering cattle that had worked there way
back into the north side of Negrito pasture. By the time we got to little
Fence Spring we had about 30 head, which we pushed down the long ridge to
Snow Canyon. It was a pretty easy push. We did have one bull, Otis, who tried
a couple Banana Horns, tricks but he soon gave up and went along peacefully.
We got into camp about 3pm and called it a day. After the long day yesterday
no one complained about quitting early.
Hi 69, lo 49 thunderheads around but only slickered up once for a brief shower.
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
A nice night here in camp, everyone was up early to a perfect sunrise. We started
working the cattle close in the trap and watched thunderheads build early.
There were about a hundred head in several bunches scattered around the trap.
We gathered a bunch of dry cows and already branded pairs and put them out
into Loco Pasture. Lyndsey and Brian found a three year old cow dead along
the road, first assumption is that she was hit by a car, but there were no
obvious contusions nor and glass or car fragments on the road. She had a
pretty big heifer calf, which was standing around bawling. Pretty fast we
had a dozen pairs or so to brand and brought them up to the branding pen.
Just about the time we got there the rain really came down. We sheltered
up for the twenty minutes it poured then put them in the pen. They were soaked
through to the skin so we left them in the pen to dry off. We went back out
in the trap and started gathering up all the cattle that didn’t need
branding to get them into Loco and out of our way. It rained lightly the
whole time. We worked out just about everything and headed back to camp about
2pm for lunch. It stopped raining just about the time we got in and by the
time we were done the calves were dry and another storm was on the way so
we quick got to work. A fire going and loops flying we had the calves branded
in about 45 minutes, just as it started raining again. We decided to call
it a short day figuring we would just end up with wet calves again if we
brought any more in. As we finished unsaddling the sky cleared up, figures.
I had been looking at that crystal clear water in the tank all-day and headed on down taking a dip cowboy style. When I got back looking and feeling good half the camp in shifts followed my lead and enjoyed the water. It’s not all the time we can finish a day’s work with a swim. Just about supper time the sky clouded and rained lightly but not enough to stop a good game of horseshoes.
Hi 70, lo 52 kinda humid when branding, about 65%.
Thursday, August 28, 2003
We were up early and in the saddle just after 8am trying to beat the rain.
We rode in three groups around the rough canyon country west of Snow Lake trying to find where all our cattle had moved. Lyndsey and Roseanne worked School House Canyon, Frank had George, Katchen, and Fred riding with him, they rode the south side of the canyons. I was in the middle with Mark and Brian. It was rough going through there, steep, timbered and kinda rocky. At one point I told the guys I really hoped we didn’t find any cattle. Just as I said it we spotted a half dozen pairs ahead of us. Fortunately they took off at a run like a bunch of deer straight down the ridge into School House. We rode along way making big loops all the way up to Gilita ridge and back again. My group saw no more cattle but we did find plenty of fresh signs. Franks crew found about 20 head near Teacher tank and had a hell of a trip down with them. Everyone said they had learned some new cuss words from Frank which they used well themselves. All in all between Franks crew and Lindsey’s they got about 40 head out of that country and into Snow lake trap. We were back in camp about 2pm for a late lunch and just as we got in it started raining. Starting out light at first but then got harder and harder causing another short day. Well short being relative, we had been in the saddle six hours and covered a lot of miles. It continued to rain over night not stopping till near daybreak.
Hi 68 lo 51.
Friday, August 29, 2003
Another early morning getting out and gathering up the unbranded pairs. We
were branding by 10am and even still thunderheads built as we did. By 1pm
we were done and broke camp. I loaded up the orphan calf whose mother had
been killed earlier in the week and the extra horses and hauled them home.
Frank and Lyndsey rode back in two groups doing a recon on the ride home
looking for cattle we had missed so we would know where to ride next week.
On the way I saw 20 head right where we had ridden the day before. Lyndsey
saw another 15 pair at Little Fence Spring, ones we had missed on Tuesday.
Franks crew made a quick trip of it as a huge storm dogged them all afternoon
throwing lightning around but the managed to stay ahead of it. Everyone was
home by 4pm. The showers were busy as the steaks sizzled bringing the week
to an end. It was a great crew, lots of folks with lots of humor, making
for some pretty entertaining campfire banter. The rain and scattered cattle
caused us to not get as much branding done as we had hoped but a good week
was had.
Hi 69 lo 50
Saturday, August 30, 2003
Everyone headed out this morning; Maggie took the guests back to Albq. Lyndsey
headed to get her truck worked on; Frank was off to his uncle’s funeral.
Fred headed back to Ca. With Saint the stallion in his trailer who is spending the winter with the California girls again this year. After the place cleared out I pushed all the mares out into 7HL where they will spend the fall then rode out into Loco Pasture checking the cattle we had put in there over the week to push them to salt. I rode and rode and never saw but a handful of cattle. All the way across the pasture I rode until I got to the gate going into Canyon Creek. There I found the gate open and cattle tracks going through. Hunting season started this weekend and under the cattle tracks there were those of a four-wheeler. I hate this time of year. I rode into S.S. Basin and there were all our missing cattle. Two hundred were spread out happy as could be. It was 4pm and way to late to do anything about them so I headed home getting in about 8pm. A hell of a long, frustrating day. It rained really hard most of the way and even with a slicker I was soaked to the bone. Maggie had made the Albq. trip in one day and was waiting for me with pizza she had picked up. That made things a bit better.
Hi 69, lo 49
Sunday, August 31, 2003
Frank took the day off; Lyndsey is in town till Tuesday waiting for parts for
her truck. I went back out to Canyon Creek and started gathering cattle.
I rode mostly along the Wilderness area and came up with 60 head I pushed
back to Loco Pasture and put them through. It starting raining hard just
as I got there and about 3pm called it a day.
I got home about 5pm and took an hour to watch a little news before evening
chores, first television I had seen in almost a month.
Hi 68, lo 48 3/4 inch of rain over night.
Monday, September 1, 2003
Frank and I trailered out to Canyon Creek and started
gathering cattle. We got a bunch of about 50 pushed to Juniper
tank and not wanting them to drift off Frank who was riding Kitten
stayed there to hold them. I was on Gambler and we started working
the north end of S.S. Basin. We rode our butts off, back and
forth and finally two hours later we had a hundred more pushed
down to Juniper tank. We spent the next hour sorting the unbranded
pairs out from the rest, getting 32 separated. Then started the
others back towards the Loco gate. It was a tough push with just
the two of us and that large a herd. Our horses worked really
well and hard. It took about two hours to go three miles but
we finally got them through the gate and down to Big Loco tank.
We got home about 7pm.
Hi 69, lo 46 rain all around but only a sprinkle on us. As we were driving home we came into an area where the hail was an inch deep. Coming down the driveway there was water running everywhere. Maggie reported heavy hail and over an inch of rain in 30 min.
Tuesday, September 2, 2003
Frank rode from the H.Q. and worked the Little Fence Spring area gathering
up 25 head and pushed them down to Snow Lake trap where he waited for me.
I trailered out to Loco pasture where I rode the east fence finding all three
gates wide open. I gathered 40 head that were along T Bar Canyon back into
Loco. It was a tough gather, the area is steep and rocky with two side canyons
separating the cattle. None of them wanted to leave. I was a bit pissed off
when I got done. I was riding Doc and he did as good a job as you could ever
ask. As I headed back to the trailer I saw three guys on four wheelers having
lunch under a tree, I stopped to advise them to close all gates they came
through or saw open. I thought I recognized one of them but didn’t
want to make a fool of myself so I asked where they were from. Two were from
California and the other Michigan. I asked if he was from the Detroit area
and he said he was. Then I knew he was who I thought he was. I reminded him
I had met him a few years ago when he had a flat tire. It was 1970’s
rocker Ted Nuggent. The other two introduced themselves, you could have bowled
me over when one shook my hand saying he was Sammy Hagar of the band Van
Halen. He sure didn’t look like he did back in the 80’s! Just
no telling who you might meet out here in the wilds. I chatted with them
for awhile then went on my way to pick up Frank. It was a beautiful day,
no wind, hi 65,lo 47 with very few clouds.
I’m not sure if I have ever mentioned our cat Billy, Billy The Cat. As most of you know I am no fan of cats but he’s special. Maggie found him when he was a day old and raised him on a bottle. He use to sleep in her shirt pocket when she worked, was about three inches long. He is now huge, one of the biggest cats I’ve known, and beautiful, black with four white socks, white whiskers and a stripe down his nose. He’s the best hunter I have seen, always leaving new presents for us on the porch each morning. Well anyway last night I awoke to a the sound of banging and wailing, I got out of bed and turned on the lights to see what was up. I woke Maggie up with my laughter when I found him wandering around the house bumping into walls with a tissue box stuck on his head, it was so damn funny I had to take a picture before I relieved him of his burden. He was extremely embarrassed.
Wednesday September 3, 2003
Frank rode with the Forest Service today who wanted to check our range and
make sure we had cattle in the right place. They left here about 9am, spent
most of the time driving in the truck and riding a little bit. By 1:30pm
they were headed back to their office.
Lyndsey rode out on Preacher to go over the Little Fence spring area one more time. I had a gut feeling about her being out alone on a young horse and I was right. She got bucked off pretty hard about an hour out. She landed on her neck and back but being the class A tough cowgirl she is she climbed back on, gathered five pairs and pushed them two hours to Snow Lake trap. There she met up with Frank and the two of them loaded up panels we had there and set up a new branding pen out in Loco pasture to use when we brand the cattle Frank and I left in Loco the other day. They got home about 6pm.
Maggie and I drove to Socorro to meet with my lawyer and the
D.A. She was assaulted in April and as usually happens was too
scared to press charges against the guy after his threats. But
now her fear has turned to anger.
Thursday September 4, 2003
Maggie, Lyndsey, Frank and I trailered out to Canyon Creek to gather the unbranded pairs there. We were riding by 10am after the hour long drive out there and gathered a lot more cattle than we had left there. We arrived at the branding pen about 4pm with 75 head and spent an hour sorting out the ones that needed working. Storms were looming all around us and it was a rush to get them branded before the rain got us. I have a great crew, in less than two hours we had branded 37 calves. The last bunch we did in a light rain getting wet and covered in mud. Just as we were letting them out of the pen and back to their mommas one of the many lightning strikes zapped so close it was a blinding white light and blast of simultaneous thunder. The electricity made the steel panels rattle and spark and our hair stand up and nerves tingle. We then mounted back up and pushed the cattle to Big Loco tank in a driving rain that made the cattle move even slower than usual. Soaked to the bone even with slickers we got in the truck, cranked the heater on high and headed home, getting there about 8pm. Ahh the romance of the cowboy life.
Hi 67 lo 49.
Friday September 5, 2003
Frank and Lyndsey went and broke down the camp at Snow Canyon, this took the
better part of the day. I loaded Gambler up and trailered out to Gilita ridge
to try and find a dozen or so cattle that we had only seen when we were in
a truck or when it was too late in the day to gather them. Luck was with
me as I found them all pretty quick and started them down towards Snow Lake
trap. Every thing was going well till I was on a steep stretch of road on
a razor back ridge where there was no place else to be but in the road. Along
comes a pickup truck of hunters the other way and of course they gave us
no right of way and started through the herd blowing their horn. The cattle
scattered. Some went down a canyon on one side and the others down the other
side. Then the hunters stopped and had the balls to ask me if I had seen
any Elk! I spent the next two hours gathering the cattle from one canyon
and pushing them to the trap then going all the way back up about a mile
to hunt the others. It took over and hour to find them almost back where
I had started. What should have been an easy day job took till about 6pm
thanks to the rudeness of a couple yahoos from Idaho. It rained hard the
last hour, Gambler and I were mighty happy to see the trailer and head home.
Hi 58 lo 45
Saturday September 6, 2003
Frank and Lyndsey have the weekend off. I trailered out to Canyon Creek and
rode another loop through there getting in another 6 pairs that we missed
last week. It rained all afternoon as has become usual now. The rains came
late but they have come well.
Hi 63 lo 42
Sunday September 7, 2003
I drove to Datil to look at some hay at a fellas farm out there, it was some
really nice stuff and the price is right. We will start hauling some in here
towards the end of next week. I fear with the late rains it may bode that
an early snow season will be upon us and I don’t want to get caught
short supplied or hauling it up the mountain with snowy roads. I then drove
to Magdalena where I picked up a new horse that my vet wanted to get rid
of due to lack of room for him. He seems like a nice sort of guy, about 15
hands, sorrel with four white socks and a blaze. I ran into heavy rain on
the way home, had to pull off the road for a few minuets. Got home about
7pm.
Creek is doing well and healing up, I pulled some of his stitches and turned
him out of his stall. He’s now in the hospital pen with Dakota. The orphaned
heifer we have here at the house has really gentled down nicely, a pretty black
we call Pepper. She has become so set on our chore routine that if we are a
minute late feeding she sets to hollering for us.
Hi 61 lo 39 we have had a fire almost every night now for the last few days, it’s time to get out and get some wood cut.
Sunday, September 14, 2003
The entire week has been spent working fence. It’s
nothing too exciting to do much less read about. Our goal is
to have the entire trap fence, shipping pens and water lots in
tiptop shape before gather so we aren’t trying to fix things
as we are sorting and shipping. I have said this for years but
finally we have the time to do it. The beginning of the week
was really wet, Monday thru Wednesday, long soaking rains that
really did the range wonders. We got a total of 1 and 1/4 inches
over three days.
We have to wear rubber boots in the corral there is so much mud, the grass
is knee high around the place and you get soaked just walking to the barn,
but I’m sure not complaining. The lower country around here is in bad
shape, my accountant told me that at his ranch just south of Albq. He’s
only had .6 inches of rain since April. He never stopped feeding hay since
last winter.
Thursday the bees that live in the roof of our house near the chimney swarmed.
It’s an annual event and a sight to see. The top four feet of the chimney
was covered with thousands of bees, so thick you couldn’t see the stone.
I told Maggie that frost would be here within the week. I was right it was
that night. Woke to heavy frost and a temp. of 29, burrrr to damn early for
that.
Friday and Saturday Frank and I built a new fence, it was the toughest fencing
I have ever done. We were closing off a canyon to keep cattle out of a Riparian
area {stream}. We wanted to fence the narrowest part but of course that meant
the steepest. To walk in it was about a mile from where we could park the truck
down to the chosen spot in the canyon. We had a lot of material to get in there
and it was no place a packhorse could go so we got adventurous. One side of
the canyon was terraced with four 75-yard wide steps with 70-foot drops of
rim rock between them. We got our climbing ropes out and set to work. It was
a chore lowering the posts and 80 lb rolls of wire down; also the 40 lb post
driver and all the hands tools. Then we climbed down and worked, we would work
a section then lower it all down to the next level. It was grueling; I was
so relieved when the last stay was wired into place. It took two full days
but we built a heck of a nice fence. It’s one of those fences you look
at and think to yourself how you pity the poor S.O.B. who had to build it.
I wasn’t horse back all week so today I took Gambler out for a quick
ride through Loco pasture. We were out about five hours and saw lots of cattle
scattered all over the place just as they should be. The last couple days have
been those bright, clear, glorious fall days we all love. Hi’s in the
mid 60’s with lows in the upper 30’s. The aspen are just starting
to get a tinge of color and the bull elk are bugling around the house at night.
Saturday, September 20, 2003
Had our court hearing on the 15th, got our equipment back provided I paid $200.00
for house cleaning at the lower H.Q. Heck it’s worth 200 to have some
one clean the house. After that Maggie and I went to Albq. where we went
to the state fair, then she flew to Dallas to see family and friends and
have a trunk sale {That’s a jewelry sale for you know nothing guys
out there}. I picked up 200 bales of good cow hay on my way home. The rest
of the week was again spent on fencing; we are starting to see the end of
it finally. Frank worked a couple days cutting cedar stays, while Lyndsey
and I worked the drift fences into the shipping pens. Then we worked the
west and north fences of the north trap and started on the shipping pens
themselves. Fencing is not as simple as you would think; there is an art
to it. You have to always be looking ahead to the next section, making corrections
to the wire height as it corresponds to the terrain. There is a certain direction
you have to twist the wire clips, you have to stretch the wire tight enough
but not too tight, and watch out for flying wire when you do get it too tight.
Places that get a lot of pressure from cattle or where they congregate you
need to put in extra stays. Where the fence crosses a ditch or low spot you
need to build a “dead man” using a heavy rock to hold the wire
down. Some places you can’t get a post in the ground at all, there
you set a tripod of T posts to hold it up. It’s a real pain in the
ass.
The good news is beef prices are the highest in history. Of course this comes
during a year of my smallest and lightest calf crop. Between the early drought
last year that set all my cattle to get bred late, the change in my breeding
calendar causing a lot of cows not to get bred at all so they get on track
with a later calving time next year, and the damn wolves I will be lucky to
have a 50% calf crop. I guess I shouldn’t complain, better than having
less calves when the prices are poor. Hopefully what I lose in numbers I will
make up in higher prices and get enough to pay this years bills so I can start
piling them up for next year.
The weather has been just too nice; his in the mid 60’s lows in the mid
30’s.
The days are clear, no clouds, no wind, just perfect.
Monday September 29, 2003
Finally some help arrives! A big crew this week, ten folks.
Dean and Alan from Va. are back for visit number six. The rest of the crew is all first timers. They are Fred from Ga. and his buddy Peter AKA Pedro from Ma. Sisters Wendy and Cindy from WI. Randy from MD. John and Shirley from N.C. And Bob from TX. I knew the crew was good to go when most came down to help me unload 200 bales of hay as soon as they got here.
Today was a get right at it day. We needed to be at Snow Canyon Camp for the evening and had a few places to ride along the way. Lyndsey took a crew and rode through the Little Fence Spring area where they gathered about 25 head and put them through the silver gate into 7HL pasture. Fall gather has begun! They then rode down the long ridge towards the lake and checked for any strays as they went. They got into camp about 5pm.
Frank took the rest of the crew into the North trap and gathered up Banana Horns and his little bunch of gals who had somehow gotten in there. They pushed them out into 7HL to clear the trap for cattle later in the week. Then they rode south along T Bar Canyon checking that area finding a dozen head along the way, which they sorted into the Snow Lake trap when they got to the bottom. They got in about 6pm. It was a long first day. I spent the day hauling gear and horses in the truck and then rode some fence in the afternoon waiting for the crew to get in.
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
There were a lot of cattle which had showed up in the trap over the past couple
weeks so we gathered them this morning and sorted out a half dozen that needed
branding. It wasn’t that many but everyone got a taste of whittling
and sizzling calves. We were done about 2pm and after the long day yesterday
and the fact we couldn’t really start a new job that late in the day
we called it one. The afternoon was spent around camp throwing horseshoes
and swapping tales. The weather couldn’t have been better. After a
warm night in the 40’s and a sweet fall day of about 68 it was just
about perfect.
Wednesday, September 31, 2003
We were at it in pretty good time this morning gathering all the cattle in
the trap and along the lake. We started up Loco canyon with about 90 head.
The canyon is pretty rough the first half mile or so and things got a bit
mixed up. In a crooked turn of the canyon with rocky sides the cattle went
up a nasty place and about half got away. Part of the crew held what we had
left while Lyndsey and a few others went around and up and got the breakaways
stopped a few hundred feet higher up. Doesn’t sound like a great distance
but it wasn’t easy getting them down. Frank, Bob and Pedro who had
been out on a search mission heard the cry for help and got there to assist
in getting the cattle down and then we all stuck together after that. We
got lined out and the canyon got easier and things went just like they should
from there. About mid afternoon we got up the mountain and to Big Loco tank
where we let the cattle drift for the night. Lindsey’s horse had gone
lame so she talked some outfitters with a trailer camped nearby into giving
her and her horse a lift back to our camp. Dean got his wrangler badge leading
a group of riders back down the canyon and on to camp. Frank took part of
the crew north and east to check one corner of the pasture along the wilderness
area while I took another crew to check the southwest corner. It was great
viewing out there. I love taking folks up and cresting the top of Loco Mtn.
and hearing what they say as the wilderness spreads out for miles before
them. The aspen on the tall peaks are changing fast and the other subtle
colors of fall are all peaking. Franks crew saw a couple big mule deer bucks
and a bull elk and his harem but no cattle. My crew saw 20 turkeys, a couple
doe deer and found two pair of cattle, which we pushed out to Big Loco tank.
The calves we found were some of the nicest I had seen, solid, square and
black about 450 pounds. If only I had a couple hundred like that.
Another perfect fall day about 65 a few clouds. The nights have been unusually
warm, making it nice to be in camp.
It was a long day, I was glad we took a short one yesterday.
Thursday, October 1, 2003
We split into three groups today and made our way up Loco Mtn. Frank went over
the top, Lyndsey with a few riders took a couple pairs of cattle back up
the canyon and I went south along the long slope the mountain makes along
the Middle fork canyon. It was a perfectly executed plan. A lot of country
got covered, a lot of cattle gathered and we all got to Loco Meadows at the
same time. We held about 150 cattle on the water and the riders formed a
loose circle around them as Lyndsey, Frank and I cut out pairs. Our criteria
was they had to be steer calves over 400 pounds. It took about an hour but
with good help by the holders and shufflers we had no wreaks and soon had
about 30 pairs ready to trail over the mountains about six miles and put
them into 7HL at the Twin Tanks gate. It was a long push with slow cattle,
but the crew were pro herd handlers and we got there in as good a time as
you can pushing cows. We put them through the gate about 6pm and headed back
to camp. The trail down from there is short but it’s pretty steep.
Fred asked if it was “Man from Snowy River” steep, almost.
Last night we did have a bit of ice on things and the campfire was sure crowded this morning. About 30 over night but today was nice about 60 with a bit of a breeze.
Friday, October 2, 2003
A cold rain overnight, not a lot but just enough to get things chilly. The
forecast was for continued rain through out the day and that dissuaded a
few riders. They stayed and helped Tawnya and Frank break camp. Lyndsey and
Alan took the seven extra horses and pushed them back to the H.Q. making
a quick trip of the 6 miles. Cindy, Wendy, Bob, Randy, Pedro and Fred followed
me up T Bar Canyon to gather what we had put into 7HL over the last couple
days and push them to the north trap. The canyon is beautiful any time of
year but right now with the Choke Cherry bushes flaming red, the aspen yellow
and the flowers still out, it was awesome.
We came out into T bar Valley and soon spotted all our cattle scattered around in four or five groups within a mile of the intersection with 7HL canyon. I assigned jobs to the riders and sent them out. They started off a bit shaky but over the next two hours they pulled themselves together and we soon had everything gathered up and headed west. We had 49 cows 31 calves and two bulls. It was a slow push home and the number of people to cows was perfect. Everyone had a job to do and was kept busy doing it. They rain was all around us but stayed away till the last mile when it blew up. We stopped and put on the slickers but of course it ended within five minuets. We got the cattle through the gate and called it a job well done. We got into H.Q. at about 4:30pm leaving time for a much-needed shower and beer before a big steak feed. It was a great crew who got a good start on the fall gather. The campfire stories were wild, varied and long-winded, the laughter from which I’m sure ran off most of the wildlife within miles.
Saturday, October 4, 2003
Lyndsey took the crew back to Albq. Frank went and got another load of hay
on Saturday getting back late in the evening. I spent the day Saturday cleaning
the guest camp and then tying stays in the fence at the shipping pens.
Sunday, October 5, 2003
I spent the whole day hanging gates around the shipping pens. For years we
had been dragging old wire gates around, a real pain when you have a horse
and one hand. So now we have seven new steel tube gates that swing and latch.
Really getting modern around here.
We have a small but ready to go crew. Fred from Ca. is back just a month since
his last stay with us. Walter from Md. is here again for his yearly fall visit,
he’s here for three weeks this time. Mike from N.Y. is here again he’s
been coming since like ’97. Our first timers are two gals from In. Kathy
and Debbie.
Monday, October 6, 2003
Lyndsey and Frank took the crew out today around the Dog Spring area, getting
in 18 pairs and 9 dry cows. Then they cleared the traps getting ready for
more sorting this week. I spent the morning talking to cattle buyers, the
usual yearly haggling over who will offer the best deal. In the afternoon
I unloaded and stacked 200 bales of hay and wore myself out.
Hi 60 with clouds moving in over night. Lo 40
Tuesday, October 7, 2003
Frank, Fred and Kathy trailered to Snow lake and started gathering around the
west side of Loco Mtn. they got in about 35 head which they left in Loco
flat near the Ghost tanks. Lyndsey and I along with Walter, Mike, and Debbie
trailered to Big Loco tank where we started riding the far edges moving everything
towards the tank. Walter and I headed in Canyon creek where we had been seeing
about 20 head over the last week. We rode and rode and rode and never found
them after six hours. At one point we were about two miles apart and I came
across two young antelope grazing in the bottom of a draw. Gambler and I
were above them about 300 yards away. They watched us and as we went by they
fell in behind and started to follow. Soon they were less than 30 yards behind
us and stayed there about 10 minutes before they got bored. Lyndsey's crew
went down to the wilderness fence and found the gate open and got a half
dozen head moved back to the tank. I radioed Frank and had him come into
the upper end of Canyon Creek and check a tank there on the mountain. They
found seven head and pushed them all the way back to Twin Tanks gate where
they put them thru then headed back to the trailer and home. The weather
caused us to slicker up every hour or so as it spat rain. Just as we got
to the trailers it really started raining. All the way home it got harder
and harder running water by the time we got to the H.Q. Fall is here, as
we looked into the wilderness area the aspen were glowing and the clouds
hung low over the mountain peaks. Tendrils of mist were strung through the
trees and it looked cold up there. The hi was about 50 but the temperature
dropped all day till it was a cold 40 degree rain.
Wednesday, October 8, 2003
Long, hard rain fell overnight, almost 2 inches. It rained us out from riding
for the day. The ground was just to thick and muddy, it would have worn the
horses out in a couple hours and the cattle as well. The guys of the crew
pitched in to help us tie more stays in the shipping pen lots and then we
replaced all the old wire panels with some new ones I bought a few weeks
ago. The pens now are tight and ready for cattle. It’s a good thing
since I made a deal on the calves with a guy and the delivery date is the
22nd. This is a lot better than in years past where sometimes we didn’t
get notice until a day or two about what we were going to do with the calves.
We have a date, two weeks to get ready and it’s a lot less stressful.
The prices were the highest I have ever sold calves for. The buyer was anxious
and made the deal sweeter by covering transportation brand inspection and
health inspection costs.
The girls spent the day hiking around and enjoying some reading time. The day
was a mixture of drizzle and sun, it did more drying than getting wet so tomorrow
we will be back at it riding the Loco Mtn. area.
I didn’t mention it earlier but two weeks ago a wolf was shot at 5am
about a mile from Snow Lake right on the road. Some hunters camped nearby said
it was a white, four door, Ford Powerstroke pickup. They told investigators
they had talked to Frank the day before and that is what he was driving. So
the Feds came by to talk to him today. They pretty much decided he was the
one who shot it. They are full of it. It’s hard enough getting Frank
to chores on time, he sure isn’t going to be out driving around in the
dark at 5am on a Sunday morning shooting wolves. Besides he wouldn’t
shoot one no matter the time of day. It’s not worth the trouble and no
matter what the evidence they will always suspect us first. The are planning
on having him take a polygraph with the F.B.I. We will see how far they will
go to prove an innocent man guilty, they really want him to be the one who
did it. Stay tuned for the news.
Hi 55, lo 45.
Thursday, October 9, 2003
We all trailered to Snow Lake and from there we rode in a couple groups up
Loco Mtn. to Big Loco tank. We spent a couple hours gathering around there
pushing everything to the tank. After holding the herd of about 60 we sorted
out 35 pairs and did the long push to the Twin Tanks gate. The cattle traveled
well and we made it there in about three hours. It was a long day, the trailers
at the lake were a welcome sight from the top of the ridge.
A mix of sun and clouds but nice temperature for a fall day. Hi 60 lo 40.
Friday, October 10, 2003
We all rode out from the H.Q. our first mission was to clear the north trap
of some cattle which had some how gotten in there. Two hours later we had
moved 22 head out but couldn’t find how they had gotten in. From there
we split into two groups, Frank along with Walter and Fred went north along
the fence checking gates in 7HL pasture. Debbie, Kathy, Mike and I went south
looking for our loose horses and most importantly to try and find Cassady's
pony “Shovel” she has been missing for over a month. An hour
out I split off to check a gate along the south fence and sent my crew to
check Nedra tank. We met up awhile later and they were all smiles to report
they had found 30 horses and a pony. We continued east just to see what there
was to see and check where the cattle were spreading. We got to 7HL mesa
over T Bar tank and saw cattle scattered in bunches as far as the eye could
see. Looking behind us I spotted a few head on the wrong side of the fence
about a mile south so we headed there. It was too good to be true, three
pair and two dry cows waiting right in the gate corner for some one to come
along and let them in. That doesn’t happen very often. From there we
headed home checking the spring in the south trap finding it running well
and the rim full. It was another perfect day after some overnight rain. Big
puffy clouds floating by and easy temperatures in the 50’s.
Monday, October 13, 2003
A big crew on hand for a big week of gathering. We have
twelve folks the biggest bunch all season. Walter of course is
still here for his second of three weeks. Mike is here still
as well for his second week. Brian came in to spend two weeks
with us; he was here for a week back in August. Jersey Joe and
Bob are back for a fifth or sixth time. Chris from Costa Rica
is here for his sixth time. Our first timers are Lucy from Ireland,
Michel from Arkansas, Jamie from Ca., Petra and Adrian from Switzerland,
Karen from Ca.
We got right at it today, and considering the number of folks we were pretty fast getting going for a Monday. We were on the trail by about 10:30am. Lyndsey took half the crew out to Negrito Pasture doing another check for cattle around that area; they rode a few hours and only came up with two bulls. They then gathered the south trap getting in some cattle that needed branding. I took the other half of the crew and went horse hunting, we need a few more horses in with a crew this size. We rode about and hour and found all 28 in one big bunch up on 7HL mesa. We lined them out and headed on back to the H.Q. it went really well with a good bunch of riders. It got a bit fast for a few minuets as the mares in the bunch tried to make a break for it down Feathery Valley but we got them stopped and turned around. Both crews made it in about the same time, the horse runners had to hold and wait for the cattle drivers to get their animals penned. We took a short break and then late afternoon did a little branding. One of the calves was about 400 pounds and he sure was a handful. It was a great start to the week, a bit of everything going on. The weather was perfect, hi 58 after a lo of 30.
Frank headed to Albq. to take a polygraph with the F.B.I. over this wolf killing crap. It really pisses me off they just have him come in with no charges, spend two days during my busiest week of the year. They are trying to railroad him. And you know Frank he’s the nice guy, if it were me, I’d tell them to charge me or leave me alone. I guarantee you they will tell him he failed the polygraph.
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
We all loaded up in trailers and drove out to Loco Pasture today. Lyndsey with
Mike as auxiliary wrangler unloaded at Snow Lake and rode east up the mountain
with eight other riders. I went on with four riders to Big Loco tank and
started from there. I sent Walter with the crew up and over Loco Mtn. to
check the wilderness side while I rode out east to Little Juniper tank and
found nothing. A couple hours later Lindsey’s crew showed up and we
started picking up everything around the tank meadow coming up with about
45 head. We then headed north over the mountain and out into the flats. There
were cattle scattered all over the place. We worked a wide range in a couple
groups while the herd slowly moved across picking up more and more cattle.
By the time we got to the Twin Tanks gate we had about 85 head. Now remember
we usually only count adult cattle most of which have calves so there were
over 160 animals. It was 5pm when we got everything through the gate and
headed back for the hour-long ride to the trailers and the hour drive home.
It was a heck of a long day. Perfect day though, hi about 55 lo was 30.
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
We headed out in two groups cutting through Negrito pasture and on towards
Snow Lake. Lyndsey took one bunch up T Bar Canyon while I came in from the
top and checked out that area. We came up empty handed, which is a good thing,
means most of the cattle are in 7HL. We headed into 7HL and started gathering
everything west of T Bar tank. We spent about three hours out there in several
different teams of riders and came up with about 70 head. Everyone pushed
what they had to the T gates and there we held them all and started sorting.
Big selling size pairs into the North trap and everything else into the South.
It took awhile but all went really smooth. We sure have some dandy calves
this year. It was another long day; we got in about 6pm pretty dang tired.
Another fine, fine fall day, hi of 57 after a frosty 29.
Thursday, October 16, 2003
Frank is back, of course they told him he had failed the polygraph hoping he
was guilty and would spill his guts. But he had nothing to tell them since
there is nothing to tell.
We all rode out from the H.Q. with the far East side of 7HL as the destination
for the day. From there we started gathering the entire pasture. We laid
out a good plan, plenty of riders and plenty of country to cover. It was
slow going with cattle scattered in every direction as far as you could see.
The riders worked hard getting bunches from here and there. We had six riders
with radios and boy it sure helped out. Riders on one ridge could spot for
riders on the next. Cattle we would have missed in the past were found and
gathered. About 2pm we had everything down in T Bar Valley, it was a sight
to see, we had several hundred cattle and started west. It was a long slow
drive to the T gates, getting there at about 5pm. Riders held the herd while
we sorted the cattle into the proper traps. Lyndsey and Brian had spotted
cattle over on the other side of T Bar Ridge earlier in the day and showed
up behind us with about 20 head. I had lost track of the time and Lyndsey
rode up asking if I knew what time it was. When she told me it was after
6pm and we still had a hundred cattle to sort I decided just to put them
all in the south trap and call it a day. No one argued my decision and were
glad to get home about 7pm after a heck of a good day. Hi was 66, lo 30.
Friday, October 17, 2003
We were out early gathering the south trap and made a good job of it. We had
everything in the shipping pens about noon, and called a lunch break to let
the cattle settle before starting the afternoon’s work. We spilt into
two groups, Frank headed up one with all the able bodied guys to do some
branding of calves we had missed all year. Lyndsey and I took the other crew
in the pens and started sorting. It took the rest of the day to get everything
sorted out. We had to separate, big pairs, small pairs, dry cows, and heifers.
The day ended at about 7pm with everyone weary but well satisfied. We got
everything done that we had planned on in the beginning of the week. 95%
of the cattle are in the traps and ready for next weeks shipping. It was
a great crew of good riders, full of motivation and humor. The weather again
was unseasonably warm and mild making it a pure pleasure to be cowboyin’.
Monday, October, 20, 2003
A small crew for our last week of guests for the year.
Walter of course is still here for his third week, Brian is here
for the second week, Don from Oh. is back for another visit,
his third. Charlie from Md. is here for a second time he said
he’d never miss our Halloween party, our only first timer
is Jackie originally from the U.K. now living in the Cayman Islands.
Victor, Lyndsey's beau is here for another visit as well.
Monday was a heck of a long day to start the week. Everyone headed out to the Loco Mtn. area looking up some strays. They rode all day and found nothing till almost 3pm. They came up with a dozen head and pushed them down to Snow Lake. There were several pairs in the bunch we needed to get home so we could get them in the load going to the sale so the long day continued on. They penned and loaded the cattle about dark and trucked them back to the ranch while a few folks stayed with the horses at the lake. Once the cattle were unloaded the truck went back to pick up the riders and horses. They didn’t get dinner till almost 9pm.
I was lucky, I stayed home and put shoes on Cowboy and Frio. They both are going to the good sale in Phoenix next week so I took this day to get them cleaned up. Then I went to check the spring in the south trap and found it wasn’t working. The cattle had knocked the pipe loose and it was just running on the ground. I spent a couple hours fixing that and getting covered in mud.
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
We spent the day riding 7HL getting any cattle we could find into the traps
for shipping, we rode and rode and rode and only came up with a half dozen
head which we sorted and put in. No one minded the shorter day after the
day they had put in yesterday.
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
SHIPPING DAY, the day the entire year is figured around, our once a year paycheck.
We were out early gathering the north trap where we have the pairs. As usual
it took longer than we had planned but got them all in about noon. The corrals
were choked with cattle and the noise was deafening. We took a quick lunch
then headed down and started sorting. Most everyone was on foot working gates
and running cattle one way or another, a few folks were horseback with Lyndsey
feeding us bunches as we got done with one after another. We sorted the cows
from the calves, then the steers from the heifers, then sorted off the heifers
we wanted to keep, only about 20 this year. The semi truck to pick them up
was right on time but of course we were running late. It was sure a lot easier
this year not having to sort according to brands, then letting the buyer
pick through, then weighing. This year with just our cattle in the pen, no
buyer, and no weighing it was simple and stress free. We got our sorting
done and put them on the truck. We sent off 184 calves, it was better than
I had expected. They will sell on Friday at public auction in Belen N.M.
It was a great day, the weather as it had been all week was just perfect.
There were many shipping days that we were in the mud and snow and cold.
Today was the best in history.
Thursday, October 23, 2003
It sure was a loud night around here last night, all the just weaned momma
cows standing around bellowing for their long gone calves, the sound reverberated
off the valley walls and could be heard for a mile.
Today we gathered the south trap getting in all the dry cows, little pairs and ’02 heifers. Once they were all in we spent the day sorting, first the ‘02’s so we could year brand them, something we didn’t get done last year. It was a smatter of running them through the chute and putting a roman numeral 2 on the right hip above the ranch brand. Then we worked out any cattle that needed horns trimmed, or ear tags replaced. Then we worked out all the heavy bred cows so we could keep them close to home for the winter and watch their calving. Last of the day we year branded our new replacement ’03 heifers. The day we was another perfect one, everything getting done and the weather couldn’t have been better.
We had our Halloween party tonight, since Frank is headed with the horses to Phoenix in the morning and it’s his birthday as well. It was a hoot! Frank was a devil, Lyndsey a French Maid, Tawnya was Aunt Jemima, Anna was Tigger. Don was Freddy Kruger{ I think}, Charlie was a body building Zombie, Walter his usual pumpkin headed monk, Jackie was a fallen princess, Vic was a Gorilla, and Brian was a wolf. He kept informing Frank no matter what he did he was protected and Frank couldn’t bother him. Maggie and I were Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane. The cookhouse shook with laughter all night.
Friday, October 24, 2003
We gathered all the just weaned cows from around the H.Q. and pushed them out
into 7HL where they will spend the winter. It wasn’t an easy push,
they didn’t want to leave the last place they had seen their calves.
It took over an hour to go just over a mile but we got them out there and
the gate closed. I’m sure there will be a bunch right back in here
in the morning. The rest of the day we spent riding for some strays that
we know are out there some where. We know of at least 10 we haven’t
seen for the whole gather. We rode all over the place and came up with two
bulls and three pairs in different places.
The weather all week has been just wonderful especially considering
the lateness of the fall. Temperatures have been in the 60’s
and over nights just at freezing, just enough to set some frost
but still haven’t broken ice on the tubs.
Today ends another guest season, it started out pretty slow but picked up as
the year went along. We operated fewer weeks than in the past years and I think
it was a good thing for us and the ranch. We never got burned out and a lot
of things that needed fixing and repairing got done.
We have a full season back on the books for next year and we are booking more now than we ever have in the past at this time of year so it looks as though or 10th year may be our best. I want to thank all of you who came for a visit for your help and good humor. I want especially to thank all of you who keep coming back year after year, you are the ones that keep us going, the ones we look forward to, if it weren’t for you all we wouldn’t be here. Thank You!!
Monday, Oct 27, 2003
Last weekend I hauled a small load of cull cows to the
sale, Walter, Charlie and Brian rode along with me. Maggie drove
her truck with Don and Jackie riding along. The guys and I spent
some time watching the sale, it was a bunch of junk selling,
kind of sad to watch. Our junk cows sure looked a lot better
than anyone else’s junk cows. On our load was ol’ Banana
Horns, yep he’s finally gone! We didn’t have time
to watch ours sell but I’m sure they didn’t ring
any bells on the sale records. It was cold when we got to Albq.
with a stiff north wind. We all went out to dinner and dang near
got blown across the parking lot just getting to the trucks.
I guess it was bound to come along eventually. Lyndsey reported
it was down to 19 overnight at the ranch. Maggie and I had plenty
of errands to run and it kept us in town till Monday night.
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
Vic, Frank, Lyndsey and I headed out to Big Loco to do one last look around
for strays. The cold weather blew out as quick as it had come in and the
day was a beauty. It became even better when we got to Big Loco and found
18 head waiting for us there. We just unloaded, mounted up and pushed them
to Snow Lake where we quickly got them penned, loaded and hauled home. It
was a surprise to find them after all the riding we had done in that area.
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Frank, Lyndsey and Vic trailered out to Big Loco for yet another last look.
They rode out to the south side and to their surprise found more cattle again.
Frank found two pairs out near Juniper, Vic and Lyns found eleven more way
down along the Wilderness fence. They pushed them back to Loco and let them
settle while they took on the next job which was to load a sick cow out there
and a lame bull. They had taken some panels with them and expected an all
day job getting those two loaded. The old sick cow just went ahead and walked
in the trailer as soon as they opened the doors. The bull was just about
the same, they put some hay out and in he came. It was all just too easy.
I rode out from the ranch on Doc looking for some cattle I had seen from a distance yesterday along the east side of T Bar canyon. We rode across 7HL down Ten Dead canyon over Leg Break Ridge, down the Red Rock Trail into T Bar Canyon. There we rode zig zag all over hunting cattle and finally after two hours found one pair. We pushed them down the Sand Ridge trail to Snow Lake where with no trouble we put them in the pen and then headed up to Big Loco. Lyndsey called me on the radio and let me know she had a total of 24 cows and calves headed down Loco canyon towards the lake. Frank was hauling the sick cow and bull back to the H.Q. and Vic was going to meet her at the lake with the other rig. I rode and met up with her giving a hand getting the cattle down but they really needed no help. They seemed to know it was time to get back home. There were some great calves in the bunch, which we will haul to the sale over the weekend. By the time we got to the lake it was just about dark so we just let them drift for the night. It was the longest day Doc had ever had and he was just pooped, he worked about 30 miles and some of it was some real nasty country. I was pretty proud of him.
Thursday, October 30, 2003
We trailered to Snow Lake early and gathered up the stock we had left there
yesterday and with no trouble we got them penned and loaded two trailers.
Vic and Lyndsey stayed there with the horses while Frank and I hauled the
cattle home then he went back and picked them up. It was about 2pm when we
were done with that and so I gave Lyndsey and Vic the rest of the week off
for a little honeymoon, they quickly scurried off to Albq. Frank put a round
bale out for the heifers and I started working on getting the place ready
for winter. Draining the water lines in the shower house is always a chore
and a pain in the ass.
Friday, October 31, 2003
We were out early getting the calves loaded and Frank on his way to the sale
in Albq. Then I drove to Silver City to spend the day with the dentist. I
had lost a bridge last week and was feeling none too good for it. I didn’t
feel any better afterwards as I have to go back next week and get a new one
made.
Tuesday, November 4, 2003
I spent the last couple days just working around here, Draining water lines,
cleaning and filling liquid feed tubs for the cattle, putting out salt, topping
of anti freeze in all the trucks, changing a few tires to snow treads. The
wonderful Indian summer we’d had is over, the last two nights we have
been down into the single digits, finally fired up the big wood stove in
the house. I dread getting up every night to feed that thing.
Lyndsey got home Sunday night with a smile on her face. Frank managed to drag out his trip to the sale on Friday until Sunday as well. Then allowed he needed to take his dad to the Dr. and has been gone since. Of course I’m supposed to be the last to know but in a small town it doesn’t work that way. He is planning on leaving the ranch and moving to town. His girlfriend doesn’t like us or like living here. I hate to see him go, he’s a great hand and a good man. But it probably is best, he has gone as far as he can in this lifestyle and has aspirations. A friend of mine called this morning, an old guide and outfitting buddy. He is in poor health and has asked several times for me to buy him out. I have no plans of getting back into the guide business but I’m going to try and get him and Frank hooked up. It could be the chance of a lifetime for Frank if he’s willing to make good on it.
Two weeks ago I by chance ran into the head Fish and Wildlife guy. I told him his men were way off base going after Frank over the wolf and that I was pretty pissed off about the whole thing. I told him just to plain leave him alone. They have.
Thursday, December 4, 2003
Up until Monday the last week was spent in the studio helping Maggie. We finally
got the last of her jewelry finished and boxed up and off to Albequerque
for a flight to Dallas. She will be gone two weeks, doing a show in San Antonio
and another in Dallas.
Lyndsey got back from a week in California with Vic on Tuesday, it was her first time to Calafornia and she came back all smiles.
Late in the day on Monday I was washing some dishes before chores and heard Jack start up a strange bark. I listened for a minute and decided it was something serious by the way that he was carrying on. I went to the back door and spotted him along the west H.Q. fence about 250 yards from the house. He was squared off with a wolf. They were about 30 yards from each other and Jack was telling him he was going to kick his ass if he didn't get moving fast. Jack's hair was all up and he was flashing his huge two-inch canines. The wolf was haired up and growling. I grabbed my rifle out of the truck as I passed by to back Jack up. As I got closer Jack took confidence in my backing his play and advanced on the wolf. Now Jack has been head of ranch security here for ten years and has been in some pretty rough scrapes. We've never had a successful raid on the H.Q. since he's been on the job and I knew he was going to take this wolf on. It was the biggest wolf I had ever seen and though Jack runs a hundred pounds and is all muscle and teeth I didn't want him to start it up. I have no doubt Jack could have followed up on his threats but it wasn't going to go easy on him. I levered a shell in the 30/30 and plowed dirt around the wolfs feet with it. The wolf took off with Jack right on his heels. Jack ran him over the hill and stopped, watching him disappear. I whistled to him and he came back all smarls. That's a funny thing he does, a smiling snarl. It's kinda cute if you don't take it wrong.
I went to do chores and Jack stayed at the fence til after dark making sure the varmint didn't try another run at one of his cats or chickens.
On Tuesday I put out all the feeders I had picked up from Don and Jeannie's last week. It took all day to get around and get them all set where I wanted them.
Wednesday and today I spent the entire days driving around filling feeders. It takes a long time to get them filled but this filling was perhaps the fastest since the weather was so dang nice. Bright sunny day about 50, makes the molasses feed flow pretty well.
Driving around was like being on a safari. Hunting seasons are over and the wildlife is back in the open country. Each day I saw at least 150 elk and 25 antelope. Also saw a few deer, lots of hawks, a badger, a porcupine and too many coyotes. Today there was not a breath of wind, a cloudless sky and a 3/4 moon was up at 3pm. It was so still and so quiet out there. I thought how I knew a lot of folks who would have enjoyed the day, even if we weren't horse back. Just to get out and see all that country and all the animals, heck maybe I should start Feed truck tours in the winter.
Lyndsey rode the south trap on Gambler yesterday, getting in three bulls, which had slipped back in there. Today she took Chico out to check Nedra and Elladeane. She found Nedra dry and when she got to Elladeane she found 60 head in the mud that's left of the tank. She and Chico went to work gathering them all up and pushing them over to T Bar Tank. They had a rough time getting them up the steep ridge but finally got it done and were home about 4pm. She said Chico worked great and it was a fine, fine day to be a cowgirl.
Friday, December 5, 2003
What a lousy day I had. I drove the three hours to Silver City and spent the
next three hours getting a bridge fitted. What got dang misery that was.
It was a long drive home, got in about 7pm and went to bed. Lyndsey spent
the day in Reserve doing laundry.
Sunny hi 55 light breeze.
Saturday, December 6, 2003
We were out early under partly cloudy skies headed into 7HL to work the Elladeane
and Nedra area. I was on Doc and Lyndsey rode Gambler, both of whom were
fresh and stepping out. The day got better as it went along getting pretty
warm really. We split up at the Nedra feeder and I went south along the fence
while she went up and worked the Feathery Valley area. Doc was into it and
and we walk/ trotted all over that country finally finding 11 head along
the rim of Ten Dead Canyon. We pushed these to Elladeane and picked up 4
more cows. Lyndsey radioed and told me she had 16 and was going to take them
over Zebra Bull Pass. So I gathered up what I had after giving them a break
for a while and pushed them up over T Bar Saddle. Man it's tough getting
them up that steep ridge by yourself. Doc worked his ass off, back and forth
up twenty feet and back down and around a few stubborn ones. Then back to
get the front going again. He was great and loved every moment. Finally we
got them to the top of the ridge and I let them drift down on their own.
I looked back and could see four head in a little draw back from where I'd
come, I could also see Lyndsey way up Feathery valley with her cattle lined
out well headed to the pass trail. I rode back to get the four, as I got
closer I saw I a brown spot way up on the ridge. I pulled my glasses out
and saw it was a calf curled up in the tall grass. It was a quarter mile
from the cows. I rode to the cows and got them up from where they were sunning
and spotted the mom as a big red cow with afterbirth still hanging. Stupid
ass cow leaving her newborn like that! I pushed the bunch up the draw and
towards the calf. There were two heifers and of course they took off running
and bucking, I backed off and fortunately they ran right near the calf. The
mother then remembered it and joined up. I just let them be, we'll come back
in a week or so and try to get her in when the calf has energy to travel.
Lyndsey was getting closer and having a hard time getting her cattle up the trail so I loped over and gave her a hand. We got them on the trail and up over the pass headed to T Bar tank. It was 3pm so we headed home from there at a nice jog all the way.
Sunny hi 50 lo 19
Sunday, December 7, 2003
We headed out again early, Lyndsey on Kitten and I took Doc again. We split
up at the T gates Lyndsey went back to Elladeane to work that area again.
I rode the fence to Ten Dead Canyon then took the Red Cliff trail down and
ended up in Canyon Creek pasture where I started looking for cattle. It was
a hell of a seven-mile commute to work but I saw deer and elk all the way.
I rode all over that country and finally spotted three cows way down along the T Bar Canyon rim. It was some nasty, rough going through the rocks to get to them. It was an hour from the time I saw them before I got there. They were so slow and pokey, making the push back to the Twin Tanks Gate arduous. We finally got there and I couldn't believe that it was almost 4pm. I put them through the gate and headed back the same way I had come this morning. The wind had picked up all day so by this time I was head first into a steady cold wind with the smell of snow on it's breath. It was cold, but I rode west into one of the best winter sunsets ever. There was a light layer of clouds moving in from the west that reflected the red and purple glow. It stretched from horizon to horizon.
I hadn't talked to Lyndsey all day, we were to far away with T Bar Ridge between us. I got in after dark and she was there worried and waiting thinking I had passed out from tooth pain. She had found 22 head at Elladeane and pushed them the same way I had yesterday. And she had the same problems I had getting them up over the saddle. She said Kitten worked great and she couldn't have had a better horse under her. They wind drove her home about 3pm.
Hi 38 cloudy afternoon wind-chill about 15.
Monday, December 8, 2003
The wind howled all night and at dawn a milky light was all of the sunrise.
Snow swirled and the wind blew when I headed out for chores. The horses where
huddled up in the trees coated white. There was only about two inches but
it was coming down hard. I gave Lyndsey the day off and hurried back in to
spend the day giving the office a good reorganization.
All day the snow fell but it was driven by a hard wind so some areas only had a dusting on the ground while in others there was eight inches.
We fed early having to put out extra hay for the cattle in the south trap that all came wandering in about 3pm for a handout. I was expecting to see the 32 horses in the north trap come in but they never showed up.
Hi 35 at 8am lo 19 at 3pm.
Tuesday, December 9, 2003
It cleared and turned really cold over night, got down to –2. The dawn
was sunny and bright off the new snow, I usually don't wear sunglasses but
today I couldn't open my eyes without them.
As I suspected I looked to the lower corrals and saw 32 horses waiting for something. After feeding the working horses I took hay to the layed off crew and made them all pretty damn happy. I gave Lyndsey the day off.
I saddled up Doc and headed out about midmorning, I had been waiting for it to warm up but it never did. I rode out to the “Y” feed station in 7HL Valley hoping to find the little pair I had seen last week. I rode past over a hundred head on my way there but saw no sign of them. I swung by 7HL cowcamp and stopped to warm up inside and make some coffee, we keep both camps stocked all winter. The thermometer inside said is was 17 at 2pm, not much of a spot to warm up. But I got the cook stove going and it heated up pretty fast. Just as I was feeling the heat Doc let me know I had been too long. He was dorking around the door and poked his nose through a broken window and was sticking his tongue out, I think he was smelling the warm air and coffee and wanted in. The light was getting weak as I headed home; though the sun had been bright all day no melting took place. It was still and cold, the crunch of Docs hooves in the snow was all I could hear. Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch all the way home. I had on long johns, jeans, leather chaps, wool shirt, down vest and a coat with a silk scarf. I even had on my winter hat and I was still frozen to the bone. Winter cowboyin' is for youngsters I decided.
I got in just as Lyndsey was feeding; the sun was long past set. She took pity on me and let me go in to thaw out while she took care of Doc for me. I checked the temperature as I went in; at 6pm it was 4 degrees. I must admit I was soon in a hot bathtub and feeling a whole lot better.
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Another cold night, down to –3. Bright and sunny again. After chores
and a hot breakfast we were back out again. Lyndsey took Gambler and rode the
South Trap, checking the spring, which was frozen, then to Dog Spring finding
9 bulls there, just where they should be. She then rode out to Little Fence
spring where she found no tracks of anything, just as it should be. She got
home about 2pm.
Doc and I went back out in 7HL hunting the elusive pair. I rode all of Feathery valley and Telegraph Mesa. Back to Ten Dead canyon and up to Elladeane. There I found a couple cattle staring at the frozen tank so I pushed them up over to T Bar Tank where the water flows and doesn't freeze, they drank like that hadn't had water in days. From there I headed on home. The sun was melting a bit of snow, just enough to get the ground kinda slick. I got in about 4:30pm frustrated and cold. It was a bit warmer today, got up to 28.
The layed off horses are getting hay now, as well as the pairs in the south trap; we are feeding 15 bales a day. The working horses, Kitten, Doc, Gambler, Chico, Creek and Moses we keep at the barn and they get grain as well. Moses isn't exactly a working horse, but at his age we don't want to just turn him out, he wouldn't do well. He is also Docs best friend so that's his ticket to stay at the barn. Creek has recovered completely from his injuries after being run through the fence by the wolves back in August. Just in time, Cassady will be here in two weeks and will want to ride his buddy Creek.
Thursday, December 11, 2003
Another sunny cold day with plenty of wind, I think it may have plans of sending
some more snow our way. Lyndsey had to go to town for some errands and mail.
She was gone all day as most town trips take that long, hers are always a
bit longer as she has to stop by the saloon and have a beer with her buddies.
I just took it easy, I had plenty of frozen saddle time for the week. I worked in the office, stuffing brochures, doing some printing and then grabbed a book I had been meaning to get to for a while. It was “Boones Lick” by Larry McMurtry. I settled down to read a couple pages and got sucked into it. The only time I put it down was to put more wood on the fire and stir the pot of green chille/ chicken stew I had cooking on the woodstove. Before I knew it I finished the last page and it was time to feed. It was a fun read, I recommend it to everyone.
Hi 25, windy and sunny, overnight low was 9.
Friday, December 12, 2003
Woke to a snowy morning, the wind buffeted the house all night and a few hours
before dawn I heard the snow hitting the windows. When I headed out for chores
there were five new inches and it was coming down hard. The flakes were itty-
bitty things about the size of a pencil head. Just as I got done feeding
the cattle it stopped, but the wind sure didn't. The snow swirled and sifted
through the pines in flowing sheets. You could hear it mixing with the swish
of the branches and needles. It was a beautiful sight.
It continued to snow off and on for most of the day. We got a total of about 7 new inches. Maggie is headed home from the airport tonight, I'm glad I got new tires on her truck. It kinda worked out well really, the weather I mean. It forced me to clean up the house after my bachin' it.
It was sunny but a cold day, high was only about 20 and the wind just sucked the heat right out of the house. The temperature quickly dropped 15 degrees within an hour of the sun going down.
Maggie finally got home about 8pm, it was then a crisp 1 degree. She had done a big supply buy while in the city and there was more than she could fit in the cab of the truck. Everything in the bed was frozen pretty solid. No telling what the wind chill was in the back there had been.
Saturday, December 13, 2003
Man it was cold last night! Down to –7, but at least there was no wind.
Maggie was right back up in her studio bright and early after her working vacation.
I took her truck over to Don and Jeannies to pick up the last two feeders there. For the last week the Dodge was the only one of six trucks that would start and it stopped starting four days ago. This is the time of year you hate a diesel.
I met up with them as they were headed over our way checking their cattle. We always chat a long time when we see neighbors out here. They told me a cow of theirs had walked out on a frozen tank and fallen through the other day. Sent a chill up my spine it's what I dread the most this time of year. I had a horse fall in and drown about 12 years ago, never was able to get him out. So no matter the weather you can always find me out cutting the ice. When I mention in these logs of doing chores ice cutting is just part of them. I spend about two hours a day cutting ice right now and it will increase as I add more tanks to my list to cut. I started cutting Dog Spring tank this morning for the bulls out there.
We are back to our hard winter clothing as well, the insulated coveralls. You can no longer spot us as cowboys. We look no different than an Alaskan oil line worker. And if you knock on my door and find me home you will find me in nothing more than my red union suit. That's what I wear under my coveralls, anything else you just get to bulked up to move. Riding in coveralls is nothing I do yet. Lyndsey does it all the time but I don't think I'd be able to get on the horse. But I must say after that day last week when it was so damn cold while I was riding I think I might end up trying it. Denim and leather is just so warm, there is something to technology, like Thinsulate.
We are also back to slick, snow packed roads.
After lunch I went to drop off the feeders, I put one at Dog Spring and the other at Snow Lake. We have bulls spending the winter in both areas. There is another short elk hunt going on so there has been a lot of traffic and they sure packed the roads hard. There were a few camps around, most are travel trailers but I did see two tent camps. One didn't have a stovepipe coming out, I bet they were a bit cold last night. When it's cold as early as it has been lately it really makes for a long, long night if you're waiting it out with nothing more than a sleeping bag.
The eagles are back, I saw a really big Bald at the lake.
It was sunny but cold again, about 25 for a high, but calm.
Sunday, December 14, 2003
What great news! What a great day! Of course I think a large cage should be
put up in a square in Bagdad next to a big pile of stones. That's just me
of course, and probably a million Iraqis too.
It was a fine, fine day all around. I filled a couple feeders and the weather couldn't have been better, sunny with a hi of 40 and no wind till late in the day. The road to Snow Lake runs along Gilita ridge about 7 miles, it's kind of a tunnel through a thick forest of hundred foot Ponderosas so it gets no sun or wind in there. The snow was pretty deep, about 14 inches but that old feedtruck blew on through it running about 35 with 8,000 lbs on board. I love that truck!
Speaking of trucks with the warm day I got all four diesels started today, I put fuel treatment in so maybe they wont be so hard to get going in the future. They all have over 100,000 miles on them and they're a bit cranky when it gets cold.