About 6 AM I woke and the rain was softly falling, it was cool, very overcast and foggy. The birds were enjoying their free baths and singing quite happily about that! So I snuggled down and thought good sleeping weather! Off in the distance I could hear the sheep bells tinkling softly…I smiled and went back to sleep…To be awakened at 7:15 by Les with “The Cows Are Out!” I got up groggy (you know how you feel when you go back to sleep and do not get to sleep long enough) Then it hit me ! We do not have cows! Les said Cows and my brain thought Sheep I went to the Living Room and Les said ” look!” Across the dam there were at least 5 black cows strolling around in the horses pasture! Next thought…The horses are likely out !
By this time it was cold and wet and raining! the wind had picked up. I put all the dogs up except BOO…That is correct BOO! She is my cow dog…why? because she is a driving, low heeler type, tough as nails will bite if needed with out encouragement either end of a cow. We loaded up on the JD Gator after I had applied all my rain gear and headed to the pasture. Thinking I am dry, warm and this will not take long….
The pasture is divided into 3 and 4 acre sections. The pasture is hilly bounded on the upper long side with one strand of electric fence wire that is never hot. On the bottom lower side… by the neighbors old hog fence and barbed wire and in places we have patched it with what was available. There is a 50 to 75 foot boundary of old growth timber (200 years) down to the branch that the neighbors fence is on the the other side of. Our side in most places has no fencing except for the never hot hot wire wire. The under growth is thick along the edge of our field and you cannot see the branch this time of year for all the leaves!
(The horses never raised their heads from the grass they were enjoying during all our work)
We entered the pasture thru the gate and there are 4 cows and 3 calves. I think “good!” we will drive the cows back across the branch with the gator it is fast and BOO is safe and then she can get off if needed to work where I can’t go with the gator. Safer for me and BOO! There were 2 old cows that challenged the gator! BOO barked and I never let off the gas. In my experience wild cows will charge most anything. But if you seem big and do not hesitate or slow down the cow will run away instead of continuing to charge. This worked well an several occasions during the round up! As I came down the hill I saw the OTHER herd of cows! Yes there were 14 more in the other field!
The game changed. We had to move those cows to the woods and branch area too. That took some doing …Think Rat Patrol! BOO on the back of the gator manning the guns… up and down over and around the cows we went till they complied with our plan.
BOO had to go on foot thru the woods to move the cows to the corner and hold them. Thus we sat and watched and waited. (More like listened) and waited.
I listened to the hawks, a few crows and the larks were wonderful. The rain fell thru the leaves and preformed the music of nature. The wind added some tempo..And BOO and I got soaked! But it was all good! I would not trade this for anything. Sigh…It was magnificent and my words cannot do this justice!
After 2 hours of all the above and the waiting (most was waiting) I heard a tractor. …Then way off at the neighbors barn I heard lowing of cows.
The cows had went back to the barn silently…when they heard the tractor.
BOO and I got off the gator took the rattle paddle and walked thru the woods to the neighbors barn …Where BOO did me proud. She drove the cows into the holding corral while the neighbor held the gate.
The neighbor was impressed! I was pleased.
Good work from a good dog and my decent handling that required much thought and patience!
We walked back to the gator and went to the house to get warm!
At all most dark the sheep in the pens were acting odd. I watched but saw no reason and then they took off running from one end to the other. Acting silly I thought. I did not see the sheep and then I had the phone call!
Kenneth said my sheep were at the neighbor’s house (they have a beautiful yard) and my sheep were out there doing what they pleased! I dressed quickly and warmly and off we went on the gator this time with Drover!
We went out and sure enough it was a sheep party! Drover had a difficult time getting the sheep out of the yard and back to the house. Lets see…Water standing like a pond in the woods, it was dark, it was misting rain, there was all sorts of sheep temptations calling the sheep and I know the sheep did not want to leave…Drover did the job! I was kinda mad at the sheep and embarrassed ! Own Stock and a dog and you WILL LEARN HUMILITY! We brought the sheep thru the water! I did not care! I was NOT going down the highway because of some water! Back to the house where the sheep broke and ran and got in the fence with the horse! REALLY! Sheep! Then finally back into the field!
We went to see where they got out at and it appears something ran into our fence knocked it down (Guess that is why the sheep were running earlier) and then the sheep ran out the big hole!
Drover and I went back and apologized to the neighbor and offered to fix anything the sheep had harmed. All was well… Seems his cows got out that same day too (smile) …
“BOO”
“DROVER”
1 comments
Yay, BOO! You are a GOOD GIRL! And of course Drover! We all know he’s a good boy! There is always something happening with sheep & cows! Even if they arn’t our own cows! Thank goodness for a good dog! Or two!