I had a phone call from a local County Agent and she wanted to know if I could corral up 3 Baby Doll Sheep for a man that had sheep sheers coming the next day. They were in a pasture and had a corral. See I do ask the right questions!
The fellow called me and gave me the story…seems he had not shorn them in a couple years. Had the right fencing and the making of a corral. He would put the goats up and could I be there that evening. It was summer and stayed light late…so I said “sure” ! He gave me the address and directions.
You guessed it I called Ashlyn and asked if she wanted to come along. She said yes and brought Deira along to assist. I had Journey and thought this one would be easy. “Oh WHO pays me to think?????”
We got out and there they were! THREE of the LARGEST Baby Doll Sheep! Black and they looked like round bears!
We get into position in the field to bring them into the corral ! So I sent Journey on an outrun…then it happened! Something I had not even thought of! Journey screams an unearthly sound and comes back to me! WHAT??? I send him again and another scream! Well it was a very loud “awlohawl” nothing I have ever heard from anything! Then I realize the poor dog thinks it is a BEAR! You could not see its face! and truly it was bear like! Just ROUND! LOL!
Finally the slow moving sheep went down the hill along the fence…and Journey regains his sense and decides I would never send him after a bear ! I finally get the sheep headed back up the hill and the sheep was walking along the fence very nicely..then POOF! the sheep dropped out of sight and was just gone! I was to far away to see exactly what happened and when I got there the creek had washed out the fence and a large part of the bank was gone! The sheep was about to fall into the biggest rocks and I knew it would be stuck and difficult if not possible to get out.
There I was …holding a sheep that was about to fall into the rocks and water and bushes…I sent Journey into the area below him and he screamed like he had been snake bitten! Great…The bank was wet and muddy unstable too (red mud to be exact) and slick too…Journey sat on the rocks seemingly amused by my predicament ! We were there 30 minutes or more! Finally the man that owned the sheep came down on the tractor with a bucket! Thank God!
He climbed down in the hole with me…to try to lift the sheep out ! It was impossible and about that time I was stung twice by something and the owner was stung on his face several times…
J was still on the rock!
We worked with a rope and bucket.and finally lifted the sheep out and put him in the bucket…
Then it was my turn to get out of the hole…it was straight up and slick and nothing to hold on to…I was struggling…the owner said …what do you want to me to do? I said PUSH!!! He did and then pushed more! Finally I was out!
We got the sheep up in the tractor bucket…and the adventure was done!
Found some after bite and addressed my bee stings then the owner asked how much did he owe us and I said nothing, and he gave us a nice handsome reward for our work! We were tickled as we headed home down his long driveway!
