Woot! Finally got cattle in.

Well, we finally got our first 5 loads of cattle in on Monday. Every summer, we keep 400-700 head of yearlings on pasture for a feedlot in Oklahoma but we missed last year due to the drought. The were surprisingly docile this year and it was very enjoyable to go out and get it done.

So, I just thought I would share a few pictures...

Double checking the count as the cattle came off the trucks


I'm lazy so I prefer to sit while I do that instead of stand...




Some of the cattle were being stubborn about unloading so Dad was next to the truck so he could bang on the side to urge them out.


After unloading, we've got our count sorted off and we're ready to drive them to their pastures


We're off like a herd of turtles


My brother (Jason) and I stayed ahead of them to get them through the intersections while Dad and Linda (step-mom) rode drag to keep them going. We had the dogs there but didn't use them much because the cattle aren't dog-broke yet.


The first group, we have to drive about 7 or 8 miles, down roads, across pastures, and across one really nasty creek that only has 1 safe place to cross (no pictures of that though, it's really woodsy down there and has steep sides and deep bog...best to keep both hands free LOL)

Getting close to the farthest pasture, I ride drag while Brother opens the gate on the hill



Taking the next group, Dad and I ride point while Linda rides drag

Dobe really hates cattle so when they would get too close, he would put on his "stink-face". I tried to get a picture but this is the best I got.


After the first intersection, Dad peeled off to go get he pickup so he could pick us up at the pasture and save use a 3 mile ride back to the pens so it was just Linda and I taking them the rest of the way.

Dobe eyeballing some neighbor's cows behind us while we wait to turn ours into the gate.






On the next group, we had to sort off half the herd and let them through the gate first (had 2 pastures side by side but had to go through one to get to the other) so that I could take them on to the other pasture before Dad and Linda put the others in.


Got them across into that other pasture with relatively little issue...but when I got to the gate they went through that was supposed to be shut...the gate was nowhere to be found }:(. I looked and looked but found nothing so I was just going to call it good and leave when Dobe stepped on the gate panel....laying on the ground 20 feet from the gate opening and covered up with 2 years worth of dirt and those nasty mustard weeds.

It took me about 10 minutes to get the thing torn out from the weeds and "cowboy-rigged" with a bit of wire I found just so that there would at least be a blind between the pastures. Dobe stood there patiently ground tied the entire time.

Oh, how I miss home and the "good ol' days" of my younger years when we would be doing the same thing. I especially loved the pictures of your dad - brought back very special memories for me. My uncle and two sets of more distant cousins in my dad's family all ran cow/calf operations and we'd often be called on to haul our horses to one place or the other to help with the cows. My favorite part, though, was riding the open range areas to check herds for different folks during the summer.
Great pictures!!!! Very much jealous now.....

That was quite a day-glad everything went well.

BTW, I *love* Dobe

Smrobs... may Indie and I come up and live with you guys for a summer? Looks awesome, thank you for sharing the pictures!

.....I'm jealous. Very, very jealous.
Posted via Mobile Device

Great pictures! Makes the cattle work that I do look like a piece of cake 50-60 head of heifers and sucklings just being moved about a mile versus those dog-new yearlings taking that trek! I think you win xD Thanks for sharing!

Definitely jealous of your lifestyle, looks fantastic!

Thanks guys, I really enjoy doing it every summer and was very disappointed last year when we didn't get any.

Standing offer, anyone who ends up in my area is more than welcome to come along. If you've got your horse with you, great. If not, we've got several that we can spare .