Puzzled
Well-known member
I have often wondered just how many miles some of the working dogs actually travel in a days work. They don't just travel from point A to point B.
I have often wondered just how many miles some of the working dogs actually travel in a days work. They don't just travel from point A to point B.Several members here are from Eastern Oregon, there are at least 3 on working ranches. It depends on the situation whether cattle are worked using horses. ATV's are used more than horses. It is more economical and efficient.
Herd dogs are common and seem to enjoy riding on the back of the ATV out to range, rather than trotting along with a horse mounted rancher for miles before roundup begins. Dogs enjoy the ride to work. I bet the pups have heard Grandpa Dogs stories, a hundred times, how he trotted 20 miles up a steep mountain to the range, alongside a cowboy mounted horse, before his work actually began, dashing back and forth, trying to keep the cattle together and headed the right direction.
The old ways are seen more in South Baker and Malheur Counties. @webfoot attends several branding a year that use rope and drag. I am not sure if the old campfire hot iron is used since the gas heated ones are more efficient.
Years ago, on a drive on the back roads connecting Arlington to Michell and along the John Day river and breaks, I was amazed how many old corrals had been upgraded with squeeze chutes and calf tables. I think the upgrades are due to not only efficiency and economics, but the fact that real skilled "cowboys" are few and far between. Contract cowboys are becoming a thing of the past.
I know when I lived next to leased Forest Service land, that the ranchers hauled their horses, dogs, and ATVs to the top of the mountain and then they had at least 20 miles pushing the cattle down to home winter pastures. With all the back and forth, I can imagine the dogs got a lot of miles in.I have often wondered just how many miles some of the working dogs actually travel in a days work. They don't just travel from point A to point B.
The wife says when she had the ranch down on the Nevada line they would be riding a big circle. Dogs would just be dragging. Then they would jump a jack rabbit. Off to the races with the dogs.. And here they had just been trying to get the dogs to the next water hole.I have often wondered just how many miles some of the working dogs actually travel in a days work. They don't just travel from point A to point B.
should of said NO more big grocery bill to feed all the neighbors.NE Wyoming, lot of ranches will have a rope and drag 100-200 head and a big meal, and they still have a calf table that they did a early 50-75 head on and maybe again with a late 50 head. Was in Gillette filling up and a truck with a 5th wheel came in with a sweep tub , alley way and Cow Country hydraulic calf table all hooked up together. Guy let me crawl around it. As what was up. Well he was on a place ran over 1,000 cows. Said they rope and drag but then everybody was gone for a month helping everybody that had helped them. Boss decided no more we use just the ranch hands and a hydraulic table and a big grocery bill for feeding all the neighbors.
More than just the grocery bill, is all the work it takes to prepare that much food, plus the clean up. My favorite memories are of our family when we had 4 ranches within 30 miles of each other. We always had enough hands to work the cattle and then some that had rather cook. Everyone shared in the expense so not a big burden to anyone. Long days of hard work, but it was fun and opening day for my Grandpas cousins rodeo.should of said NO more big grocery bill to feed all the neighbors.
Very true and community certainly played a role in keeping ranches a profitable endeavor.One thing those big rope and drag brandings do it they help to build community. People get together, work together, and talk to each other. Community is important and one of those things we seem to be slowly losing.
There are those that give less than they receive. I am a firm believer in individually and personal merit, but I also know that community is a necessity for any rancher.There is one family here who went to using a calf table. The son told me that if they held a branding that they would have to go to other people's brandings. True. But they have pretty much isolated themselves from the community in a lot of other ways. Then I have heard the wife complain about how others don't do things to help them. Go figure....
They just took all the fun out of it.NE Wyoming, lot of ranches will have a rope and drag 100-200 head and a big meal, and they still have a calf table that they did a early 50-75 head on and maybe again with a late 50 head. Was in Gillette filling up and a truck with a 5th wheel came in with a sweep tub , alley way and Cow Country hydraulic calf table all hooked up together. Guy let me crawl around it. As what was up. Well he was on a place ran over 1,000 cows. Said they rope and drag but then everybody was gone for a month helping everybody that had helped them. Boss decided no more we use just the ranch hands and a hydraulic table and a big grocery bill for feeding all the neighbors.