Welcome to JKs Rough String Ranch

Welcome to the Rough String, and thanks for stoppin' by!! Grab a hot cup of coffee and sit a spell!
10/22/18 You will see a name change on the blog. Lots of things have changed in my life in the past few years, and I feel compelled to share my story.

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Friday, November 2, 2012

Another Case of "Who Left the Gate Open?"

Actually...it was "Who was the dumb a$$ that cut the lock off the gate and left it open?"

Not to stereo type, but most likely it was some damn city slicker hunter. Locals don't do that sort of thing without telling the land owner...because they would have had a reason to cut the lock to get through the gate...but locals would have shut the gate behind them!

We spent Tuesday and Wednesday trying to straighten out the mess.

About 10 bulls and 50 pair (who had gone out the open gate) came back to the 3J Ranch when it snowed a couple of weeks ago and were in the bull's winter field.


Big Country
Bull winter field...we spread out to gather the field.


Viewing God's Country
Viewing God's Country...my fav photo of the day.

I ended up with most of the bulls and of course they split. Rastus was good help in kicking the one group down the hill to Jerry then he came back to me to help drive the others.

After everything was gathered, we sorted out the bulls and some older cows. There was a newborn calf too (one of those surprises that you really don't want to happen), so we sorted them off.

We drove the rest back up into another field that had good feed in it still.


Grassy Lowlands
Taking the herd threw the grassy low lands...then up
a hill to another field.
Mineral tubs were put out...hoping the cows would be happy enough to stay there and not come back down to the ranch. The weather is fairly warm with no snow in for forecast, so they should be pretty happy. I had to take my jacket off in the afternoon and just had a vest on...it was a beautiful day!


Heading North
Headin' back to ranch at the end of day one.

Day two, we trailered the horses and took another trailer for cows about 5 miles south to a neighbor's place. Cows had been seen in the hills behind that ranch when it had snowed. So we started there hoping to find some close enough to take them to the corrals on that ranch.


South to Steens Mountain
Looking south to Steens Mountain off on the horizon.

All we found were lots of old tracks. So we split up and road north with the plan to meet at the canyon of Curtis Creek.

From high up on the rim rock, Ty saw some pairs down on the creek. So, Jerry and I rode down Curtis Creek, and Ty continued north up a draw to close the gate. We met up again at Rifle Spring.


Curtis Creek
Riding down Curtis Creek...one rocky son of a gun...but very pretty!
It was a cloudy day and looks a bit dreary. My little point and shoot
just doesn't capture like a good camera.


Gathered Wayward Cows
We found the pairs and got them heading north.

They first wanted to give us the run around, but after we got them bunched up, they decided to be good cows and herd!

We got them up and over the hill toward the ranch then turned them east through the low lands where we put the cows from the day before.

Actually, we were expecting to find more, but believe that the other cows went back into their field through the open gate. After combing the field where we found these, they're pretty confident that we got everyone back.

Two long days in the saddle, and my knees were killing me, Colt's hooves were getting sore...but wouldn't miss it for anything! Rastus...he was ready for another day!


12 comments:

  1. Yes, 'townies' can be blight on the land. They often have the arrogance to think the locked gate is all about them - keeping them out with no thought to keeping the stock in. Well you got it handled and we got to see some fantastic pics. All's well that ends well, right?

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  2. oh, i can not pick a fav ... those views are fabulous!! awesome shots. enjoy those rides. (:

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  3. I'm glad you took your camera and put up so many shots. The land is so beautiful!
    I believe that leaving a gate in the position you found it is one of the basic rules kids are supposed to learn in Kindergarten. And, I think most folks learned that locks are meant to stay locked... unless you have the key! Ugh! Some folks just never learned the rules.. or never feel they apply to them!
    We have one gate that opens on the main highway. We put a chain and lock on it just because we were afraid that some yahoo might open it, just for kicks.

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  4. I agree with what Barb said. We even have utility workers leave gates to pastures with cattle in them open but then again, they ARE city boys. Grrrr...
    Beautiful shots of the countryside, looks like my kind of place!! :)

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  5. your "backyard" is breathtakingly beautiful - im glad you are such a good photographer to capture it all!

    This fall has been absolutely CRAZY - everyones cattle is mixed up. Every time I come home from working in the woods, we have to eyeball brands and tags and note sexes in our hayfields before making calls to our neighbors - we've had heifers, cow/calf pairs and now I have 3 young bulls (being picked up tomorrow) - all because of miles of fence being burned this summer...good thing our creek couldnt burn - we are getting to be known as the final destination for loose cattle LOL now we are getting calls to be on the lookout LOL

    but in your case, yep, youd think that people would understand the golden rule of the gate...

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  6. I can just imagine some city slicker seeing that locked gate and getting all puffed up thinking it won't keep HIM out.... too bad there wasn't a big ole bull waiting for him on the other side to give him a "come to Jesus" moment!
    Sounds like Rastus is earning his keep.

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  7. I hate city people, and I used to be one, lol. But sounds like 2 long days in pretty country. Figured that rastus wants more, how lucky you are to get lots of work for him.

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  8. I`m not defending city folk, but sometimes if they dont see anything in the fields, they dont see why they should close the gate! It happens here too! Gates get left upen by people walking through the countryside, and it takes forever to collect all our sheep back up! Does my head in!
    Lost my temper with a few!!

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  9. I HATE hunting season! Give a guy a gun and suddenly he's color blind and illiterate. And rude. And just about as smart as a box full of rocks. One stupid hunter can ruin my whole day.

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  10. I'm so sorry that some dumba$$ did this. Don't people understand a gate is a gate for a reason?

    No, they usually don't. And it is outrageous that they cut your padlock!

    I am glad everyone is accounted for.
    You did get some good riding in, but what would have happened if it had been a blizzard??? YIKES!

    By the way, your point and shoot does awesome, you make the shots count.

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  11. Since I'm a farm girl stuck in the city life I can still relate. I was taught to ALWAYS close a gate - even if it was open when I got there. Still do it to this day the boarding barn. You just never know.

    Love your views - God's country for sure.

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  12. sorry to hear bout the fools who cut the gate and made all that extra work for you! But I must say your photos are breath taking!!! Wow!!!!

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