The Double Circle Ranch has turned another page in its colorful history. The herd of beautiful Texas Longhorn cattle has been sold to make way for the new ranch owners’ Brangus cattle. I have nothing against Brangus, and the Bryce family has a reputation for raising the best cattle in the area, but nothing is a more wonderful sight than a herd of big, horned colorful Longhorns trailing across open country. I hope their new owners appreciate what a part longhorns have played in the history of the West.
The steers have all been sold and hauled out – except for 4 that we have in the NO Bar Trap. Those are wily critters and we have been trying to catch them for days. They are too big to rope. And they know the pens are a trap and come in to water there in the dark. Since there are no lights, we can’t see to catch them and load them after dark. We are staking out the pens and hoping to catch at least 2 steers at a time inside the gate. Then we need to load them quick – two have already jumped out once. It sounds easier to catch and load four steers than it actually is. I want them caught and hauled, but part of me sure hates to see the last ones leave.
I will miss the cattle I have spent so much time herding, but I don’t think I will miss these last four stinkers. The last cattle caught are always the difficult ones, but these take the cake. Doug and I will get them though. I just have to outwit the bovines – and that is harder to do than you might think!
Is one of them orange??? It’s probably the same stinkers that I moved last year and they kept going back to the water by the P&M pumps!! They are wily!! Hope you got ’em. It is sad to think of the Double Circle Ranch with out the Longhorns.
They are all colors. We have all but 2 that I haven’t located yet and 1 that broke the fence down and headed west at a good clip. I think the 2 may be on the ranch northeast of us. The gates were left open by hunters. Doug and I got 30 there one day and I picked up 11 more on the neighbors. the same week. It is on my “to do” list to ride out and check for fresh tracks.The wild one left tracks heading into Open Draw. We will get him later after he calms down.
The new owners are keeping 6 head to teach their cattle where water is etc. But 6 doesn’t take the place of 220. What a sight they were !
Wilma