 |
05/25/10, 05:30 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Ks
Posts: 1,012
|
|
|
One way to meet the new neighbors....
About 6 weeks ago, we bought a 155 acre farm and our lives have been total chaos getting moved.
We had rented pasture near the old place and kept our cows and bull there. Our bull is very tame but quite a handful. We were planning on using him this season to get one more calf crop and then selling him in October. Lately, he suddenly began tearing out of the pasture and just going for a little walk. I checked them daily and usually he was waiting for me at the gate when I drove up. It was a terrible frustration for me because I had to fix fence or repair a gate at least once a week and I was always on edge wondering if he was out.... Luckily, it was in such rural area that he never caused any damage--- he just wanted to look around. He would just follow me back in the gate.
At the new place, we built a truely impressive bull pen with pipe gates and electric fence on the inside to keep him from pushing against the panels. It was over an acre big, shed, water trough, feed pan and view of the rest of the farm and house to keep him entertained. He stayed in it almost 2 days.
Last night, we checked the bull just before dark. Double checked the hot wire and all but kissed him goodnight. At 11:30 pm, a motorcycle eases down our driveway. Turns out is our nearest neighbor. He very politely introduces himself and asks us if we own a red bull. Our bull was at his house about a mile away, challenging his bull to a duel. He kindly offered to help us because his bull sometimes wanders, too.
By the time we got there, our bull was so disgusted that the neighbor's bull wouldn't come out and fight, that he took it out on the widow next door's mailbox. My hubby began to try to encourage him back down the road to home and the bull decided to dash across the widow's porch, and then high tailed across yet anoher neighbor's hay field.
By the time we got him home and penned up, it was 1:30 am and this fat gal's tongue was hanging out. We loaded him right on the stock trailer. He had bent the pipe gate up and crawled out under it. It was a pretty impressive sight and I knew that if he mangled this gate, there was just no keeping him in anywhere.
As soon as it was daylight this morning, we went out to fix the mailbox. I had just had a hog butchered so I took all the casualties a ham or pork chops. I am so relieved that every one was so understanding.They all laughed and tried to decline the peace offerings. They all had cattle and understood. The widow gave me several starts for fig bushes. The guy with the hay field agreed to sell me some of the hay. The neighbor with the motorcycle wants to borrow my chicken plucker.
As soon as the damage was repaired, I hauled him to the sale barn. Prices were up today and I only lost about $100 from the original price I paid for him and I still have several heifer calves that he sired. I am just hoping that they have not inherited his wanderlust.
It doesn't always work out this well......
Tana Mc
|
05/25/10, 05:51 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Alabama (east central)
Posts: 3,111
|
|
|
Oh wow! He was a determined fellow for sure!
Glad you've got such good neighbors.
|
05/25/10, 05:54 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bel Aire, KS
Posts: 3,547
|
|
|
Do you have any ranch dogs that would work on him and put the fear of God in him? Catahoulas and blackmouth curs are excellent for this kind of work and they're still used on ranches in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. The reason they're in existence is because cows become feral and hide in the heavy grasses/trees that the south has and the dogs' job is to charge in and find them...pick on them then make them so mad that they charge the dogs and herd up. You ride from behind and they get moving to where you want them to go.
Never mind, I read that you took him to the sale barn. In any case, you need to get yourself a good cur dog if you have future cow escapees. They work better in 3 dog pairs instead of just one but best to get one and train that dog and the other two will learn from the lead dog.
The breeds above love to tattletale when any critter escapes their pens and will work to keep them contained. I have been considering getting back into cur dogs. There is only one breeder of catahoulas in Kansas.
__________________
Ted H
You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas.
-Davy Crockett
|
05/25/10, 05:54 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posts: 5,492
|
|
|
Wow what a night for you. Glad you have understanding neighbors.
__________________
Wags Ranch Nigerians
"The Constitution says to promote the general welfare, not to provide welfare!" ~ Lt. Col Allen West
|
05/25/10, 06:01 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Galion OH
Posts: 1,066
|
|
Aw, Ferdinand just wanted to smell the flowers. One day you'll look back on this and laugh. I know I was!  It sure sounds like you've got some nice neighbors around your new homestead. That's a real blessing!
|
05/25/10, 06:01 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: the flat land of Illinois
Posts: 4,652
|
|
|
you know, I bet you come to love and treasure that story! Worked out pretty well for all but the bull. AND - you no longer have to check up on him nightly.
|
05/25/10, 06:34 PM
|
|
Brenda Groth
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 7,817
|
|
|
thanks for making me smile today
|
05/25/10, 07:35 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 882
|
|
|
.. and I thought chasing my 80lb dog around while he did the "neighborhood tour" was a PITA! I will think of your story everytime he jumps the fence and I have to chase him. lol..
|
05/25/10, 08:14 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: N.W. PA
Posts: 2,835
|
|
|
Well, not only do you have good neighbors, but you're a great one, as well.
Taking responsibility for the damage the bull caused, and making sure it doesn't happen again.
Most people would love someone like you next door!
I hope you'll be very happy there for a long, long time. (o:
stef
|
05/25/10, 09:22 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 6,090
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stef
Well, not only do you have good neighbors, but you're a great one, as well.
Taking responsibility for the damage the bull caused, and making sure it doesn't happen again.
Most people would love someone like you next door!
I hope you'll be very happy there for a long, long time. (o:
stef
|
I agree. I wish I had neighbors like you!!
|
05/25/10, 09:44 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Ks
Posts: 1,012
|
|
|
Thank you, Stef!
One thing my little clan has plenty of is a sense of humor. My youngest son missed all the action last night. He is only 9 and I just didn't want to have to keep up with him in the dark. My older 3 kids had a ball telling him all about the escapades of last night. The battle with the mailbox had to be reinacted several times...... with great relish.
I had to make a trip to town to get chigger cream for us all. We went thru some pretty wild and wooly places on foot. He is so tame that we didn't think we would have any trouble getting him in. We didn't realize that he had gotten himself all riled up trying to bluff the other bull. My hubby started out so quickly that he just shoved his boots on with no socks. Big mistake! He has huge blisters.
I walked down the road with a bucket of feed and tried to call him up as usual. He came up out of the dark like freight train blowing smoke and I had to use the bucket as weapon. This morning the kids were having a great time teasing me about the words I used and the names that I called him..... I am not going to live this down for years.
About mid morning, us "night riders" had to have a nap. The little guy took pity on us and made lunch.
|
05/25/10, 11:20 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: west central California
Posts: 558
|
|
What an adventure!
It sounds like a great neighborhood too.
Maybe you'd like to raise bison? I hear that they can be very rough on fences ...
|
05/26/10, 06:10 AM
|
|
1/2 bubble off plumb
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: NE OH
Posts: 8,793
|
|
|
Great story, what an interesting way to meet your new neighbors. In 2 short hours you all learned a lot about one another, looks like a great neighborhood. You now know your one neighbor has a bull....if you need services, unless you were breading for certain traits.
|
05/26/10, 06:28 AM
|
 |
An Ozark Engineer
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Powhatan, AR
Posts: 9,427
|
|
|
Great story, and I'm so glad it all ended well. I'd love to have you for a neighbor.
|
05/26/10, 07:33 AM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: michigan
Posts: 22,571
|
|
|
I'm glad it ended well, well for you anyway. Couple years back, we had lent our Hereford bull out to the neighbor across the street. After he decided he was done there, it was time for a walkabout over to the neighbors Herefords. Got him out and back to the neighbors, then he got out again. Now this time he snapped, he wasen't going to go anywhere. At Least 10 neighbors, roads blocked off, we all got to watch him beat up trees, just the flat ground , flinging dirt with his front hooves over his back. This went on for awhile. We were ready to just shoot him. Our one neighbor went right after him with a pitch fork, and eventually got him in the bull pen. We locked him up and called the chop shop. This maniac was Crazy Mad. Go to water and feed, he litterly wanted to kill you. Luckly his days were were short. We have a nice Angus bull now, I hope not a repeat.
|
05/26/10, 07:54 AM
|
|
Mansfield, VT for 200 yrs
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: VT
Posts: 3,736
|
|
|
*laugh* I love the image of kissing the bull good night ;-) and the Battle Of The Mailbox. I'm taking my ram to the butcher tomorrow morning... and he hasn't done anything so colorful. Just outlived his usefulness. Now I feel cheated that I'm offing an animal for being boring!
At least he'll be tasty..
__________________
Icelandic Sheep and German Angora Rabbits
|
05/26/10, 10:30 AM
|
|
plains of Colorado
|
|
Join Date: May 2002
Location: plains of Colorado
Posts: 3,882
|
|
|
Good story
You just can't mess w/bulls! The neighbor's bull was 5 days away f/sale barn when it killed him. It also attempted to do in my husband (as he was out looking for missing neighbor) but our great neighbor drove his pickup thru the fence so my hubby could roll under the truck. Next neighbor brought his gun! It was a night I will never forget.
|
05/26/10, 10:57 AM
|
|
aka RamblinRoseRanc :)
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Morristown, TN
Posts: 5,066
|
|
|
Great story and sounds like y'all moved into a great neighborhood!
__________________
" It's better to ride even if you get thrown, than to wind up just wishin' ya had."
Chris Ledoux 
|
05/26/10, 01:21 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 1,694
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by DW
You just can't mess w/bulls! The neighbor's bull was 5 days away f/sale barn when it killed him. It also attempted to do in my husband (as he was out looking for missing neighbor) but our great neighbor drove his pickup thru the fence so my hubby could roll under the truck. Next neighbor brought his gun! It was a night I will never forget.
|
Another reason folks like Meat goats! Handling a bull - No Thank You!!!
__________________
Camille
Copper Penny Ranch
Copper Penny Boer Goats (home of 4 National Champions, 4 Reserve Champions)
Copper Penny Pyrenees
Whey-to-Go Saanens
www.copper-penny-ranch.com
|
05/26/10, 02:15 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: IN
Posts: 4,536
|
|
|
Sometimes it's just fun to here someone else's bull. Thanks.
|
| Thread Tools |
|
|
| Rate This Thread |
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:42 PM.
|
|
