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Author
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Topic: Cattle rustlin'
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Cdog911
"There are some ideas so absurd only an intellectual could believe them."--George Orwell.
Member # 7
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posted April 01, 2015 06:58 PM
urns out one of our "complaints" wasn't the fault of coyotes after all. At least, not the four-legged critters.
Before we'd stopped killing coyotes (because we are both so damned sore and beat up we can't hardly walk these day), our last complainant had claimed the loss of two calves. Despite their best efforts to find and evidence, they never turned up so much as a single hair or bone. Funny strange. They kept saying "mountain lions" and I said "nope".
Kevin and I took three coyotes off the place in the last two days up there and hanged it up. Since then, they've lost two more calves without a trace.
Turns out all four were newborns that still hadn't been marked and the rancher believes that some one or ones simply waited until a new mama had moved away from her new calf before jumping the fence and stealing it. Bucket feed or bottle feed them and take them to the sale barn. Hell, a new calf is worth $700-1000 the moment it hits the tit for the first time, so this is the likely problem.
Good thing, too. The shots in my neck didn't work. Hurting again. Have a really high-tech neuro-center in Wichita that does minimally invasive laser surgery on necks and back and I have a sinking feeling I'm gonna get a tour of the place this summer. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Procedure sounds pretty simple. The old way is to make a 2-inch cut in the front of your neck, separate the windpipe and blood vessels and muscles to access the spine. Jack the two vertebrae apart and rip out the bad disk. Slip in a chunk of hip bone, release the jack then clamp everything together with a steel plate and screws driven into your vertebrae. Simple enough. 3-6 months recovery.
New method, make a tiny incision in the neck, insert a thin tube. Insert a laser to burn away the bulged disc portion causing problems and replace that removed with a gel substance. Withdrawal laser and sleeve thingy and wear a collar for thirty days while the gel sets up and you're good to go home same day. Even better.
Gettin' old sucks. Don't do it.
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I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and, because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
Posts: 5438 | From: The gun-lovin', gun-friendly wild, wild west | Registered: Jan 2003
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted April 02, 2015 04:03 AM
Yes Sir getting old is all its cracked up to be!
P.s. the new way sounds much improved , just wait pretty soon you'll be able to do it with an app. from your smart phone.
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted April 02, 2015 04:08 AM
Forgot to ask do you still hang em for rustlin in Kansas. Sounds like that could be a real problem for the cattlemen.
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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booger
TOO BIG TO FAIL
Member # 3602
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posted April 02, 2015 05:20 AM
Paul,
At the current prices of critters, I think there might be a return to the 'tall tree, short rope' philosophy.
Several years ago in my hometown of Russell, KS, there were two guys that were of questionable character that decided to relieve a man of some good quality breeding heifers.
The man had passed away, and they waited until the day and time of the funeral to back up their rigs and haul off the cattle as they knew all of the neighbors would be at the funeral.
They eventually got caught and actually went to jail, and that was before cattle were at the crazy prices they are today.
[ April 02, 2015, 05:20 AM: Message edited by: booger ]
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If we ever forget we are one Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under--Ronald Reagan
Posts: 911 | From: Bob Dole Country | Registered: Apr 2010
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted April 02, 2015 08:09 AM
Those dirty bastards I hope they got everything they deserved. I have ranchers up by my property in the north I keep an eye out for them when I'm up there they have a lot to keep an eye on and a lot of ground to cover. they let me trap there places in return it works out well for the both of us.
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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Cdog911
"There are some ideas so absurd only an intellectual could believe them."--George Orwell.
Member # 7
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posted April 02, 2015 04:50 PM
Talking with the rancher's son in law yesterday when he told me about this. Said he was going to set up cameras to try and catch pics of the guys responsible. I suggested that he take some advice from an old trapper and relocate the calves and cows to an area that limits access through specifically selected pinch points. Leave the most accessible one unlocked, and lock all the others to encourage the varmints to "step" in a certain spot and load the areas around all the points of entry with cameras. Even offered to let him use the one new game camera I have here.
Several years back, cattle thefts were crazy. All my property owners ended up either moving cattle close to home off summer range, or locking everything up. Way too many cattle on grass right now around here to even consider relocating them. every spot of grass that will support beef is already doing so. Those locked gates were a real PITA, but I understood the need.
A great selling point for guys new to an area or new to hunting is to get the landowner's cell number when you get permission. When asking, I always remind them that I'm watching their stuff while I'm on their ground and that I may be there more than they are at certain times. More than once, I've made a call to alert a guy that cattle are out, a gate is broken down, fences are cut,... whatever. Even interrupted a morning or two to herd cattle back down a fenceline and into a pasture, then fix a fence best I can with what I have on hand. Never hurts to keep a small roll of old barbed wire and a bunch of baling wire under the toolbox for just such circumstances. even saved a calf this winter on our last big complaint. Born during the night, it had slipped through the fence and bedded down about forty yards from where the mama could get to it. damned cold and awfully weak when I found him huddled under a thorn bush. Got him on his feet and made sure there were no injuries to him before carrying him back to the fence and threading him through it to his waiting, very upset mother. LOL Pretty much blew that stand to shit.
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I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and, because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
Posts: 5438 | From: The gun-lovin', gun-friendly wild, wild west | Registered: Jan 2003
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Dave Allen
Hi, I'm SUPER DAVE, IN CHARGE OF Q STUFF (and Goat Leader) "I'm really not trying to be a dick".
Member # 3102
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posted April 02, 2015 06:29 PM
You would think a thread like this would be something from an old western ?
Nope, it's real.
I remember a few years back on Idaho public television, they had a segment on this very subject. It was centered around rural (Malheur) county Oregon, just west of here.
Anyway it showed a deputy sheriff out driving the rangeland and explaining that many of the cattle are miles and miles from the home place in desolate locations. I think some guys push cattle out 30-40 miles from home.
I can see how it could happen.
Posts: 1986 | From: Jordan Valley Oregon | Registered: Aug 2008
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted April 02, 2015 06:51 PM
Happened to stumble on evidence of rustling, several years ago up around Wendover, Utah. Very remote though we did see the UPS driving the same roads we were hunting on.
Anyway, came upon an open grassy area that sorta looked like a bomb went off, blood and guts everywhere. My guess at the time was it must have been in the dark, or right at sun up.
Entertainment was a couple B1 bombers and they were down low, looked like PaveLow, terrain following, to me?
They took all the prime cuts, of course. That reminds me. Many years ago there was a rash of rustling during hard times. Probably out of work guys and just shooting a steer and taking the hind quarters, quick like. Heard a lot about it back in the 80's but I never personally saw any of it, just heard of it.
Good hunting. El Bee
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31465 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Moe
Knows what it's all about
Member # 4494
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posted April 02, 2015 07:15 PM
One night a long time ago we were calling south of Hemet. At one point we were stopped by a CHP guy because he was curious about what we were doing. He told us to be on the lookout for cattle rustlers. We laughed and he said he was serious.
Later that night we were driving a long road with a house at either end and miles of nothing in the middle. We came across a big truck with the back open and a couple of cows hanging from a hook on a sliding bar at the back. A classic mobile slaughterhouse. There were a few guys rounding up the cattle and a couple more killing and loading them in the truck. We hauled ass and stopped at the house to let them know. I never found out what came of that.
Al that area is grown up now with houses everywhere.
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I snatch kisses. And vice versa.
Posts: 593 | From: Oregon | Registered: Nov 2013
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TOM64
Knows what it's all about
Member # 561
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posted April 05, 2015 05:34 AM
We had some local guys here that loaded a trailer full of cattle and sold em at the sale barn. Problem was over 1/2 of them belonged to an elderly lady that one of the guys worked for.
We had to cut trees on our fence line that ran with the county road. Seems the shade was good for them to lay up in and my uncle caught 2 guys trying to catch a calf. I always wondered why he watched every car or truck drive down the road.
Yes, rustling is still a problem.
Posts: 2283 | From: okieland | Registered: Feb 2005
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted April 05, 2015 06:01 AM
He's probably looking for Kalifornia plates.
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31465 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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