More Roping Stories-By Rusty Fleming

Mike, my now deceased cousin, Benny Fleming, ranch born and raised in the Sacramento Mountains, told me the stories about having roped quite of few critters, for the purpose of this roped and drug to death 3 sheep killing bears, an eagle, he said the easiest to rope as he caught the eagle eating a fresh killed lamb and was so full the eagle would run but couldn’t get airborne,,, he’d also roped ONE bobcat and ONE badger, he finished those tales by telling me,,, bobcats and badger are NOT meant to be roped to kill them,,, you’re just glad they got loose before getting in the saddle with you,,,on bears he said, be sure you’re mounted, and you know where you’ll be headed once you’ve got the bear roped,,, you don’t wanna be looking over your shoulder and ride into a corner of the pasture you’re in,,, years ago I was helping Jack and Noel gather sheep between Alpine and Marathon, on the Altuda, when I rode up on a hawk standing on the ground making hawk-like noises,,, jerked my rope down, roped him and headed to a cedar in a high trot,,,it was obvious this hawk wasn’t the healthiest I’d ever seen, but since he appeared ill, I sped up his end of life on this earth, got my rope back and rode off, he mighta been an ill fowl, but I can say, I roped a live hawk,,, no further explanation needed,
By~Rusty Fleming