Ol 45

Ol 45

                                                                    By   Mike Capron

When Wilson and Liz started college, Anne said she was going to quite teaching.  I needed a better job. I wasn’t making enough to support two kids in college.  We found a job where Anne and I could work together and get paid a good salary.  Anne was in charge of the kitchen and ranch accommodations, I was in charge of the cattle and ranch operations, but I could help Anne when possible.  The ranch was in good shape with all the improvements but the cattle herd was in sad shape. Lots of dry cows, maverick cattle everywhere and very hard to work in that they were badly spoiled. 

I went to work gathering, branding, sorting, shipping and getting the cattle back into working order.  

I had cleaned most of the country close to the house and was starting to work some of the rougher rim country away from the house. 

I left the house on Alpo headed to the Canyon Mill looking for cattle to gather and take to the shipping trap between Canyon Mill and the house.This was rougher country and hard to get around so there weren’t many cattle around here. I had left the house with all of my equipment and Alpo was fresh and plenty stout. He was an individual that came from Wilson. Wilson tried to make a heading horse out of him, but decided to send him to me as he needed more riding. Lots of go and no whoa.  I had been riding him a while and loved him for these reasons. I had lots of riding and he fit my bill perfectly. I had a dozen strong dogs, a long rope, my 45 colt and it was a cool cloudy day.  Perfect for a good long day.

I was enjoying the day but hadn’t seen any cattle or any sign. I was right below the high rim not far from Indian Cave and Patterson Pothole.  I was on the back side of the circle I had planned to make when I spotted a bull starring at me from a bunch of bushes. All I could see was his head sticking out of the bushes and he was about a half mile away.  I turned Alpo slightly away from going straight toward him.  We got a lot closer than I expected and when he moved my dogs saw him. He walked just out of the bushes and 3 other bulls followed him. My dogs were ready and had spotted the bulls, we were closed enough for the dogs to school on them without them spooking and running from me.  So I sent the dogs to hold them up.  The dogs were strong enough to impress them and I knew we were in good shape except it was a tuff trip from here to the shipping trap, maybe 6 or 7 miles of rough brushy country and a little late to start such a trip.   I should have just left them right there. We were the winners so far, but if I decided to do more it could go the other direction easy.  Well this is were you learn and get experienced. I had had too many success stories up to this point and I got very over confident.

Choosing the easiest route with enough time to make the final destination before dark is a very smart move but not always easy.  

I decided to go the shortest route because of the clock, but it was by far the roughest and steepest. The first step was great and the bulls were very easy and the puppies were perfect. The bulls were following me like little school boys and I went straight to the water hole at Patterson Pothole.  The weather was perfect and the dogs and bulls drank very little water. Nobody was hot or tired at all, so I ventured forth. This is were the trail to the shipping pens changes and is not normally used, certainly not for moving cattle.  The trail is a big pipeline right away that goes straight off this rim at a very steep angle. Cattle and horses have to zig-zag back and forth at a walk.  I was in hopes that I could convince my bulls to go slow enough in order to make these zig-zags.   This was my first mistake. We were not half way down the steep slope when one of the bulls got ahead of me and of course all the rest of the bulls wanted to join him.  I didn’t help matters any by trying to get in the lead again. Didn’t bother Alpo any and he jumped right on matter. But this created a race between the bulls and Alpo and of course the dogs were trying to fit in. Signals and commands were out of the question. We were going hell bent for election straight down hill.   I was the only one that was glad to see the bottom of the steep hill, It flattened out but the race just pick up steam. I did manage to stay in the lead. Alpo really impressed me with his speed and agility.  But all we did was to scatter the bulls , the dogs were trying but just to much steam. The bulls scattered and the puppies were running out of steam and confused to say the least. All I could do was stay in the lead of a strong black,sharp horned bull.  I was in the lead but he was still stampeding and getting away.  We came to the Rock Tank pasture fence and he bulldozed right through it. I had to pull up.   Well my little bull gathering sure went to pieces. We were still 3 miles from the shipping pens and I could’t see any bulls except the one that run through the fence ahead of me.  I sure hated to admit defeat. So I got off and got my wire pliers and cut the fence so I could go through also behind the black bull.  I went through and I could see the black bull still headed in the direction of the shipping pens.  I had lots of horse left but no dogs. So I thought best to just follow along not putting much pressure on the bull, but waiting for an opportunity to do something other than follow along. I knew he wasn’t going to allow me to stop him or direct him much. So I was a bystander. We were headed to the shipping pens and the house anyway.    I followed along maybe a couple hundred yards to his left. He knew I was there but I knew he was more interested in covering as much country as possible and trying to out run me. I am sure this was his escape in the past.  We trotted along at a high trot until we came to a brushy draw that was in the corner of the pasture. He quickly ducked into the brush and went out of sight.  I followed him unable the see him anymore.  I hadn’t gone far down the draw until I ran into him and 3 other bulls that I didn’t know. They were all bushed up and so I pulled up also and was making new plans.  I wasn’t far from the shipping pens and there was still some daylight left.  I thought well sometimes ill plans can turn into great gains. Do you reckon I could drive these individuals with my old friend into the shipping pens just up the hill from me..???  The gates were already and open and it was still good daylight.  

Great ideas certainly aren’t always the way things turn out.  I got into position to move the bunch and Mr. Black came to me showing signs of serious fight, hooking and snorting. The other bulls were still together and waiting. So I could see we needed to have some attitude adjusting.   So I got my 45 colt and got into position to shoot him in the horn.  The first shot was perfect and he jumped back and hid in the back of the other bulls.  If I had more daylight and some dogs I might have tried to do more . But I decided to just go the house and give the opponents a win.