Cattle are out along the highway from our driveway to the city limits of town. Well, our town doesn't have a city limits but, if it did, it would have been where the last two cows were standing. I drove slow trying to see a brand, a name on an ear tag or anything to make me know the herd, but it was an anonymous herd as far as I could tell. A couple of fellers were posted at the edge of town to keep the cattle from going to Canada, and no one was heading them back south.
I stopped and howdy-ed the stop-gap fellers and inquired about their health, family's health and if they knew where the escapees belonged. They said they didn't recognize the cattle, did offer to open their personal gates if no one showed up to claim said cattle; and I informed them I thought that would be classified as rustling. I called the offspring and asked them to start pushing the loose cattle toward our catch pen; I started from the north end.
The herd was mixed up with all breeds and some unknown breeds, but they all seemed rather docile and I was sure proud of that. We counted them and put out a couple bales for them to graze on and the delinquents settled in nicely. There were 82 head in the bunch that someone should be searching for.
I called the county sheriff's office and reported the incident and then called our vet and two others. Not one person had any calls of desperation looking for the lost cattle. I was sure surprised that no one seemed upset over losing 82 head. There were no auction stickers stuck on any of them, no brands we could see and the few ear tags were worn smooth.
We had work to take care of, hay to haul, 10 to 100 chores of fixing to take care of so we scattered to do our business. My close relative was watching for someone to drive in and claim the herd or at least to call. We talked about the fact that there were steers, heifers and cows but no calves or bulls in the bunch. Didn't appear to be just a gate open somewhere as they were so mixed up.
Lunch time came and we met at the headquarters. No one had called, come by or shown any interest in the itinerant herd. We pulled in a big stock tank and filled it because, if the entire herd was staying, they needed more water. And the ground was wet, so the trap was getting plowed up in a hurry. It was a puzzling thing to me no one was after them.
It is my opinion, and everyone has one, the loss of said 82 head of bovine would be very near devastating to this outfit. Me, my close relative and our banker would be shedding tears and moaning in agony. If I could solve this dilemma, I sure would and quickly. Now we are concerned about the diseases they could be depositing in our trap and why wouldn't someone claim them. I hope to inform you next week about the ending to this little tale of woe. If you know anything, please call your local vet clinic or the police.
Bill is the pen name used by the Gravette-area author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 01/25/2017