A rogue calf can make life interesting

Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. And I mean it!

Has it ever in your lifetime seemed so urgent to get things straightened out? Not in mine and I have lived a good long while. I am not gonna write down what we ought to do, just thought I’d mention that someone, somewhere, should do something! I wish I could send my close relative to D.C. and let her get ahold of them fellers!

I drove around the place very carefully this morning. I don’t intend to get stuck if I can help it and I like to drive slow so I can watch the grass grow! Well, it seems to just shoot up after a warm rain and this has been one. I knew we wouldn’t have a weatherwindow like this for a few hours and then the cool north wind would be upon us. I enjoy all I can while I can!

The male offspring came in late day beforeyesterday after sunset and produced a tale of woe for me and my close relative. I know they can tear up most anything and have been known to destroy bricks accidentally, but that is another story. Anyhow, they said they had separated a cow and her calf, penned the cow and left the calf out. The cow was doing her duty, bawling to the calf and standing where they could see her. The dang bull calf went nuts.

I don’t mean he acted silly, like a lot of calves do; he went ballistic.Ran through fences and not toward his mammy; he went the other way, tearing up anything in his path. The offspring got around him on their four wheelers and the calf charged them. He knocked one over, lifted one up, smeared nose blood all over both machines and outran them to a fence. Jumped the fence and took down the road toward Indian Territory!

We looked for six hoursyesterday to find him, didn’t and might not ever. He was cut up all over his body and might have crawled up in a timber pile and died of shock.

Any buzzard that eats on that carcass will have heartburn! The cow doesn’t act too upset that the calf is gone; she is more than likely aware that she raised a bad one!

I called the sale barns around to let them know we had one gone and then called the game warden. He carries a tranquilizer gun in his truck. If he runs onto the black devil, he should use it! Do not get out of the truck and don’t crowd the little bull!

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, the daily chores of life are interesting and full of adventure. I am so very thankful I get to do what I do, except when I have skunk or snake dealings. Even if I have a calf gone, I know if you have some you are liable to lose some. I need to keep what we have but we will be OK without that one and I sure don’t intend to keep him for a herd bull if we ever find him!

Bill is a pen name used by the Gravette author of this weekly column.