Always try to do right, and things will be better

W hen all was said and done, the day lent us new friends and a chance to accommodate neighbors. My close relative fixed a meal and the fellers were more than happy to eat after a very long dry spell!

The cattle just kept on showing up and I was getting more anxious each foot of the way home!

It seemed darker than usual, and I couldn’t read any of the brands. Black cattle are not easy to recognize in the dark! All of them, every stinking head, were grazing as close to the fences on the adjoining pastures as they could get. I had counted 14 head by the time I got to our gate.

Having already called the boys, and I wanted the National Guard, the lights were coming at a good speed up the drive to help!

I sure figured the delinquent cattle were ours but couldn’t figure out where they got out. We have tried to make the fence tight and extra solid between the pasture and the highway. No one needs to meet a big cow while doing the speed limit and no time to stop! There were not any bovines standing in or around the gate so they must have found another hole and that one would be in the wire! First the youngest and then the older one followed in the great cattle hunt.

I had been to a meeting and supper the mineral company was putting on for the producers and it was a nice time. We visited, listened and asked pertinent questions of the salesman and ate our free steaks. I don’t think any minerals were sold and I sure wish some of the men had followed me home and claimed the out cattle!

We sent the first boy to arrive to check for holes and the other to the north looking for more loose cattle. I headed back south to start the found ones home. We had the pens empty except for the painted pony and he has the run of the joint! I knew we could pen them if ever caught!

The first one I saw was still along the pasture fence and not paying any mind to me! I had to get out and booger him to start north! He picked up two or three more head and then they crossed the road and, along with slipping and sliding, left lots of stuff on the highway! I had about seven headed north and saw several more trotting along on the other side of the road. Got out of the truck and boogered them across the road with the first ones. I still could not see well enough to tell anything for sure about the owners.

There were about 20 head coming from the north and, when they spotted the south bunch, they sped up and joined them. We got the herd penned and got some light on them about midnight. The cattle were not ours! Our fence was still tight and the spotted pony did not even come in to watch the excitement. Unbranded and well-fed was all we could tell about the herd which numbered 48 head when we counted. All of the bovine were bred cows — at least looked so but maybe just full. I could have claimed them and they would have fit nicely with our hides. We put some round bales in the lot and left them for the morning.

We had early morning visitors and they were from the neighboring community 17 miles east of here. I do not know these fellers but they would make fine friends! They were shocked and thankful we had penned the runaway herd and were ready to rent a semi to haul the beasts home when we offered to help haul them. They agreed to get their trailers and we could do the job.

When all was said and done, the day lent us new friends and a chance to accommodate neighbors. My close relative fixed a meal and the fellers were more than happy to eat after a very long dry spell!

The lesson learned was easy to see, always try to do right and things will be better. As we know, the strays could have caused many accidents before we found them. Thankfully nothing was lost but a couple of hours of sleep from us and a whole night from the searching owners! I am satisfied and happy and now ready to try to do a little hunting.

As I entered the back door, I left a trail of clothes so I could put on the hunting gear fast. I was more than ready to wait on a big one by the last pin oak tree in the woods! My close relative buzzed around the corner and informed me that the youngsters had just that minute left word they were already in the woods and headed for my spot. Dang!

Hope you are a mighty hunter with winter meat, at least by now! And I hope you did not get my chosen buck! Remember the Alamo!