Fenceline Follies

[Dusty Britches]

Some of you may remember my neighbor we call Sparky. Sparky got his name from lighting many fires and burning unintended things down.

His first year on the place, he dozed all of the mesquite then burned them. About 2 weeks later during a burn ban, he spread the coals which in turn ignited his pasture. He was unaware of what happened and was leaving for a roping when he saw the fire. The wind moved the fire to our pasture, burning the fence down. It also burned my elderly neighbor's pasture.

My husband has MS and back then the heat would cripple him to where he couldn't walk. (Now he needs a cane all of the time.) He called 911 and the fire department cut our fence to get to Sparky's pasture. By the time they got there, over 30 acres was on fire. It was in August and my husband, my son, and I went to Sparky's pasture to beat it out until the FD arrived. Needless to say with the August heat and the heat of the fire, it wasn't long before my husband couldn't move. The FD showed up, put the fire out, and left. My husband introduced himself to Sparky that day. I explained to Sparky the situation with my husband and said that he couldn't walk. We got our ATV to pick him up. We asked Sparky to help us fix the fence - about 100 feet of it to prevent our cows from comingling. "Yeah," he said, "let me go change my clothes" but he took off and went to the roping.

My son had to go to work, so I fixed the fence myself, finishing well after dark.

Sparky also likes to sell cows that wander onto his place. My elderly neighbor lost a cow and young calf that wandered over there. My neighbor said he called Sparky when it happened and weekly for 6 weeks. Sparky wouldn't let him go get the cow and said he'd push her back. About 3 months later, Sparky hauled the cow and grown calf to the sale barn and took a 50% cut for "pasture fees". This has happened multiple times.

We take better care of our place than Sparky does, so our pastures have more grass. Well here's the real twist of fate. :D

Last week, I went to check our north pasture. We fenced out the cows in October and planted clover. Sparky's cows decided the clover was ready to eat and broke 3 holes in the fence. I called him and this was the conversation:

Me (DB) - "Are you around?"
Sparky - "No, I'm in South Texas."
DB - "Oooohhh. That's too bad."
Sparky - concerned - "What's wrong?!"
DB - "Your cows are in my pasture and I was hoping you could get them and WE can fix the fence. Ummm."
Sparky - "Oh, S***T." Pause. "Are all of them over there?"
DB - "Nah - just a few." ( I later thought I should have said yes.)
Sparky - after a long pause, and with caution, "What are you going to do?"
DB - "Hmm. I'm not sure. I, I, I gueessss I could push them back and fix the fence." ( I should have said, What would you do if my cows were on your place?)
Sparky - somewhat elated - "Oh THANKS!! I owe you one! I'll check that fence when I get back next week!"
DB - "You don't think I'm going to fix every spot I find?"
Sparky - "Well, you know, just in case."

Once again, I worked past dark to fix that fence.


When he got back he put out his first round bales of hay. Everyone in the area has been feeding hay since October. I feel like I really had an opportunity and I blew it. But, perhaps he'll start treating people better and watch out for us. Maybe.

 

[Gate Opener]

:mad: What a no account slimeball! I could go on but I'll stop there.

When something like that happens I always think of what I should have said later. I don't think I would give him anymore chances though if he does ya'll wrong again. Boy needs to learn a lesson the hard way and that there are other people in this world besides his sorry self. If he won't give back someones cow call the police. If that doesn't work take him to small claims court. I'm not the sueing type(never have) but I think that might make me sue.

 

[bigbull338]

Some of you may remember my neighbor we call Sparky. Sparky got his name from lighting many fires and burning unintended things down.

His first year on the place, he dozed all of the mesquite then burned them. About 2 weeks later during a burn ban, he spread the coals which in turn ignited his pasture. He was unaware of what happened and was leaving for a roping when he saw the fire. The wind moved the fire to our pasture, burning the fence down. It also burned my elderly neighbor's pasture.

My husband has MS and back then the heat would cripple him to where he couldn't walk. (Now he needs a cane all of the time.) He called 911 and the fire department cut our fence to get to Sparky's pasture. By the time they got there, over 30 acres was on fire. It was in August and my husband, my son, and I went to Sparky's pasture to beat it out until the FD arrived. Needless to say with the August heat and the heat of the fire, it wasn't long before my husband couldn't move. The FD showed up, put the fire out, and left. My husband introduced himself to Sparky that day. I explained to Sparky the situation with my husband and said that he couldn't walk. We got our ATV to pick him up. We asked Sparky to help us fix the fence - about 100 feet of it to prevent our cows from comingling. "Yeah," he said, "let me go change my clothes" but he took off and went to the roping.

My son had to go to work, so I fixed the fence myself, finishing well after dark.

Sparky also likes to sell cows that wander onto his place. My elderly neighbor lost a cow and young calf that wandered over there. My neighbor said he called Sparky when it happened and weekly for 6 weeks. Sparky wouldn't let him go get the cow and said he'd push her back. About 3 months later, Sparky hauled the cow and grown calf to the sale barn and took a 50% cut for "pasture fees". This has happened multiple times.

We take better care of our place than Sparky does, so our pastures have more grass. Well here's the real twist of fate. :D

Last week, I went to check our north pasture. We fenced out the cows in October and planted clover. Sparky's cows decided the clover was ready to eat and broke 3 holes in the fence. I called him and this was the conversation:

Me (DB) - "Are you around?"
Sparky - "No, I'm in South Texas."
DB - "Oooohhh. That's too bad."
Sparky - concerned - "What's wrong?!"
DB - "Your cows are in my pasture and I was hoping you could get them and WE can fix the fence. Ummm."
Sparky - "Oh, S***T." Pause. "Are all of them over there?"
DB - "Nah - just a few." ( I later thought I should have said yes.)
Sparky - after a long pause, and with caution, "What are you going to do?"
DB - "Hmm. I'm not sure. I, I, I gueessss I could push them back and fix the fence." ( I should have said, What would you do if my cows were on your place?)
Sparky - somewhat elated - "Oh THANKS!! I owe you one! I'll check that fence when I get back next week!"
DB - "You don't think I'm going to fix every spot I find?"
Sparky - "Well, you know, just in case."

Once again, I worked past dark to fix that fence.


When he got back he put out his first round bales of hay. Everyone in the area has been feeding hay since October. I feel like I really had an opportunity and I blew it. But, perhaps he'll start treating people better and watch out for us. Maybe.

i doubt your neighbor will ever change.ive got a neighbor that hates tending his cows.he would just rather open the gate an turn them out.an im not joking.he lets them run the road,an we tell him put his dang cows up.that we aint gonna feed them.works for awhile.if i had a neighbor like yours.id hire cowboys to rope his cattle.an pen them at the sale barn.then it would cost him to get them back.

 

[regenwether]

I can't stand guys like that! I think everybody has soneone like that in their area. You know what it seems like those guys are the one's in the coffee that know it all. They might drive a big shiney truck but when you get back to their farm you'll see they don't spend crap on their Farm equipment. I know the type. Sooner or later it will catch up to them...one way or another.

 

[Dusty Britches]

Sparky is a day rider on some ranches in the area. He borrows all of his equipment from those ranches and he even borrows the bulls he uses. The first year, it was a Brangus bull, then an ugly Charolais bull, now 2 Hereford bulls.

His daddy was a day rider, too.

Together, they worked up a great reputation - as skum buckets - and that's the repeatable phrase I've heard about them. Sparky has built up a bad name with the biggest ranch in the area - my third neighbor.

My cows got on his place once. I cut the fence and went after them without calling. My cows will never spend a night on his place.

I'm just chuckling over how I had him over a barrel and the tables were turned on him.

 

[3MR]

Good brands make good neighbors.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

you did the right thing regardless of how bad you wanted too turn the table your better for it. he needs too learn a few cowboy manners

 

[Jogeephus]

You did right. Remember the world is round.

 

[Earl Thigpen]

I guess everbody's got a story like that. I have a neighbor that has two of my cows but I can't prove it because I didn't brand (shame on me). And when it came time to replace the fence that his bull tore down (multiple times) its all on me. Cost me $7000 put put up a new fence between him and me and I have'nt seen a dime for his part. His cattle are so poor you can count every one of their ribs and last Saturday I'm out patchin' my brand new fence I find one of his hiefers dead - starved to death. It's a shame that the dumb animals have to suffer his ignorant ways, though.

There's an old saying about good fences making good neighbors but in his case I don't think so.

And I almost forgot the best part. I had put about 30 "T" posts in over the past couple of years to patch the fence. He claimed the "T" posts were his and my fence builder gave them to him - can you believe the gall!!!!!

 

[AngusLimoX]

You are being used - count your labour, expenses on fencing and grief this irresponsible trash has caused for you and your family. Put a dollar figure on it.

Decide at what dollar figure you are gonna stand up for yourselves.

This guy is hurting you and you family in ways you don't even know. Or maybe you do and that is why you posted in here.

And a little tip - lay the law down while there is no current problem - then there is no gray area when the next problem arises ( and it will ).

Wish I could help more, I do know some of what you are going through.

 

[msscamp]

Dusty, you are a far nicer and far more forgiving woman than I am. I will help anyone in any way that I can, but I will not be used or taken advantage of - and turning the other cheek only goes so far. I'm with ALX on this one.

 

[Gate Opener]

Man, I'm really appreciating my neighbors round bout now.