Shooting Cow....

Help Support CattleToday:

chaded

chaded

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
1,075
Reaction score
1,953
Location
Southeast Ohio
To give a little background to the situation, I have a cow that is nuts. Not long ago I was running cows through the alley and in the process of all that she completely destroyed a gate and got out. She was the only one that didn't get bred this time and the other day she decided to ram the front of the side by side my wife and I was in. So we try to load her yesterday and she flips out of course and literally breaks through the side of the runway on our barn.

Im not risking anyone getting hurt anymore and since she doesn't want to leave the farm she is going to die here.

I would like some input on what to use. I know a .22 will do it but Im not going that route. I was thinking a 12 gauge with rifled slug? I wondered about the soft lead though but surely it will get into the brain cavity? I have a .350 legend but it's a single shot and I'd kinda like quick follow up shots just in case something goes wrong Lord forbid it does.
 
Are you planning to butcher after shooting her? If not, I'd try to hire some people with horses to rope her and load her and haul her to the auction barn.
 
Once they break out and learn that they can it gets tough to hold them. Strong pens to prevent that first time is the answer.
If you do shoot her have knifes handy. No use in wasting all that hamburger. Or call the sale yard they may very well know people who will come load her out for you.
 
I had a nutter bull once, got a mate in with a 22 hornet. Was a fair distance and hit him just under the eye but seems there was enough power to knock him out. Gave him another when we got close to be sure. The meat was extremely ordinary and the dogs got a good share of it.
 
Google cattle+humane euthanasia. Tons of info. For your safety & considering her behavior and perhaps your lack of experience killing a large animal it would be wise to consider other viable options. Good luck.
 
The 350 legend would be good but like you said there is no follow up. I have put several down with a 30-30. It's my go to gun. I dont work cattle with out it.

The rifle slug would work too if you can get close enough to her.

I dont doubt the 22 will get it done but it would not be my first choice.

You may check with people in your area about darting her. If you have some people that know what they are doing you should be able to dart her and try to move her thru your pens. If she shows and signs of breaking out. Have them get ropes on her and knock her down. You can dispatch her then or have a vet on hand to put her down.

I would not... I repeat... I would not cut cowboys loose with dogs to catch her with out a dart in her first. They will catch her eventually but there is not telling how much damage will be done to make it happen.

You have the tight idea though. Put her down.

Make sure you had her with other cattle when you tried to load her. Dont separate cattle like that and put them by themselves.
 
Had a bull I loaned out come back "wild".Wanted to charge anyone.
I went back to the pens to give him water and feed.Took a 40 S and W with me.I wasn't looking to kill him but he wasn't going to kill me.A couple days later,I had a neighbor taking in some pound cows and asked if the bull could ride along.
Let the cows off into the pen where he was.He loaded right up along with them.
You might consider doing something like that.Even if you have to take one or two of yours along and haul them back home.
Someone experienced can kill one easily with a 22LR or 22WMR. I prefer my 223. Either way,brain shots only.
If all you could get was a heart lung shot,I highly recommend an elk caliber.From a distance.
 
Brute 23 said:
The 350 legend would be good but like you said there is no follow up. I have put several down with a 30-30. It's my go to gun. I dont work cattle with out it.

The rifle slug would work too if you can get close enough to her.

I dont doubt the 22 will get it done but it would not be my first choice.

You may check with people in your area about darting her. If you have some people that know what they are doing you should be able to dart her and try to move her thru your pens. If she shows and signs of breaking out. Have them get ropes on her and knock her down. You can dispatch her then or have a vet on hand to put her down.

I would not... I repeat... I would not cut cowboys loose with dogs to catch her with out a dart in her first. They will catch her eventually but there is not telling how much damage will be done to make it happen.

You have the tight idea though. Put her down.

Make sure you had her with other cattle when you tried to load her. Dont separate cattle like that and put them by themselves.
Click to expand...

I can get close to her no problem, it's just when you try to work her she goes nuts. I usually use the "buddy system" when working them or loading but it doesn't work with her. The last time I did it she had several cows with her and instead of going with the rest down the alley, she laid on her belly flat and got her nose under a gate and proceeded to work and bend the gate up enough to get under it. The gate was still attached on both ends but was horizontal instead of vertical when she was done with it.....

There will be no cowboys (we don't have any around here anyways) or trying to load her up again or anything like that. Shes getting a bullet.

Also, Trust me, I know my handling facilities aren't the greatest. I have a very strong alley and squeeze chute but pens leading up to them and loading are severely lacking. I have never had any trouble with any of the others though, including bulls. But, you never have any trouble until you do.....
 
chaded said:
I can get close to her no problem, it's just when you try to work her she goes nuts. I usually use the "buddy system" when working them or loading but it doesn't work with her. The last time I did it she had several cows with her and instead of going with the rest down the alley, she laid on her belly flat and got her nose under a gate and proceeded to work and bend the gate up enough to get under it. The gate was still attached on both ends but was horizontal instead of vertical when she was done with it.....

There will be no cowboys (we don't have any around here anyways) or trying to load her up again or anything like that. Shes getting a bullet.

Also, Trust me, I know my handling facilities aren't the greatest. I have a very strong alley and squeeze chute but pens leading up to them and loading are severely lacking. I have never had any trouble with any of the others though, including bulls. But, you never have any trouble until you do.....
Click to expand...
You are right. Good luck. Be careful.
 
someone ought to have a 308 around.. that would get the job done well.. does she come for grain? Grain her a few days til she knows what the bucket is, then one day when she has the head in the bucket nice and still you can get the good shot off
 
It seems like we have an abundance of cattle guys around my area that for some reason don't own a gun.
Word has got round that I don't mind helping out. I'd hate to try and count how many cows & bulls I've shot for people over the years.
Anything that will stop a whitetail will stop a cow. (.22, .22mag, if your going to butcher) .30-.30, 30-06, 45-70 govt., .410 slugs & 20ga. slugs have all dropped cattle around here. It really depends on what you are comfortable and ACCURATE with. A .410 with slugs is my go to for bulls at close range.
Draw that imaginary X from her left ear to her right eye and her right ear to her left eye. Center of the X is where you want to hit her.
Don't be afraid to practice first. Tape a milk jug cap to a cardboard box. If you can hit the cap at the distance you think you will be from her then you should be fine.
Just remember you own her, regardless of how nuts she is you owe her to do this right.
 
sstterry said:
Call your Vet and dart her.
Click to expand...
Around here you'd be lucky to find a vet willing to do that. Most clinics don't own a dart gun or keep it a "secret" exactly to avoid jobs like this one. It always ends up being more dangerous, time consuming, and expensive than people expect.

Chaded is on the right track. Get her before she gets you.
 
I had a butcher shop come out one time for a cow with a broken leg. She took three hits from a .223 in the forehead to knock her down and they were all well placed shots on a cripple. Anyone who would try that with a .22 on a healthy mobile cow has a higher tolerance for excitement than I have. Every butcher shop I ever witnessed stuns the animal behind the poll, except for those guys. If I had a cow like the one described, I'd go hunting from a safe distance and take a heart/lung shot with a hunting rifle although that twelve gauge slug would work too. I've seen what a mad cow can do. A neighbor couple some years ago both spent time in the hospital when a cow took after them. Seems she could go through fences and gates faster than the neighbors could crawl under or over them. The advise to get her before she gets you is spot on.
 
Nick Wagner said:
I had a butcher shop come out one time for a cow with a broken leg. She took three hits from a .223 in the forehead to knock her down and they were all well placed shots on a cripple. Anyone who would try that with a .22 on a healthy mobile cow has a higher tolerance for excitement than I have. Every butcher shop I ever witnessed stuns the animal behind the poll, except for those guys. If I had a cow like the one described, I'd go hunting from a safe distance and take a heart/lung shot with a hunting rifle although that twelve gauge slug would work too. I've seen what a mad cow can do. A neighbor couple some years ago both spent time in the hospital when a cow took after them. Seems she could go through fences and gates faster than the neighbors could crawl under or over them. The advise to get her before she gets you is spot on.
Click to expand...
Without getting to graphic, a .223 is to fast. When you knock cattle whether it be with a captive bolt or a gun the goal is to render them brain dead, but not actually dead. You want their heart to still be beating when you cut their throat. There is a huge difference between butchering and euthanasia.
Projectile type plays a huge role in effectively stunning cattle. No hollow points. Solid fmj style bullets, not Spitzer type.
 
Farm slaughter is the general rule in the PNW. I know of very few slaughter houses you can take an animal to. All of those farm slaughter guys I have seen use a 22 mag. But they also all have a 223 or similar rifle ready for back up.
Of course everyone has a different idea of a wild or crazy cow. I believe it depends on your experience and comfort level and how well you are equipt to handle a cow with a little additude.
 

Similar threads

M
Cow Attack Insurance
2 3
Replies
44
Views
2K
Warren Allison
Warren Allison
G
Went on a cow hunt today.
Replies
11
Views
923
gcreekrch
G
G
Raw day for a cow move
Replies
13
Views
654
farmerjan
F
Silver
Low input cow
Replies
11
Views
938
WFfarm
W
R
What is the breed of cow in Jurassic Park?
Replies
4
Views
772
Ridgetop
R

Latest posts

Top