Tips to catch lose cows?

[VtMapleGal]

Ok, long story short i had a darn bear come and tear up my horse and scare the heck outta my heifers. They broke right outta my round pen and are now running through the country side. Any tips on how to catch them? They got lose sunday afternoon, we tracked them all day sunday with no luck in getting them. They were spotted this am, about 1/2 mile from my barn. One is pritty friendly, but the other is wild and she takes the friendly one with her.

 

[Bez>]

Sounds like penning is out of the question .... so .....

Horse and rider and rope or - tranq them or - shoot the wild one and burger it.

There are your main choices.

No such thing as a cow that cannot be replaced and bear scare is over - no excuse for them to be running now. Ours deal with them fairly regularly.

Sooner you solve this the less chance you have of legal action against you for various and I might add many possible reasons.

Never trifle with prob animals - by now they are both problem animals - longer you wait the sooner they will bring you down.

Good luck,

Bez>

 

[Dee]

Report them as strayed to the sheriff. Put an ad in the farm papers, they will usually jump in with someone elses cattle herd and can then be sorted out. Hopefully they are ID'd.....ear tags, brand, etc.

 

[Jogeephus]

Border collies.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Mine had a jail break a couple of weeks ago. A guy went through our place and left the gate open. It was a 3 mile cattle drive to get them home. One person leading and everyone else trailing. If the tame one will follow, the other one will likely follow too.

 

[TedH71]

Cur dogs: catahoulas, blackmouth curs, or blue lacys. Any of those breeds will work. Better to bring three so they will be able to herd up to 200-300 by theirselves.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Since I started culling harder they usually come to a call and are happy to have me help them get back with the herd. Stock dogs or neighbor herds with corrals usually work for rounding up untrained strays. I have not shot one yet but I have been tempted...

I have eaten a couple wild ones to get even. They can be a little tough but the meal will still bring a smile to your face.

 

[dewey]

i dont know if you caught them yet or not? if they are on someones place talk to the people leave them alone. let them settle down and take up with their cows. once they settle down and take up with the folks cows then they will come in the pen with their cattle. if not someone with some good dogs and horses can pen or catch them. alot of folks make the mistake of running cattle once they get out of their place. most of the time if they would let them settle down and take up with some cows they can catch them purty easy that way. everytime the cattle see someone or a vehicle they get chased and they will keep jumping fences. just from reading i figure yall been chaseing them purty heavy trying to get them back.

 

[novatech]

Bucket of feed every day. Eventually they will follow you home. Call them every time you go out, if you can still find them. Set the feed down and walk off.
About one time a month I will bring mine to the pens with feed just for practice for when I really need them there.
Dewey is right, they will eventually get with the cows next door if there are any. Sort them out later but let the neighbor know.
I cannot see dogs working very well as they do not know where to take them. If they are well trained dogs they would be let out at the pens and they will bring in whatever is in the pasture.

 

[ArrowHBrand]

Just get the word out to your neighbors. It has been my experience that neighbors are your best bet for catching loose cattle. Also if you can get some riders on horseback to gently push them to a neighbors pasture, or in our case a loose bull up into a neighbors dry lot, most people will be glad to help. However, if they aren't permanently ID, i.e. tattoo or brand, you may want to do something sooner than later because there are dishonest people out there looking to make a quick buck.

 

[msscamp]

Just get the word out to your neighbors. It has been my experience that neighbors are your best bet for catching loose cattle.

What are you going to do when the neighbors lose patience with your ineptitude? It WILL happen sooner or later, trust me on this.

 

[CowCop]

~

You catch them cows yet ?

Find a halter trained cow that you can borrow. Most others cows will follow behind it as you "lead" them home.

We have a halter trained steer that helps us do all the "rounding up" of any loose weanlings or yearlings.
He earns his keep.

Where in Vermont are you ???
I am in Springfield.

What kind of cattle you have ?

 

[pdfangus]

Me I think I would take up bear huntin.
especially if one tore up my horse.

 

[Victoria]

This is a really late post so I am sure the problem is solved but this has only happened to us once. Ten bred heifers went across the river and there was no getting them back. Took the boss cow out with me on horseback and they wouldn't follow her home. So neighbour came with a quad, me on a horse and we ran them until they finally went in another neighbours. Called out a trucker and they were on the way to the sale barn that day. Both neighbours were happy to oblige since they knew they would never see the cows again. Point being, you got two cows you can't handle they shouldn't be on your place.