Who left the gate open ?

[coachg]

Pulled a bonehead this morning. Headed to pick up grass seed to overseed our hay ground and pasture after a couple of drought years over the last 3 years . I ran by to feed and water the 9 weaned heifers we kept this year . I always go , gate , gate , water off . But was in too big of a hurry. When I got back 2 hrs later only 2 were in the pasture. I looked everywhere they usually go but no heifers . Young guy was coming up the road on a lawnmower so I stopped him and asked if he had seen them . Yep they were in the opposite direction I had looked . Found them , got out of the truck and called to them . Here they come like 7 puppies . Led them up the road and across a picked corn field like the pied piper . Got the feed bucket and they ran back in the pasture . Wish it was always that easy ! Last time 2-3 years ago I pulled this stunt they were in the main highway and I had half the neighbors helping me .

 

[sstterry]

If anyone on here has not done something similar, they aren't doing it right!

 

[Logan52]

Gates and doors to the feedroom are a constant source of worry. I get stuff on my mind and can not remember if I shut them. This has led to many trips back to check and make sure.

 

[CowboyRam]

I forgot how many times I left the gate open to the stack yard with the idea I just had to run to the shop for some parts, and ended up going to town for them. All it takes is one to find the whole and they are all in. I guess you might say it was a free smorgasbord. Most will head out, but there are always a few that you have chase around the stacks.

 

[TCRanch]

One of our oil wells is in the far south pasture. Pretty remote and I didn't always check that area. Until we had a pumper that was an idiot and left the dang gate open all the time (in spite of the Keep Gate Closed sign). I could see hoof prints in the dirt/mud/road and all around the tank batteries, leading to the ditch and subsequently neighbors' wheat field. But I'll be darned, every time I discovered the open gate, all the cows & calves had made it back. They're not stupid and know they're getting cubes later in the day!

 

[Ky hills]

Just glad it wasn't too bad getting them back.
Sone years back I was feeding hay and had the cattle in a lot eating grain whilst I went through another gate to set out some hay. Came through the gate and said to myself I'll put the tractor up and then shut the gate on my way to let them out of the barn lot. Thought I was being smart by not having to get in and off the tractor an extra time. I forgot about the gate and went straight through the barn and let the cattle out. They marched right to and through the open gate.
Cows, small calves and bull all out in the front yard and on a state road. Thankfully a neighbors relative and somebody else stopped and helped me get them back in. Those are heart attack inducing times for sure. Now I get off the tractor and close the gate behind me without a second thought at the time. I still often worry and will go back and check gates to make sure I didn't forget.

 

[tcolvin]

Pulled a bonehead this morning. Headed to pick up grass seed to overseed our hay ground and pasture after a couple of drought years over the last 3 years . I ran by to feed and water the 9 weaned heifers we kept this year . I always go , gate , gate , water off . But was in too big of a hurry. When I got back 2 hrs later only 2 were in the pasture. I looked everywhere they usually go but no heifers . Young guy was coming up the road on a lawnmower so I stopped him and asked if he had seen them . Yep they were in the opposite direction I had looked . Found them , got out of the truck and called to them . Here they come like 7 puppies . Led them up the road and across a picked corn field like the pied piper . Got the feed bucket and they ran back in the pasture . Wish it was always that easy ! Last time 2-3 years ago I pulled this stunt they were in the main highway and I had half the neighbors helping me .

That sounds like some of my stunts. Lol
Glad you were Abel to get them back in pasture.

 

[wbvs58]

I've been guilty as charged, even stopped to shut the gate but some distraction has had my mind on other things and I've got back into the truck and drove off without shutting the gate.
I have a ritual at the bull paddock as it is on a pretty busy road, I stand back and look at the chains and tell myself I'm not imagining them done up and then check again. I sometimes get halfway home and start thinking did I really do it so I turn around and go back to check. I know it is only a matter of time before I leave it open.

Ken

 

[Dave]

I have done it a time or two. Nobody has much much stress about it around here. This is open range and there are always cows on the road. Coming home from the sale last night after dark I thought I should slow down going by B's stack yard. There had been a Wagyu cow out that morning. Well at 7:00 last night she had a friend out with her. Every good cow needs to be somewhere.

 

[greybeard]

What's worse than not closing the gate? Not sure if you did, or not.........



reminded me of Dave:

 

[greybeard]

For those that might decorate around their front gat or one nearest your house, my oldest sister had a 16' gate the utility people, UPS and meter readers were forever leaving open and letting the cows and horses out. and she put in a little not so subtle reminder. I don't have a picture of it, but she buried an old pair of boots, with toe part sticking out of the ground, and about 6' away, nailed to the ground, an old cowboy hat and threw a rat eaten saddle off the the side and a cross, with a sign. Looked kind of (but way better than) this:
If you can't read it, sign says "Here lies Tate. He forgot to close the gate."

 

[JJColvin]

Pulled a bonehead this morning. Headed to pick up grass seed to overseed our hay ground and pasture after a couple of drought years over the last 3 years . I ran by to feed and water the 9 weaned heifers we kept this year . I always go , gate , gate , water off . But was in too big of a hurry. When I got back 2 hrs later only 2 were in the pasture. I looked everywhere they usually go but no heifers . Young guy was coming up the road on a lawnmower so I stopped him and asked if he had seen them . Yep they were in the opposite direction I had looked . Found them , got out of the truck and called to them . Here they come like 7 puppies . Led them up the road and across a picked corn field like the pied piper . Got the feed bucket and they ran back in the pasture . Wish it was always that easy ! Last time 2-3 years ago I pulled this stunt they were in the main highway and I had half the neighbors helping me .

My cows have never left the pasture unless I left the gate open for them.

 

[Ky hills]

Just this morning, I went to get some hay, and closed the gate behind me when I left the hayfield. By the time a got the hay put out and got back to the house, I couldn't remember closing the gate. So I got in the side x side and went back to check. I had closed it but I sure don't remember it.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

We headed out early after loading our show cattle on the trailer. During the middle of the day, my neighbor called and said, "Jeanne, look out your window. Your cows are grazing your lawn".
Oops! Had to call Ben who does our chores while gone. Told him to grab a bucket. They all followed him back in.

 

[greybeard]

We headed out early after loading our show cattle on the trailer. During the middle of the day, my neighbor called and said, "Jeanne, look out your window. Your cows are grazing your lawn".
Oops! Had to call Ben who does our chores while gone. Told him to grab a bucket. They all followed him back in.

bucket cows!!!

 

[CowboyRam]

For those that might decorate around their front gat or one nearest your house, my oldest sister had a 16' gate the utility people, UPS and meter readers were forever leaving open and letting the cows and horses out. and she put in a little not so subtle reminder. I don't have a picture of it, but she buried an old pair of boots, with toe part sticking out of the ground, and about 6' away, nailed to the ground, an old cowboy hat and threw a rat eaten saddle off the the side and a cross, with a sign. Looked kind of (but way better than) this:
If you can't read it, sign says "Here lies Tate. He forgot to close the gate."

View attachment 37681

The question is, did it work?

 

[greybeard]

I dunno. That's one of them don't ask-don't tell things. SSS She was pretty energetic, about 1/2 mean and had lots of ground to bury bodies under....... She's mellowed out a little in her old age tho.

 

[coachg]

A mind is a terrible thing to , to , oh I forgot the rest of it !

 

[greybeard]

You'll remember, when you're trying to remember something else..

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

bucket cows!!!

All my females were fed WSC from weaning to breeding, so trust me, they ALL know what a bucket is!! They never forget. and we call the cows to move cows from field to new field rotational grazing.