There’s a herd of cattle in the area. It’s why I was so concerned about Little Bear disappearing yesterday morning, but I didn’t know they’d come so close to the Lair. This morning I saw their tracks on my road. This afternoon I actually aimed the Jeep at a couple of them and sped up – both because that’s the only way to ensure they’ll get out of your way and because it’s emotionally satisfying. (Shooting a gun near them, BTW, costs expensive ammo and usually produces no strong results.)
Then a few hours later they showed up in Landlady’s meadow, where her puppy Dharma discovered the joys of barking and chasing them around. I was with Ian at the time, mounting the solar heat exchanger for his hot water on top of the pile of dirt where his Dome used to be. Since the puppy and her pet cattle were headed our way, he went off to head them off.
But the cattle were headed our way. And that means I have to be careful about even letting Ghost and Little Bear out of the Lair, at least until after nightfall. I have to restrict my dogs from going into their own yard, all for a bunch of cattle they won’t hurt, when I’d cheerfully shoot every last goddam one of them behind the ear and feed them to the dogs. But we haven’t got any rights in the matter. I hate John Wayne, and I hate cattle. It’s a shame they’re made of such delicious meat. Stupid cattle.
What, “stand your ground” laws don’t apply to mobile food? Dammit, now I’m hungry for a burger and it’s bedtime. Your readers would like to hear more about why the bovines appear to have more rights than you and your puppies, Joel, provided you’re allowed to tell us. I’ll presume it’s some sorta lawyer thing if you don’t expand the topic.
Well, trying to be positive here. Maybe they will reduce the fire hazard a bit and if you collect the cowpies after they dry you can burn them next winter or maybe the chickens will enjoy diggin in them for seeds and bugs.
KA, it’s archaic open range laws dating back to the 19th century. I haven’t researched the history of it, but the upshot is that property owners in designated open range can fence cattle off their land, but otherwise absolutely may not molest a cow. The cattlemen, who lease the privilege from the state, have all the rights including the right to shoot any predator on sight. Unless it’s a predator the feds put there, like a wolf. Because nobody gets more rights than the feds.
Slow Elk – and that one in the middle is veal flavored!
I got a pissy little electric fence unit for my swine. It takes a couple of D cells and they last about 5 weeks continuously.
insulators and the long spring things for gate ways are pricey, but the wire is cheap, and a single strand does for cattle. once they know what it is, they’ll be extremely careful around it. Cattle and swine really hate getting shocked. I only wish the same applied to sheep – they’re a far more unpleasant animal (passive aggressive and vindictive to the very end), but taste even better than beef – they’re also well insulated and they ignore pain.
when the cattle aren’t about, a wire close to the ground makes a great deterrent for any predators sniffing around your new dinosaurs – pheasant rearing sites and magazine articles have good tips on how to position the wire
I’ve also heard of very low level wire being used to deter bunnies (in your case it’d likely be marmots) from eating flowers and vegies
as an after thought – please excuse my use of the word “pissy” in connection with the subject of “electric fence”
One a year for the freezer if they get in too close. 😉
Shoot, butcher and shut up?
That’s what chainsaws are REALLy made for. Vegetable oil for the chain. Hehe.
Failing that, I find a BB gun works wonders of wandering cattle without causing damage.
Shooting and butchering is a felony if the cattle does not belong to you. You can make and sell drugs to kids in this state and be ignored, but you shoot one cow and they will prosecute. Letting your dogs chase cattle is illegal too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txyRpGT3ZZM