Cow Camp

by Ralph Galeano

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     No matter what part of the country you work in, if you mention cow camp, you’ll get different opinions from people.  Some like it, some don’t.  Cattlemen run their cows onto the ranges in spring and need good riders to run the camps. 

     Riders that watch over the herds mostly look forward to living in the remote regions where cow camps are located.  Good riders are hard to find.  They’ve got to have a myriad of skills not required of people working near the home ranch.  Wrangler, farrier, doctor skills for horses, people and cows, cook, fencers and builders they must be.  No electricity or telephones on the range and running water comes from the creek near the cabin.  If they need something doctored, fixed or trained, they do it themselves.

     When fall rolls around, the peace and solitude comes to a screeching halt.  More riders and muddy pickups pulling stock trailers start making their way toward camp.  It’s time for the fall round-up.  Cattle need to be pulled off the range and go back to their home ranches.  Days or weeks go by while cattle are gathered from the surrounding ranges and held in the corrals near camp.

     Sorting begins and the cattle are moved to separate pastures according to the brands they carry.  The cattle are trailed back to their home ranches and only the memories of the roundup are left until next year.

                

                  

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