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NEMO | from the loader bucket of a tractor! Wish I had pics but I didn't have a hand free to snap any. Sitting here tonight laughing about the day's events I thought I would share.
We had a calf that we weren't sure had nursed yet and he was bawling like he was hungry. With the deep snow and the corral about a half-mile away thought it would be easier to play cowboy and rope the cow. We were also a long way from a bottle and milk. We couldn't get her roped from the ground and she quickly got wise to what we were doing. Finally I jumped in the loader bucket since the truck would just get stuck. After about 20 attempts, the deep snow finally had the cow slowed down enough to get a loop around her. Couldn't get the slack pulled quick enough and next thing I know the rope was around her belly. Couldn't get her to stop and before you know it all I had left was the two back feet! Went from a header to a heeler pretty quick (isn't that the correct terms?)!
The tractor driver finally stopped as I was 'dallying' off to the grabble fork on the bucket. The other hand pulled up in a truck and went to put his rope on the head (he is the only one with real roping experience). Hollered at the tractor driver to 'jump on the cow' as I was wanting him to help the other guy control her head as by now the cow was down in the snow and I didn't want her to get up. Well he took 'jump on the cow' literally and jumped up on the cows back!!! This prompted the cow to want to get up, but his weight actually kept her down, well that and the fact the cow was pretty tired by now.
They had her 'secure' enough so I could let tension off the 'heel' rope so I drove the truck up closer and put a rope halter on and tied her up. We got the calf off the truck and he was glad to have some warm milk. Watching him nurse was worth all the effort.
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Anybody ever rope a cow.....
