Dry Creek Cattle Drive
Fire-breathing Dragon and The Black Hellion
Trail: Dry Creek - Densen Ranch - NF
Miles: 7
Riders: Self - Darrell Martin
Horses: Jack - Jewel
Dogs: None
Notes: Darrell M. asked if I'd help move cows Saturday morning. I explained that I know very little about cattle management but if he was willing to tell me what to do without yelling - I'd love to help. He picked me and Jack up at my place by 6:30AM. The Pine Valley Ranch cattle had come out of the hills and were mixed in with The Densen Ranch cattle on their property.
We were to separate the PV pairs and drive them up into the forest. I don't know how Darrell could tell the difference in whose cows were whose....but he sorted them out and got the PV cattle moving toward the FS.
Jack was a fire-breathing pain in the butt for the most part. He hasn't been wound that tight since he was 6. He seems to want to get right in the middle of them and eat them for lunch. Come to think of it - most times I've helped people move cattle - it's been whipping, spurring, hollering and chasing bovine all over the place. I image he expected this experience to be no different. Frankly, neither did I. On the contrary – Darrell grew up on a ranch and takes great exception to being called a “cowboy.” What I've seen take a half dozen or more cowboys/girls to do – Darrell managed to do with one horse and no dogs. I like to think Jack and I were helping...but it was obvious he could have done it without us.
With the PV cattle separated from the Densen cattle and headed into the forest – Jack finally calmed down and got into his groove. He was much happier to be bush-whacking up and down hillsides, crossing creeks and going after stragglers. I'm just happy he feels good enough to be on the muscle and snorting flames again – thank you Scoot Boots.
We got back late morning in time to pick up my sister and head up to Duck Lake to get out of the heat. A great day.
Trail Log: 7-13-2025
Trail: Dry Creek – Densen Ranch
Miles: 7
Riders: Self – Darrel
Horses: Drifter – Jewel
Dogs: None
Notes: Well, that was unexpected – Darrell got a call from the Densen Ranch saying more of the PV cattle were mixed in with theirs. The text read: Hey you wanna go back to Dry Creek and chase cows again. There was no punctuation so I can only assume it was a request and not a statement. Regardless, it was accurate either way. It took little for me to forego Groots Sunday Morning waffles and saddle up Drifter. It was too hot for waffles anyway. I made a smoothie instead. This would be an experience for the Black Hellion I did not want to pass up.
This time we drove all the cattle into a pen and sorted out the Densen cattle and left them on the ranch. Darrell operated the gate while Drifter and I cut out the ones he pointed out. I'm so proud of Drifter – he's never done anything like that. He dove right in the middle of them and we somehow managed to almost look like we knew what we were doing.
We then commenced to push the PV cattle into the forest. We started out with a small handful but picked up 30 pair or so along the way. The only fault I had with Drifter was his refusal to cross water. That boy is a desert pony and DOES NOT like to get his feet wet. That made crossing back and forth across the creek to eek cattle out of the brush a challenge but we made it work. I can get him to cross with another horse – but that wasn't happening when the only other horse and rider are across the draw eeking out their own bunch of stragglers.
We pushed the pairs as far up as Darrell thought necessary before heading back to the trailer. I took the opportunity to cross the creek by following Jewel across. Drifter didn't hesitate but wasn't about to get his hooves wet and leapt across like a black Lipizzaner. For a little dude...he can get some air!
Apparently – we missed a few and will be going back the middle of the week to push up the rest.
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