Out Our Way: Until the Rancher comes

Out our way, one discovers a certain hierarchy when working cattle. The cows rule the calves, the bulls — in season — rule the cows and the smaller bulls, and the rancher rules them all. For all the bellowing and bluster one sees in the heard when we start moving them — they do eventually leave the worn out pastures and dried up watering holes and move to the fresh pasture and flowing waters where we will take them. But they don’t always want to go.

Years ago, my ex-father in law’s dad was a younker on his first trail drive up in Montana — and saw how some of the old cowhands...