# How to corral spooky heifers?



## PezzoNovante (Jun 11, 2002)

Two of the herd of 10 weren't cooperative this fall at round up. I got eight of the heifers into the corral (and off to market) but two of them flat refused to stay in when I approached to close the gate.
Now, three months later, those two behave more like deer than cattle. They won't approach if I am in sight, they sniff the rope I put on the gate to pull it shut remotely and enter the corral to eat the feed one at a time. Now they are coming into the corral after dark.
I've installed a latch on the gate, then put a spring on the gate so it would close quicker on releasing the rope (before I was pulling the rope to shut the gate.) Today I bought an outdoor infrared camera to install on the barn wall to try to catch them feeding. Not looking forward to a long, cold night in the barn.
Do I need a Ghillie suit and night vision goggles?
Anyone else have to deal with this problem?


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

Try locking them out from the food for a couple of days. Hunger makes a tamer animal.


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## TulleyJohnMyers (Mar 14, 2007)

catch the one when they go in one at a time pen it up inside the corral then feed the caught one the other will come in..also close the gate half way they will go in sometime....just hope they don't jump out when you get them caught......tjm


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## Shirley (May 27, 2007)

They sound as wild as march hares! That type can hurt you too so be careful.


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## TedH71 (Jan 19, 2003)

Cur dogs (catahoula,blackmouth cur, mountain cur, blue lacy). Sic 'em on the cattle. Make sure the cattle understand that they have to respect the dogs then after they've all calmed down to the point where you can push 'em into the corral then you ride from behind. The cattle will be so busy watching the dogs that they won't think about fighting not to enter the corral. I have pics:










Rounding up the cattle










Making sure the cattle are respecting the dogs and staying bunched up.

Taking some sky time while making sure the escapees don't run off and go back to the herd


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

Call your local butcher to have him on standby and try using a 30/30 to round them up! LOL I've been into this situation before and it's a tedious one. I agree with TulleyJohn. Catch them one at a time if you're able and pen the one you've caught inside the corral independantly. The other will probably come in for some company. How much ground are they roaming on outside the corral? (one acre? ten acres? eighty acres?)


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## PezzoNovante (Jun 11, 2002)

They're roaming about 60 acres. 
Herding won't work, they will (have) jump(ed) the cross fence.

Problem with catching them one at a time, besides the added cost of transportation, is that there is a good likelyhood the more spooky of the two would then jump off of the place. If she chooses to go west, it's adios.

They are fed once a week as it is.

Steer roping is a possibilty, as is buying a freezer. Don't think the flavor would be all that great, but we'd wouldn't have to buy hamburger for the foreseeable future.

Or I guess they can become a fixture and hopefully join up with the STEERS I put on the place this spring.


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## SRobles (Jun 12, 2007)

Id say get some good ropers and rope them then pull them to your trailer. Thats how we get some of our wild cows that havent seen people on to trailers or pens


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## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

We used have this problem almost every fall with a couple of heifers that needed to be brought home before they freshened.

DH would back the cattle trailler into the corral and put a little good alfafa hay inside of the trailer---way to the front.

In order to get this hay they needed to enter the trailer.

When there was snow on the ground, they'd be hungry enough to go into the trailer to eat.

DH would sneak down after dark to repleninh the hay.

Eventually---maybe a week---the heifers would become comfortable enough to eat and then lay down inside the trailer.

And once that happened DH could sneak up and close the door on the trailer and haul the animals home.

If he was lucky, he's get both animals on the same night-----------if not, he'd need to start the whole procedure all over to get the other animal.

It was always considered a small victory once all the heifers were home.


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## Brisket (Sep 29, 2007)

I agree with the food idea, its works but my friends call me the rancher with the hotel, I feed my cattle year around, that is for the winter I feed them well; in spring, summer and fall even with calves, I feed them just a pinch, I go through about five dollars worth of the grain in six weeks during summer the rest of the year excluding winter about ten dollars worth the grain, with a dog you can give him a t-bone steak or one peice of dog food, he loves both because he is being rewarded. this works with cows also. as my heard grows I will always keep them a little spoiled and well trained.


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## PezzoNovante (Jun 11, 2002)

That depends on their temperment. We've had steers that would eat out of your hand, but these two have seriously regressed to the wild.
Unfortunately we don't know any ropers who live near-by and given all of the brush and forest, there's little likelihood that the heiffers would cooperate by being in one of the pastures long enough to get the ropers set up and in.

Besides, sitting in a cold barn, watching murky BW TV images of the corral for hours on end has a certain rustic appeal. If I drag a VCR along I can maybe capture some UTOOB footage. Having a good cigar and a John Ringo novel for company ain't all bad, either.


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## unioncreek (Jun 18, 2002)

I wouldn't turn anymore cattle out with them. I had a steer this spring that I couldn't keep in when it came time to butcher it. I finally built my holding pen up to 7 feet and penned him in there. The guy came to butcher so I ran him out the squeeze chute and when he saw the guy holding the rifle he just stood there trying to figure it out. 

I would hire a couple of guys on horse back and load them right in a trailer and either leave them in there or put them in a barn or small high holding pen.

Bobg


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## TedH71 (Jan 19, 2003)

Hire someone with rough curs as I already said. They will get the cattle rounded up. I could recommend someone who has catahoulas but don't know if she works cattle with hers but think she does. She lives in Oklahoma. I would offer to help with my blue lacy dog but two problems: he hasn't been on cattle except once and you need more than 1 on cattle and I don't know how to rope or ride a horse.


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## de Molay (Sep 23, 2006)

The very best way to handle spooky HFR's is put a boss cow in with them, that will follow you with a pail of oats. Cattle have a pecking order, leave her with them a couple of day's, then bring out the oats and slowly walk them all in. Never seen it fail. Also work them all together, never try to isolate them or work them alone.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

There is a rancher from GTexas that goes all over the country teaching ranchers how to move cattle. I've had the training, but I make no claims to be an expert and I've not seen your setup or cows. I'll verrrrrry briefly go thru the most basic steps. Approach the cows from the side, slowly, quietly. As soon as one cow moves just a step, turn 90 degreesvaway from where you want them to go. The cows will slowly move away from you as you move away from them. But they are starting to go where you want them. Turn again back to near where you started. Turn and approach the side of the cows again and as soom as one moves, turn 90 degrees and walk towards where they had been. The cows will move slowly away frfom you, again, in the direction you want them to go. Keep doing this sort of triangle: towards them, away from their direction, away from them. If you want them to go left, do this triangle clockwise. To go right do the triangle counter-clockwise. Just keep this cycle up, gradually moving in that direction, until they are where you want them to be. I was suprised it worked so good. I'm more the "wave your hat and yell" sort of cattleman. Most local taverns have a supply of simularly trained helpers that are often available on a moment's notice, if you offer enough beer before, during and after. Just bring a rifle, catgut and a hand full of fence staples.
This more effective circling method worked over and over with inexperienced people and as the day went on the cows got calmer and calmer, unlike anything my hat waving has ever done.


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