TX Ranch

Greetings to all!

It's been a month already gosh I can't believe it. First of all Hip and I hope each and everyone of you had a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Today is New Year's Day so I'm catching up on the month of December. This season due to our economy with the increasing hay prices and dropping cattle prices it was necessary to drive our cattle back into Dryhead where we had extra pasture for as long as it was possible during November and December. The cattle tried to come home on their own a few times when wind and snowy weather would hit them in the butt. The fore casted weather still looked fairly promising so Dez and Poncho drove them back. Finally just before Christmas everyone went into Dryhead and drove the cows, bulls, etc. home for the winter. Earlier we hauled all the calves that were to small to sell to a river pasture near Lovell, WY. It had a lot of good feed on it so the little guys are doing real well. Hip, Tim and I sorted all the cattle to get them ready for pregnancy tested. Last week we ran well over 1100 head of cows through the chute and tested them. Tim, ran the chute and took care of worming them. Tim, after running the chute for a couple days well he didn't get saddle sore! We have a reliable neighbor who takes care of our preg. testing. He tests and marks them so that we know which ones are pregnant and open. We will cut the open cattle separate and sell them unless they have a young calf of a good reason for being open. Dez kept the alley way loaded for the chute. Bill Colman with a friend kept the cattle coming and loading before the alley way. Me I counted everything and brands too. Hip feed alone for the days it took until we finished testing the cattle. It looks like we will have a very busy spring alright with lots of new born calves! Hip has been hauling all of our heifers since then to the river pasture. The feed there will help first time calf
heifers quite a bit health wise and especially during cold, windy weather. Dez, has been riding again the last three days checking most of Dryhead for any missed TX cattle also for our neighbors cattle too. This way
everybody's cattle can winter at their home places rather then weather the storm in range country. It's extremely busy since the cattle came home because at the moment we have about 1700 cows to feed everyday. It keeps Hip and Tim busy and life pretty interesting! Of course during winter we have to watch the cattle for any weight loss and sickness to help prevent them from loosing their calves, etc. Hip is really good at watching the cattle daily when he feeds them. He has developed a keen eye for it through out the years. Soon we will be cutting out two big groups of cattle around 250 to take them to a couple winter pastures we lease. This will help them winter better by grazing "cleaner feed" and lessen the feeding load for everyone on Crooked Creek.

Concerning myself, I had to have appendix surgery a week before Christmas so danged if it didn't slow me down a bit. Please forgive me I didn't get my entire Christmas list taken care of this season. No doubt I'm back on my feet again and it feels so good to be getting back to norm daily. Dez, and I will be soon be gathering our registered mares in Dryhead and wean all their colts. When we wean them I'll keep them here at my house and work with them a bit and gentle them too. This way when it comes time to break them in the next couple or three years it will surly help them and their riders, Ye Haw!!!!!

In January Desiree will go to Douglas near Casper, WY to work with Ken McNabb. Ken has horses he is getting ready for his sale next June. He asked if Dez would help him with not only riding but driving, roping, cutting and finishing a cow horse. Dez, has learned from past colts and she's now good at working with a horses mouth, getting them to pick a path, etc. We will surly miss her on the ranch but Hip and I think it will be a great experience for her too.

Once again we all wish you a most Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year! Keep well, safe and take care.