Cow Country
Posted by: 
ZenPanda
N 46° 26.191 W 108° 33.859
12T E 687109 N 5145432
Life of a cattle crew or "outfit" in the early days of Montana.
Waymark Code: WM2T24
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 12/16/2007
Views: 16
In the 1880s, days of the open range, many a roundup outfit worked this country. The spring roundup gathered cattle in order to brand and tally the calf crop. The Fall roundup gathers the beef critters for shipping.
An outfit consisted of the captain, the riders, the "reps" from the neighboring ranges, the cavvy or horse herd in charge of the day herder and night hawk, the four horse chuck wagon piloted by the cook and the bed wagon driven by his flunky, camp moved each day.
The cowboys rode circle in the morning, combing the breaks and coulees for cattle and heading them toward the central point to form a herd. In the afternoons of Spring roundup the guards kept the herd together, the cutters split out the cows with calves, the ropers dabbed their loops on the calves, took a couple of welts around the saddle horn and dragged 'em to the fire. There the calf wrestlers flanked and flopped them and brander decorated them with ear notches, or dew laps, and a hot iron. It wasn't all sunshine and roses.
Describe the area and history:
Plenty of cattle ranches in site
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