Roping Calves!

We were at the ranch Sunday when Deena asked her uncle Paul what he had going on. He said he was going to check on the cows. It's the middle of calving season out there, so Paul checks the cows two or three times during the day and three times during the night. This is done by driving a motorbike, four-wheeler, or truck through the pasture and looking for struggling cows, brand-new calves, and other sick or injured calves.

We told Paul we'd help him, so Deena drove, I rode shotgun, and Deena's mom, Linda, and Paul rode in the backseat. Paul had a carrying tray with ear tags, vaccine, and rubber castrating bands, as well as the tools and syringes to apply/inject everything. I had my 60', 5/16" lariat rope with a metal Brannaman honda from King Ropes in Sheridan, WY, because I like to travel prepared.

Soon we saw a young calf tottering along without an ear tag. Paul and I got out of the truck. Paul had a syringe in his mouth and an ear tag loaded in the tagger (like a pliers) in his hand. I left my rope. We followed next to the calf for a few feet. I didn't know what exactly I was supposed to do, so when I was close to the calf I stepped over and grabbed it around the waist and held it while Paul tagged and vaccinated it. Easy enough. We got back in the truck and kept going.

It soon came to my attention that there were several calves that, at three to fours days old, were too old to just walk up to and grab. I offered to rope them, by saying something like, "Why don't I just rope them?" I had practiced on a plastic roping dummy in the backyard for probably an hour total in the couple of weeks prior and felt pretty good about my abilities.

The next one we saw, I jumped out of the truck, pretty jazzed up about finally getting my chance to rope a calf. I built a loop by letting out some coils and flipping them over and, by the time I was ready, the calf had run away, so I got back in the truck. Deena said something along the lines of, "You're going to have to be faster than that, cowboy."

The next untagged calf we saw, I jumped out, quickly built a loop and, running toward it, threw my rope! And not only missed it, but tangled up my rope in a big mess. I had forgot to sort my coils in order to allow them to spool out easily.  I stood sorting out the mess and Deena slowly started driving away. Her mom suggested I ride in the back of the truck and try to throw it from there. It seemed like a good idea, so I climbed in back.

We drove right next to a calf laying on the ground, I probably could have jumped onto it. Thinking it was as good as done, I dropped my loop out and it landed across the calf's back as it leapt up and ran away. I recoiled my rope and thought, "They're never going to let me throw a rope again."

The next calf we saw, Deena yelled back to me, "I think Paul actually wants to catch this one, so maybe just leave your rope." Paul and I got out and walked towards it. As it started to get up, I jumped out and tackled it, laying on top of it as it worked its legs trying to get free. I didn't realize it, but it's mother was a little worked up at the sight and started bumping me with her head. Paul grabbed a rock and told me not to hit her with my hand or else she might bunt me. I still don't know for sure, but I assume "bunting" is the ranch equivalent of rodeo bull scrubbing a person into the dirt. Paul dropped the rock and proceeded to band the bull calf's testicles, tag, and vaccinate it as I tried to hold it flat on the ground.

Shortly after, another calf was laying facing away from us. I grabbed my rope and let a loop fly, clean and clear, but short. The loop landed across it's hindquarters. I dropped my rope on the ground, ran, and tackled the calf as it tried to stand up.

The next one, I missed. Deena drove up next to it as it ran and Paul jumped out and grabbed it's tail. I ran up, flipped it on it's side and held it while Paul got his supplies.

Linda said, "There are two black calves by the ditch! See if you can catch one!" I walked over with my coils sorted and loop built and when the calves got up, I let one fly! I thought I had missed, but Linda yelled, "You caught it! You caught it!" I pulled the rope tight and had a hind leg! I worked my way to it hand-over-hand and tackled it.

I decided I was better off walking than riding in the truck. It helped me stay more calm and organized. When a calf was laying in front of the truck, I dropped two coils, just like Buck Brannaman showed in his book RANCH ROPING, and sent my loop out. A perfect head catch! I pulled my way up to it and realized it had already been tagged, so I had to get my rope off and let it go.

The next calf stood perfectly still, but was a long throw away. My throw felt really good as it sailed out and landed perfectly open just to the left of the calf. A clean miss. The calf turned and ran.

I stood coiling my rope as Deena sped away with the truck. We were close to the farm site, so I didn't pay much attention as they parked near a grain bin. I was looking out to see if there was one last calf nearby I might catch, when I heard Deena yell, "Steve! It's coming for you!" I looked over my shoulder at a calf running just to my left! Without time to build a loop, I took a step out and stuck out my left arm, perfectly snaring the calf in the coils of my rope!

As we walked up to the house, Deena said, "It's a good thing you don't care at all about how you look, you just go for it!" Paul said, "That's the only way to get better, just keep trying! That one calf you caught that was already tagged was about a perfect throw!" And that's all I needed to know that I actually am as I good as I thought I was. Just not quite all the time yet!