Eastern Montana writer John Moore alerted me to the great October blizzard in South Dakota a few days ago. I told him I would blog on it, but assumed something of such magnitude would soon get out. But nooo… apparently the actions of petty bureaucrats top any need to report the effects of the greatest …
Tag: Ranching
Of Livestock, Predators, & Guardians
This summer, our sheep have been grazing a series of private pastures in the foothills of the southern Wind River Mountains – pastures that have been used by domestic sheep herds for more than 100 years. This small herd is protected by the three burros that are always present, and by livestock guardian dogs. The …
Range Sheep & Big Predators
I am weary of the snide, ignorant, and vicious comments made in response to last week’s death of 176 sheep due to a wolf attack in eastern Idaho (see stories here and here). Some of the sheep were directly bitten and killed, but the majority of the animals were killed in a stampeding pileup as …
Big Changes
They made daughter in law Niki an offer they couldn’t refuse (nor would I have), and she and Jackson and Eli are off to work and live at what may be the most unique college in the US: Deep Springs. Photos by Jackson, zooming in: I will encourage Jack to write something about the place. …
In the neighborhood
Spring has definitely arrived in our western Wyoming neighborhood – all the snow is gone and we are hoping like heck for a wet spring. Our sheep are fat in pregnancy and tired of their wool – a month ahead of our regular shearing time. Our sandhill cranes have returned, as have the trumpeter swans …
The Meadow Lark
Jim and I were surprised to encounter a western meadowlark on the haystack on this last day of 2012. I’ve mixed feelings about the year we’re putting to bed – there has been so much sorrow for so many. So it is with joy that a meadowlark closes out the year, and sings in the …
Back to normal programming
I don’t know why, but I’ve never seen as many coyotes as I have this year. Is it due to the drought, good pup production, or the fact that I seem to be a coyote magnet? When I was driving out to see the sheep two days ago and was thinking about posting a …
The woman has no shame …
I love this poster that The Countryman Press created to promote my new book, so I’m posting it here to show it off. In the original image that serves as the background, there is actually a slash of rainbow-colored light escaping from the cloud cover over my sheep herd as they graze along the Wind …
This week in the neighborhood
It’s been a great week for wildlife encounters. I was driving down the highway and watched a group of swallows wheeling and flying quickly, with a Swainson’s hawk in their midst. The group flew near the New Fork River bridge and I actually saw the hawk grab a swallow! The hawk flew with the small …
Accidental addition
We fell into a new adventure today. Jim and I went out to feed the dogs and check the sheep. We’d just settled all the adult dogs in with separate piles or bowls of food and decided to take a few treats to the burros, which we’re in the middle of the herd, in the …