Bull is back!

Two days ago, Annmarie called me at work to say she saw the cows down in the school house pasture but did not have time to deal with them.  I was headed back from work and told her I would take care of it.  I drove home and counted all nine cows up by the apple tree.  I made sure I could see every one.  They were no where near the school house pasture.  I thought Annmarie was hallucinating.  Women are known to do this, just ask any guy.  I had promised I would walk the fence line to verify that there were no holes.  I wanted to do some weed eating and to finish filling the rock crib so I fired up the weed eater, topped it off with fuel and jumped into the tractor to go walk the fence line. 

 

I did not take any fencing tools.  Really, I wasn't going to need them.  All nine cows were wandering around the lower pasture no where near the creek crossing that is the bull's favorite escape route.  I toodled down to the creek crossing on the tractor and yes there was a huge hole!  He had ripped out one metal post and broken the woven wire in two places.  I said lots of colorful language and proceeded to drive a T post into the ground with a very large rock, rearranged all the panels and clipped them in such a way as to minimize any lateral movement.  I rewired the panels to the metal posts and then laid some wooden posts out to keep him away from the fence.  I am not sure it will hold.  I am probably going to have to sink some permanent posts about six feet out in an arc with wooden supports at waist high so he cannot reach the crossing.  He is very painful when it comes to creek crossings.  I had to apologize to Annmarie, she was right.

 

I then proceeded to clean up the farm entrance out by the cattle guard.  Once that was all done I cleared along the fence line.  I had to head back early to get ready for work.  As I am cruising down the driveway on the tractor I spot the coyote in the lower pasture.  I try to speed up the tractor, run into the house with a rifle and jump back onto the tractor.  I drove back down the road and the coyote was right at the ridgeline, barely visible.  I tried to get off a quick shot and forgot to turn off the safety before pulling the trigger.  He got away.  I drove all the way around the property and up into the CRP looking for him.  I never spotted him again.  I am gonna get that coyote eventually.  It needs to stay away from the house and it just keeps coming back. 

My temporary bull stopping fence patch.

Farm entrance cleaned up and weed eated.