Sunday, July 18, 2010

From Bad to Worse

We headed to the lease yesterday evening to check the cattle.  Got there and called them up.  They were all there but one, the Bully.  Where would he be?  He is always one of the first ones up to feed.  We looked around the place and didn't see him.  Figured he got into the neighbor's pasture or something.  Decided to come back this morning and walk the fence.

Got up this morning to head out.  Pepper had been barking since 2 in the morning about something.  Walked out the back door to leave and the husband stopped to see what the ruckus was about on the back porch.  He moved my wooden bench and a snake fell out from behind it!  He starts saying a few choice words and grabs the shovel.  Tries killin' it but the shovel is duller than dull.  I run to the barn and get two more shovels.  He finally kills it.


After that excitement, we take off to look for Bully.  We get to the lease and all the cows are there.  Still no Bully.  We go to the back and start walking the creek.  No sign he'd been down it.  Walk some other fence lines.  Nothing.  Check the tanks.  Not there either.  Don't really know why he would leave the place, horses on one side, nothing on the other, and cows off a little ways from the back but there is good fence between us and them.  We couldn't find tracks anywhere.  We finally decided to go from neighbor to neighbor and see if they had saw him.

Unfortunately, a neighbor had seen him.  He told us that he was hit on the road Wednesday night.  They had to put him down cause it broke his back.  One of the occupants of the vehicle was taken by ambulance to the hospital.  They didn't know who the bull belonged to.

We drove down where they said it happened, which was down the road from our lease.  Don't know why in the world he was down there.  We knew he had to do the right thing, and the husband called the sheriff's office.  He told them we thought it was our bull and gave them our information.  DPS will be contacting us.  We'll be gettin' a ticket for allowing our livestock on the roadway.  The husband asked about the people but they didn't give us any more information.

Then the husband had to call Rent-a-Husband because Bully is actually his bull.  He told him what happened and he was very understanding.  He wanted to know about the passengers in the car and how we were (which at the time, was not good.)

So now we wait to hear from DPS.  We do have insurance that covers the cattle so hopefully that will cover whatever we're gonna have to pay regarding the people that hit him.   It's days like this when we wish we don't have cattle.

22 comments:

Sherry Sikstrom said...

So sorry Kit. Its a fear of all farmers/ranchers to have our stock get out and bre hit on the road. Hopefully the people weren't badly hurt .And of course you guys would step up and let the authorities know.I would never question that

Paige said...

how awful this all it. It is one of my greatest fears. Thank God you have good insurance though, so your other assets are protected when the hospital comes after you, and all that crap.

Im so sorry. Hope the people improve quickly. Keep us posted

DKG aka Scrappy Doo said...

My fear also. OMG! I feel so bad for yall and the occupants of the car. Keeping yall in our thoughts and prayers.

Amy said...

What a horrible turn of events. I understand your situation exactly. I had a horse get out onto a major highway and totaled a truck. Thankfully the driver was not injured but my horse died in my driveway. My insurance took care of everything. Prayers for your family and the families of the vehicle occupants.

Nikker said...

How terrible for everyone involved. Will keep you and the folks in the car in our thoughts and prayers.

Shirley said...

How awful for all involved. I hope they realize you didn't "allow" Bully on the roadway.

BridgeEtta said...

So sorry, not a good thing. I wish stuff like this never happened. I'll remember you and those other folks my prayers.

Mikey said...

oh my gosh, I am so sorry to hear that! That's a nightmare and I hope those folks are ok, and you guys too. Big hugs to ya from AZ. I hope things get better quick.

Moonstonemama said...

I am so sorry :( Praying that the people will be alright and that you guys will be to.

City girl turned Country Girl said...

Oh goodness Kit!! I am SO sorry!! You guys are good honest people to have done the right thing! I hope you find out good news about the car passenger...

ps~ Your post was a bit crazy to me, as I just posted about a bull that we delivered to a city! And I had that fear about him getting out...

small farm girl said...

That is my biggest fear. We live on a blind curve and we have a big bull. Not good. Plus people around here are very "sue happy." Good luck.

rlk said...

It will depend on your county, but typically livestock owners are not responsible in a situation like this. "if a Texas livestock owner "exercises due care in fencing his cattle in," he can not be held liable"

http://www.yourcattle.com/members/articles/Cow%20issues/livestock_liability.html

Your insurance and/or lawyer should be able to help.

Mama Mess said...

Oh Kit I'm sorry! I'll be praying for you both and Rent a Husband, as well as the folks who hit Bully. Hopefully they are ok and your insurance will cover everything. Hugs and strength to you!

Linda said...

Aww Kit so sorry about your day....we'll be praying for you guys from here.

Tammy Vasa said...

Oh, my. I'm so sorry. We live right off the highway, too & our pastures have one fenceline that runs the highway. Our horses have gotten out less than a handful of times - usually when the kids would forget a gate albeit I've been careless, too. My heart goes in my throat when this happens.

Faithful said...

Sorry..'bout your bull! Our big fella did that in almost every pasture we leased until we finally got rid of him. I chased that darn bull more time than I care to say..once a jumper..they know they can. I hope all ends ok with the people in the car, Kit, I will say a prayer and remember we are all pulling for you!

Anonymous said...

Man that sucks! My dad took out a policy in case something like that ever happened to us. We are way to close to the hwy for that. I sure hope it gets better!

LindaG said...

Really sorry to hear this. Good gosh. This is something I never thought of. I didn't even know there was that sort of insurance.

I hope and pray that everything will work out as well as it can in this situation.

Janet Phillips said...

Oh girl, I am soo sorry to hear about your bull. It stinks all the way around!

Gail said...

Oh, my, just catching up.

Sometimes being a cattleman is just the craps!

Anonymous said...

So sorry for your loss.

Di

~The South Dakota Cowgirl~ said...

Oh I hate it! I thought TX was a livestock state, though, and that even if the ppl on the road hit your livestock you're not liable? I hope that the folks are ok. Sad on so many levels.