...Horses........Up date please (Lincoln: camps, inspectors, moving)

[Montana Griz]

......Hey EH........

If you got time and know something you'd care to pass on.....................

What's the latest from your son on the status of the missing horses........

Looks like we're heading into a major weather change pattern.................hope and pray they are rounded up real soon.

[ElkHunter]

Thanks Griz,

To date. Horses have been missing 7 days. No word from anybody. F&G are looking, most of the cow camps have been notified and have found nothing. Course, most of the cow camps are back in there far enough to not have cell service. Cows are starting to hit the pens and the brand inspectors have nothing so far.

My son posted on Facebook and everywhere else with his phone number. Something come into camp and spooked the horses bad enough that all three drug their pickets. 2 of them have 30 ft picket ropes still on the halters. The last one snapped at the halter so no lead rope to get hung up with. Horses were in camp on Walker Prairie. The idiot that had them, does not know the area and is not sure exactly where camp was. However, my son found camp and was able to trail the 3 horses for several miles. In the vicinity of Black Mountain ranger station (South Side about 2,000 ft lower) the horses split up. The two with picket ropes are in one direction, the 3rd went in another direction. The two that are together have always been raised together. Third horse is a stranger to the first two. Tracks lost. Horses don't seem to be grazing as they move. They seem, either still spooked, or determined. 3rd horse has grazed some but still moving greater distances then expected.

After 7 days, all tracks are gone or lost. Deep pockets have been searched and nothing has been hung up on brush.

There are probably 20+ cow camps on the mountain right now. Each cow camp has 8+ riders. What bothers me is that none of these cow camps have seen anything. I would think that these horses would want comfort of other horses or at least approach a cow camp. So far they have not.

I question if these horses are even on the mountain. I'm wondering if they have been trailered out. Just my opinion. But something is starting to smell and it's not the camp cook pot.

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

Thanks Griz,

To date. Horses have been missing 7 days. No word from anybody. F&G are looking, most of the cow camps have been notified and have found nothing. Course, most of the cow camps are back in there far enough to not have cell service. Cows are starting to hit the pens and the brand inspectors have nothing so far.

My son posted on Facebook and everywhere else with his phone number. Something come into camp and spooked the horses bad enough that all three drug their pickets. 2 of them have 30 ft picket ropes still on the halters. The last one snapped at the halter so no lead rope to get hung up with. Horses were in camp on Walker Prairie. The idiot that had them, does not know the area and is not sure exactly where camp was. However, my son found camp and was able to trail the 3 horses for several miles. In the vicinity of Black Mountain ranger station (South Side about 2,000 ft lower) the horses split up. The two with picket ropes are in one direction, the 3rd went in another direction. The two that are together have always been raised together. Third horse is a stranger to the first two. Tracks lost. Horses don't seem to be grazing as they move. They seem, either still spooked, or determined. 3rd horse has grazed some but still moving greater distances then expected.

After 7 days, all tracks are gone or lost. Deep pockets have been searched and nothing has been hung up on brush.

There are probably 20+ cow camps on the mountain right now. Each cow camp has 8+ riders. What bothers me is that none of these cow camps have seen anything. I would think that these horses would want comfort of other horses or at least approach a cow camp. So far they have not.

I question if these horses are even on the mountain. I'm wondering if they have been trailered out. Just my opinion. But something is starting to smell and it's not the camp cook pot.

..

Just a "quick" suggestion:

Suggest to your son to have some 8"x11" Flyers (on "Day-Glo" Orange Paper Stock) made up.....AND Have them Laminated in Plastic (thus weather proof).
Get them nailed to trees on major trails, horse unloading ramps etc,etc.

It's just a thought...........I'd also get a few into the hands of the Game Wardens that work that area, so they could put a couple up in some area(s) that your son might not think of.. Again, just a concerned "horse-lovin' old fogey" that is hoping for the best.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by Montana Griz

..

Just a "quick" suggestion:

Suggest to your son to have some 8"x11" Flyers (on "Day-Glo" Orange Paper Stock) made up.....AND Have them Laminated in Plastic (thus weather proof).
Get them nailed to trees on major trails, horse unloading ramps etc,etc.

It's just a thought...........I'd also get a few into the hands of the Game Wardens that work that area, so they could put a couple up in some area(s) that your son might not think of.. Again, just a concerned "horse-lovin' old fogey" that is hoping for the best.

They have all been notified. But that's a great idea. The big thing they've been concentrating on is cow camps (good old honest cowhands) and the brand inspectors for critters being transported out of area. I would think, that both would get the word around. But, typically, the word never really reaches all the four corners. hahaha You would think in a close knit area that it would be easy, but never is.

Hunting season has already started so the Game Wardens are chocked full of "busy". But we know what that curtails. Mostly lip service from the younger crowd of wardens, but serious hard earned respect from the older game wardens.

I've passed on your suggestions. We'll see what transpires.

[magoomafoo]

I'm out of the loop. Where abouts are they lost? I'm in the hills every weekend on my horses-if it's anywhere close by I will do everything I can.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by magoomafoo

I'm out of the loop. Where abouts are they lost? I'm in the hills every weekend on my horses-if it's anywhere close by I will do everything I can.

I would think you are way too far away. hahaha Horses were lost in the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming. Walker Prairie to be exact. Course, Walker is a hundred thousand acres so it's a big place when it comes to National Forest in the mountains.

Short story is, a guy borrowed 3 horses. Horses were spooked and broke picket pins and run off. Guy didn't call owners until 3 or 4 days after horses run off. And, he called from North Dakota because he didn't stick around, he just went ahead and went home.

But thanks for offering. All of the cow camps have been notified and they haven't see a thing. Again, I'd wager those horses come off the mountain in a horse trailer. Just my 2 cents worth. But I told my son to contact the Sheriff so he could contact the Sheriff in ND to check that guys place out.

The one horse was purchased for $2000 a couple years ago. Since then, it has been THE horse in 2 state final rodeo's (barrel racing) and was looking at National finals this year. The little gal that owns it is heart broken.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Hope I'm not being disrespectful--but I'm following this story like I'd read a Western novel/movie script! Can't wait for the next chapter...I'm imagining Tom Berenger or Viggo Mortensen riding from cow camp to cow camp and finally finding the horses running with the wild mustangs! Yes, I've watched a million Westerns...

EH, in all seriousness, hope the story will have a happy ending for the horses, your son, and the heartbroken little gal...but I also find it likely that something nefarious has taken place...

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast

Hope I'm not being disrespectful--but I'm following this story like I'd read a Western novel/movie script! Can't wait for the next chapter...I'm imagining Tom Berenger or Viggo Mortensen riding from cow camp to cow camp and finally finding the horses running with the wild mustangs! Yes, I've watched a million Westerns...

EH, in all seriousness, hope the story will have a happy ending for the horses, your son, and the heartbroken little gal...but I also find it likely that something nefarious has taken place...

The "friend" from ND is being very cryptic. That alone is suspect to me. He didn't call and tell anybody until days after??? That is suspect to me. He left without getting assistance, that is suspect to me. The whole thing stinks to high heaven.

[magoomafoo]

This is horrible! Do the horses have brand inspections? We have a lost horse running around up here by Lincoln. Sieben ranch sheep tenders horse got away from him. Hoping a hunter finds it. With there being more than one horse and if the "friend" didn't do something stupid and dis-honest, they should be okay and will probably be found. One horse is hard to find, more than one makes it a lot easier. Good luck

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by magoomafoo

This is horrible! Do the horses have brand inspections? We have a lost horse running around up here by Lincoln. Sieben ranch sheep tenders horse got away from him. Hoping a hunter finds it. With there being more than one horse and if the "friend" didn't do something stupid and dis-honest, they should be okay and will probably be found. One horse is hard to find, more than one makes it a lot easier. Good luck

Thanks, all 3 horses are registered, so they are not only branded, but tatoo'd.

The worry is that when spooked, they broke their pickets. The high dollar horse broke it at the halter, which is good. But the other two broke it at the picket pin, so they are dragging 30 ft ropes and could get hung up down in some canyon.

My son went up and tracked them for a ways. He didn't know which track is which horse, but he tracked them for a couple miles and the horses split up. The two horses with picket ropes went one way and the horse with no rope went another way. He tracked the single horse for a ways and then lost tracks. He went back and tracked the other two and eventually lost thier tracks due to darkness.

As of today, there is no word yet. Nothing from the cow camps, game warden, sheriff's office, or forest service. They're all keeping an eye out. Their starting to gather at the pens down below and cattle are being moved out. But still no horses found.