Ranging cattle
 

I was wondering how you handle ranging cattle on public land when hunting. Do you avoid them? Should you avoid them?(mainly bulls, the bulls that I am familiar with out east here should be avoided). What about camping, should you find another place to camp if ranging cattle are present?

When I was out in Montana last fall there was quite a bit of cattle around and I camped in a section that did not have any, but would have rather camped where they were. Also avoided hunting by them as I was not sure how the bulls would react.

RE: Ranging cattle
 

My experience with them has all been good. I have never been charged or anything. For the most part they are just curious and will come looking but should not bother you! Cows and their calfs now thats another story, but they usually keep to themselves as well.

RE: Ranging cattle
 

I've hunted on some range- never heard of a problem. That is excepting looking at the manure piles and torn up hillsides and drinking spots. I got spooked a bit by a big steer that busted out of some heavy cover once. Their pretty docile and keep to themselves for the most part. Might not want to turn your back on 'em when you're really close.
Interesting why you said you would rather camp where cows are? I can't get far enough from the blasted things!

RE: Ranging cattle
 

I hunt around cattle all of the time and I have never had problems with them. They run once you get close enough then settle back down and start drifting back after a while. Some of them think they're big stuff and they'll make bluff charges every now and again, but its all show. Nothing to worry about. As for camping around them, I wouldn't advise it if you don't like the smell of manure and the sound baying cattle. Other than that there is no problem with camping around them. In other words, the only thing you have to worry about when hunting around range cattle is where you're shooting. You don't want kill a ranchers cattle because their livelihood depends on them.

RE: Ranging cattle
 

i havent hunted on public land with cows but on our farm i run into them when i'm on my way to the stand. i just walk straight through our herd and even push them out of the way. you just have to read their body language. if they're head is down and they're feet are spread apart, get the heck out of there. if they are kinda like mean looking anyhow, get away. if you have too, just raise your gun/bow over your head and kind of wave it around and they should leave. just be carefull.

RE: Ranging cattle
 

Man, I can't think of many days when I go out hunting when there AREN'T cattle around!! I have never had a problem with them. I usually try to get as far away as possible from them though mainly for the fact that I don't want to be shooting in their direction if they are close. There have been times when I have bumped them with my front bumper to get them out of the road though. Other than that, not much to worry about.

RE: Ranging cattle
 

You will see the look in their eye if they dont want you there, usually a cow/bull needs a reason to take you. Start messing with calves, cornering, etc they may fight back but otherwise they probily wont even care that you are there.

RE: Ranging cattle
 

Bullkilr, what I meant by camping by them was I wanted to camp in the spot they were in, not that I wanted to camp in the midst of cattle.

Thanks for the replies, it was pretty much what I thought. Funny about bumping them with the bumper, I had it where 3 bulls were in the road in front of me with no way to go around, had to wait about 10 minutes for them to clear.

RE: Ranging cattle
 

We usually don't have trouble with them but one year they came into our camp and wrecked it. They crapped all over, including the grill of one of the guy's new Toyota PUand tripped over one of the tent ropes and tore the tent down, broke a lantern and pretty much made a mess of the place. That's the only year we had trouble with them.