Gettin' the job done....

Marc sorts from the back of one of his big Hancock bred ranch horses.  The corriente cattle can get 'hooky' after being worked in a big bunch....they get tired of being ridden thru, sorted past and around and by, and near the end of the day you have to watch the ones that start getting cranky or your horse just might get hooked.

The Power of Orange

It just isn't possible without ground crew!  We take turns being horseback and working the ground.

Takin' a Break

Jason and 'Rob' heading for the creek after several hours in the dusty sorting and roping pens. 

Hot Creek Critters enjoy life.....

To quote my son-in-law Ken...

"I believe our world is God's canvas, and I constantly try to appreciate the beauty of this world."

That pretty well says it all for me.  I love the beautiful world God has created for us to live on and enjoy.  Every 100 miles the earth is a new place to see... the colors in the sky are a little different, vegetation changes, hills and mountains and desert are new as the terrain alters, lakes and rivers provide a whole new beauty and grandeur.  Our planet is truly amazing!
That is just one reason I love being a photographer.  I can 'catch' some of the beauty for all time....for everyone to enjoy.  Another major reason I photograph what I do is because ranch folks live by the land, love the land, work with the land, make their living by the land and it's creations, and enjoy the land.  It's an adventure to work with others who love the land as I do, to work alongside them, and to capture some of that wonderful experience and adventure for others to enjoy through the years.
We get tired and dirty and it just makes water all the more precious and welcome, and we sleep sound.



Me and Cooper

Here's an image of me on my roping horse Cooper.  What a good guy!  He can be counted on in any situation.  Thanks to my daughter-in-law, Tricia, for taking this for me.  I rarely have photos of myself out working cattle.  I kept the original but love making Fine Art Images out of photography and this one was a good photo to play with.

We're in the trap sorting the cattle....bulls loaded here, weaning calves loaded there, cows and young calves through that gate to that pen, roping steers thru this gate and into this pen, etc.  Great way to spend a day!

The road back to the ranch house..........and dinner........

Horses and riders are hauled out to allotments and dropped off to gather cattle for the day.  There are traps all across the desert here for corraling and working the cattle before turning back out or hauling in the ranch semi to a different location.

The horses are more than happy to load up and head back to the ranch for their dinner, too.

They can run but they can't hide...........

Mitch waits patiently for Dave to come back.  This cowdog rides miles across the desert as Dave zigs and zags thru sagebrush, up and down draws, flying low to the outskirts of the allotments checking on cattle.  When they find some, Mitch gets down and helps drive the cattle while Dave herds with his bike.

And there they go again!  The most fun I've ever had herding cattle is working with Dave on his bike and Mitch on the ground.  It was fun and easy riding with them because they didn't really need me at all. And now I want a horn on my horn!