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Aggressive Cows


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Hi

 

On returning back from a cache today, one of the cows in the field at the side of the path seemed to take an interest in us. It mooed and started to run towards us.

 

Only for a small stream I'm sure it would have come up to us. It was looking for a way to get across and followed us on the opposite side of the stream for 200 yards or so before it gave up and went back to the rest of the heard.

 

I was worried as I was with my wife and small son at the time.

 

What I need to know is how would you deal with this?

 

I picked up a large branch, hoping a prod in its backside would do the trick but in the end it could not get across to us and I didn't need to use it.

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I am not a great fan of our bovine friends and they do scare me a little. I had been given the advice of raising your arms and walking towards them purposefully, would do the trick.

 

Well, yes it does, but not all the time. Worked on a herd of about 30 cows at one cache site. At another, however, it didn't. It may be that they were being lead by a horse but at the end of the day, they charged me! I didn't hang about and for the luck of a fence, I was safe.

 

I think nine times out of ten it works, but if caching with my youngest, we won't entertain them.

 

Guess what we did on this cache:

Shall we, shan't we? Hmmm: 3rd paragraph.

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I have just found this on a web site. I had a few problems a couple of weeks ago with cows but I did have my dog with me and that seems to attract the cows.... It can be very scary indeed.

 

The Ramblers’ Association offers the following suggestions for walkers concerned about their safety when encountering cattle in the countryside. It is worth emphasising that the majority of attacks occur when dogs are present or cows are acting in defence of their calves:

 

Be prepared for cattle to react, and, where possible, walk carefully and quietly around them - do not split up a clustered group. If you have a dog with you, keep it under close control, but do not hang on to it should a bull or cow start acting aggressively. Cattle will usually stop before reaching you. If they do not, just carry on quietly, and do not run. Should a bull or cow come up very closely, turn round to face it. If necessary take a couple of steps towards it, waving your arms and shouting firmly. Above all, do not put yourself at risk. If you feel threatened, find another way round, returning to the original path as soon as is possible. Remember to close gates behind you when walking through fields containing livestock. If you are attacked or suffer a frightening incident, report this to the landowner and the highway authority, and also the HSE and police if it is of a serious nature. Keep the Ramblers’ Association informed of any problems that you experience.

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If I may add my two penneth regarding what attracts cows in the first place, On more than one occaision, I was fine until I started sucking a mint.. perhaps it's also a smell that they investigate.

But in general, If you do have an unruly animal, personally, I think its better to face it, and if required back away, than turn your back on it... but then again, what do I know?

Edited by MMattyK
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Tipping works well.

 

Actually on the rare occasion that something like this has happened I usually end up looking at them and that seems to make them uncomfortable. Not sure why, but I also have an escape route most tames when I'm in a field with things bigger than me.

 

Last time I had to round some up I would have loved for them to show some interest instead of running away at high speed.

Edited by Renegade Knight
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Cows do tend to be curious.

 

Be carefull not to get between a cow and her calf, or a bull and his ladies!

Cows will all head towards a dog, so be prepared for this if you cross a field of cows.

 

I'm always prepared to raise my arms, and wave them up and down, not too quickly shoulder hight to head height, face the cows, and say "Goo on, Goo on..." If done well enough, cows think your the farmer and want them to go somewhere! Gives you a chance to get away!

 

Don't be afraid of talking to them, tell them what your doing "Let me through, Moove out of the way, coming through" etc. Sort of calms them down.

 

However if it was running towards me... :D

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Well I own cattle and if one was running at me and didn't 'stop' you dadgum sure I'm going to run.

 

Inquisitive is one thing, a simple 'haw!' or 'yeehaw, git!' will take care of it (not yahoo! that's inviting them to a BBQ)

 

If one is running at me I'd pick up my kid and run like crazy to the nearest fence, wall or tree to hide behind.

 

Trust me, they don't have a predators instinct of chasing something because it runs. They have a protection or territorial instinct and they want you O-U-T of there and the sooner you are out the sooner they stop.

 

Or you could hold up some grass and say 'Nice little moomoo'

 

[Fortunately cattle know their owner and it's never been a problem. When the bull is in the pasture with them, I'm either in the truck or working from the other side of the fence. You normally don't have the same bull year after year and I really don't care to discover the bull's temperament.]

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http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/new...r_to_death.html

 

This article in a paper has always been in the front of my mind when I see cows in a field. Yes he did have dogs with him but it could happen to someone who does not have a dog with them too.

I will not go thro another field with any animals in just to find a plastic box.

Glad to hear you and your family got out of what could have been a very bad situation.

 

Lolly

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I've had a couple of run-ins with curious cattle. Fortunately they were young bullocks and are usually OK and back off when you look at them or raise yor hands and shout at them. Good advice from Lollybob about what the Ramblers association say, but even better advice from KandG about seperating a calf and its mother - DON'T DO IT! I've heard too many news stories about people being injured or killed by a female cow protecting her calf :D

 

What you lot looking at?

b4860f4a-ffd9-4ed8-bcb1-0876d167cbf8.jpg

 

bfe67254-1b05-4351-9cda-a6687dd137e9.jpg

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I've had a couple of run-ins with curious cattle. Fortunately they were young bullocks and are usually OK and back off when you look at them or raise yor hands and shout at them. Good advice from Lollybob about what the Ramblers association say, but even better advice from KandG about seperating a calf and its mother - DON'T DO IT! I've heard too many news stories about people being injured or killed by a female cow protecting her calf :D

 

What you lot looking at?

b4860f4a-ffd9-4ed8-bcb1-0876d167cbf8.jpg

 

bfe67254-1b05-4351-9cda-a6687dd137e9.jpg

 

Cache Cows?

 

*Hey! Someone was going to say it soon enough.*

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Stora is quite local to me and after reading about his problems with the cow I had a look at his logs to see where he had been out caching. It turns out it was the same cache where I had the problem with cows a couple of weeks ago. I thought my problem was because I had my dog with me but obviously not. I was ready to let my dog off the lead so as to take the focus off me and my son. She was on a tight lead but the guidlines say that if you have a problem with animals and they are going to attack you then you should let your dog go. I doubt very much that my dog would have attacked the cows but it would have given the cows something to take their minds of us and given us a chance to get out of the field. I had a DNF on the cache and went back the night after....but I never went thro that field to it!! Once was enough!

 

Lolly

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We have had quite a few problems with cows over the years. The worst being when I heard one charge at me as I was walking away from them.

I turned quickly, put my hand straight out and yelled "stop". The cow came to a halt less than 3 feet from me and I was now stuck in a staring contest with half a ton of aberdeen angus.

I dared not drop my eyes or show any fear but eventually another cow mooed the equiveleant of "leave him Terry he ain't worth it" and the cow backed off leaving me to make a carefull retreat.

 

Over the various events I have discovered that I can talk cow, usefull phrases are:

"hubbly bubble up up" - combine this with standing with your arm straght out and the cows should stop.

"haddy hoody way way" - and point in a direction and they will move that way.

seems to work.

 

They really don't like dogs and we have had so many problems that Maria refuses to enter fields with cows in anymore.

 

Chris

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Cows are really stupid our technique is to avoid eye contact as the cow then believes you have not seen it and thus it has not seen you either. :lol:

Other than that we have been known to walk down the edge of the next field rather than encounter living barbecue food.

Alchemy quest Salt has a rather famous bull who is always sited in the field the path crosses.

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A cow, especially a young heifer, running towards you isn't necessarily being agressive. They're very curious creatures and anyway, she may think that you're bring her a bucket of Beetlik or somesuch treat.

 

Cows with calves are a different matter. They can be extremely agressive -- defensive actually, but that's no consolation! If you see a field where the cows have put calves into a creche, don't go in there. They will attack if you go near or even toward any of the calves, even one which is not the cow's own calf.

 

Even the most placid and domesticated cow can become highly dangerous when calves are involved. Last year my nextdoor neighbour was very nearly killed when he went into a barn in which there were two newly birthed calves and one cow who was soon to give birth. The pregnant cow attacked him. He is very fit and managed to jump an amazing height to get up to a roof support of the barn, from where he called for help on his cellphone. It took another neighbour and myself, each driving large tractors into the barn, to fend off the enraged cow and rescue him.

 

In the specific case mentioned in the root post of this thread, there are a couple of things to bear in mind. One is that either a bull or a cow (if calves aren't involved) will usually give some kind of warning before attacking. You just have to read the language. A bull will usually give a very low pitched rumble to indicate his displeasure if he sees you go near his harem or if he doesn't like you being in his field. A cow may come running towards you, but she will stop and tell you to go away before attacking. She will give a deep head nodding/bobbing gesture and blow air through her nostrils quite hard to say "[push] off!". If you see her do that, just walk away. Unless you are a world class sprinter, you can't outrun a cow, so don't try.

 

The procedure for dealing with a charging bull is to run, but to run cleverly. You can't outrun him, but you can outwit him. If you're wearing a knapsack, drop it off your back without stopping. If you're wearing gloves, take them both off and drop them together. Take off your jacket and drop it too. In each case, the bull wil almost certainly stop to investigate the strange article and sniff it. That buys you time because he has to decelerate to a stop and then spend a second or two deciding what to do and then accelerate again. In that time you've made good distance and you can repeat the trick several times to buy time to get to a fence or tree or river or whatever your planned escape route involves.

 

If you have a dog with you, take advantage of the dog and be prepared to break the usual rule of keeping a dog on a lead when close to livestock. If the dog decides on a different escape route from you, then you may be pulled over by the force of the fleeing dog. Disconnect the dog's lead at the collar connector. Keep the lead handle wrapped around your wrist and start running again. Don't worry about the dog, s/he can outrun any bull or cow and will be a very useful diversion which will further aid your own escape.

 

The reason why you should hold onto the lead is that it is a effective improvised weapon of last resort at close range. By swinging the lead like a whip, the swivel hook at the end of a 2 metre strop is a potent weapon with which to smack the bull in the face. Immediately after making contact with one blow, drop the lead and start running again. The bull's instinct will be to gore the thing that had just hit hit and to toss it into the air until it stops moving. That will involve a couple of tosses and it's quite likely that he may get the lead tangled in his horns, which will buy you even more time.

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I am well known up here for my dislike of cows and bulls. In general I won't do a cache if it mentions that you have to enter a cow field to get to the cache. I tend to leave them until the winter when the cows are in byres! Or I'll skirt round the outside of the field if that's possible - I would rather go a long distance out of my way than cross a field of cows directly. There have been a couple of occasions where I have gone into cow fields, but only if they are all down at the other end of the field and even then I skirt the inside of the field so that if they do move up towards me than I can hop over the fence or wall.

 

For some reason, cattle are often found along coastal areas up here. I was doing a cache on Bute once when a herd of them trotted along the shore - I had no idea they were there and I then had no choice but to pass them to get back to the car. I stuck to the waters edge so that if they charged then I was quite prepared to run into the sea!

 

I did read once that if you are charged by a bull then the best thing to do is to start throwing things as it will follow the movement of these and hopefully be distracted. These don't need to be red - seems that is a myth! - it is the movement that catches their attention. So the article suggested that you start by taking off your jacket and flinging that in the hope that the bull follows it instead of you. If it realises that your jacket is not as interesting as you, then throw your jumper next, then rucksack - anything until you get safely out the field - the bull will apparently investigate each before turning it's attention back to you! Of course, I haven't tried this so I don't know if it's true but if the worst came to the worst it might be worth giving it a go!

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Beeing a country boy and a hunter, I had a lot of fun reading this thread !

 

True, cows can be dangerous mainly if with calves ! Not as bad as one can imagine but anyway, if unsure the best is always to follow a fence.

 

Bull on the other hand can be very mean. You got to sense how they really feel and if you see them beating the ground with their front hooves, snooring, just stay away and even a fence may not be enough.

 

Last year, I could not cross a pasture because of a really mean and massive bull. I could not even follow a dirt road along the fence as it was ready to run through it. I had to make a large detour to go where I wanted to go.

 

If you have to cross a pasture, spot where the bull is and if far enough, you can cross but keep an eye on it. The risk is low but accident do happens.

 

To wave your arms, shout, works with cows but I would not dare to try with a bull. Also a strong stick comes handy.

 

By the way, when you got to cross a fence in a hurry, let me tell you that you don't feel barbed wire or electricity and it is amazing how quickly one can jump or crawl under a fence.

 

And be happy, when I was a kid they still had their horns !

Edited by Suscrofa
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Nice post suscofra if the Bull was snoring you could of course just tiptoe past him :lol:

Fence jumping tip.

Aim for a post try to make sure its one with the extra diagonal struts.

As you approach you can either place your hands on the top and vault sideways over it.

(da rubber chicken with his parhours should be good at this)

or jump so as your leading foot lands on the top of the post and propell yourself up and over the fence.

You would be amazed how easy this is if you are being inspired by deadly pursuit :lol:

another event for the geolympics commite perhaps ??

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Ooh, flashbacks to last weekend, taking a slightly circuitous route to Motorway Madness M6 because i'd missed the direct path cos of the sign being buried in a hedge... whereupon I came upon the bovine equivalents of Vicky Pollard and her mates.

 

< Acow may come running towards you, but she will stop and tell you to go away before attacking. She will give a deep head nodding/bobbing gesture and blow air through her nostrils quite hard to say "[push] off!". >

 

Yes she did. Unfortunately coming between me and a chance of returning to the stile over which i'd climbed to get into her and her girl gang's field... And there was a lovely 6' spiky hedge next to me.

 

Then she decided she hadn't scared me enough (WRONG!) and did a veritable bull impression, putting her head down and pawing at the ground with a foreleg! At which point FORTUNATELY the hedge gave way to a barbed wire fence which I vaulted with alacrity!

 

Upon opening the cache, I found the last cacher had left it "booby-trapped" with a springy rubber monster in the top which jumped out at me. Last straw! Spent the next five minutes grovelling for cache contents in the stinging nettles - LOL! :lol:

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If you are wary of cows then don't come to Edinburgh for the next 2 months. :lol:

 

Yes my eldest noticed that and wants to come through to see them!

 

Perhaps I could get a cache or two done at the same time, if there are any nearby, at least I wont have to run from these ones! :D:lol:

 

Now I wonder where you could hide a little micro? :lol: shame they only in Edinburgh for a short time!!

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I find one of two ways always works, the less stressful is to sit in the car and persuade the wife that it's a real girly cache and not fit for boys, the second is to shoot the lead cow and hide behide it whilst the others charge past (well it always works in the cowboy films).

I was maintaining one of our caches the other day when in the next field was a huge heard of bucking bullocks (spelling?) charging from one end to the other, fortunately I did not have to go that way but spectacular it certainly was. :(

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A walking pole gives you a bit more confidence: I believe that animals notice the sharp end of it and are aware of what it might do...if they really get too close you might just discourage them with a gentle prod (but I've never had to try that out in several hundred miles of walking).

 

I used to be scared of walking through fields of cows, but now I'm just wary and choose the line of least obtrusiveness, watching out for calves and bulls. Normally, avoiding eye contact and striding out confidently (but not directly towards any cattle that look interested) seems to be enough to put off the inquisitive members of the herd. If there are several cows blocking the exit from the field, they usually disperse with a bit of shouting and clapping of hands. If not, I'd be forced into a diversion as I wouldn't be so bold (stupid) as to try and push through them.

 

Actually, I find horses more intimidating as they aggressively charge up to you in the hope of treats - they're big creatures, quick and unpredictable. No horns, but those hooves...

 

HH

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You need to remember that cattle that have been inside all winter do get a bit frisky when they first go outside for the summer. They'll often charge around for a day or two but soon settle down.

Anyway, now we've got cattle out of the way the most serious animal in a field is a horse. They can really be nasty or so Mrs Dan says, just remember there's no such thing as a nice horse :(:(

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I always told my son that cows were harmless - information passed on from my dad.

 

Did a cache last year, where I was insistent that civ Jr would come to to no harm from the numerous cows at the final location - even laughed at his fear.

 

Then we attempted another cache - cows everywhere - we had a dog with us and a friend of civ Jr. Cows had calves - didn't like the dog - chased us.

 

I have rarely been so scared in my life - responsibility for civ Jr, and his friend and the damned dog - who belongs to my wife - all of us running in different directions to achieve safety.

 

Since then I'm reluctant to enter any field that contains animals larger than me.

 

Sheep seem ok - why is it that sheep and cows never seem to be in the same field ?

 

Anyway - I think that caution is advised with large animals - large animals if you have a dog - and large animals with babies around - in fact, large animals in general.

 

civilised

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Sheep seem ok - why is it that sheep and cows never seem to be in the same field ?

 

civilised

 

Well if you consider the relative height of a sheeps back and a cows ar$e - yuck I wouldn't want to wash the fleeces out. :(

 

I expect there's some more sensible reason though.

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Sheep seem ok - why is it that sheep and cows never seem to be in the same field ?

 

civilised

 

Well if you consider the relative height of a sheeps back and a cows ar$e - yuck I wouldn't want to wash the fleeces out. :(

 

I expect there's some more sensible reason though.

 

not sure why sheep and cows aren't kept together, but I know that if you put sheep and kangaroos in the same field, you end up with woolly jumpers...

 

I'll get m'coat.....

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I was walking along a path at the side of a field full of cows, separated by barbed wire - I stopped to take a photo, and then the whole herd of cows stampeded towards me, and did what can only be described as a "grumpy moo" ! Wonder what they'd've done without the barbed wire being there tho.

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Sheep seem ok - why is it that sheep and cows never seem to be in the same field ?

 

civilised

 

Well if you consider the relative height of a sheeps back and a cows ar$e - yuck I wouldn't want to wash the fleeces out. :(

 

I expect there's some more sensible reason though.

 

not sure why sheep and cows aren't kept together, but I know that if you put sheep and kangaroos in the same field, you end up with woolly jumpers...

 

I'll get m'coat.....

 

As it gives me a chance to be a smart alec :( here's the real reason Cows and Sheep are not mixed together in a field :(

 

Cows are Top Feeders, that is they eat the top part of the grass leaf, whilst Sheep are croppers, they eat the grass leaf close to the ground. A sheep can follow a cow into a field but not vice versa. This was one of the reasons why there was so much trouble between the Cowboys and the Shepherds in Americas Wild West.

 

There you go end of Smart Alec reply :lol:

 

Dave :(

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Sheep seem ok - why is it that sheep and cows never seem to be in the same field ?

 

civilised

 

 

 

As it gives me a chance to be a smart alec ;) here's the real reason Cows and Sheep are not mixed together in a field :)

 

Cows are Top Feeders, that is they eat the top part of the grass leaf, whilst Sheep are croppers, they eat the grass leaf close to the ground. A sheep can follow a cow into a field but not vice versa. This was one of the reasons why there was so much trouble between the Cowboys and the Shepherds in Americas Wild West.

 

There you go end of Smart Alec reply :ph34r:

 

Dave :blink:

 

Thanks for that Dave - not smart Alec at all :o

 

The answer to a question that's been niggling me for some time now.

 

Your reply. and ( on another topic ) that of someone who I forget - who said that most footpaths in the historical landscape lead to the church, constitute the most valuable lessons I've learnt in the forum.

 

It is a learning experience :huh:

 

Thanks again.

 

civilised

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The answer to a question that's been niggling me for some time now.

 

Your reply. and ( on another topic ) that of someone who I forget - who said that most footpaths in the historical landscape lead to the church, constitute the most valuable lessons I've learnt in the forum.

 

It is a learning experience :huh:

 

Thanks again.

 

civilised

Maybe it has BUT today I went into a field with Sheep AND Cows! Obviously, the farmer doesn't read this forum. :o:):blink::ph34r:

 

When I manage to download the picture from my phone, I'll post it here.

 

Oss!

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What an entertaining thread! I think I actually have a bull phobia - I have nightmares about being charged by bulls! It can be embarassing though, when my husband, kids and parents-in-law tramp happily through a field of cows with a bull or cows and calves and I am trudging unhappily behind saying, "I really think we should have gone round..." - and if one of the bovines so much as looks at us, I am first over the nearest fence :)

 

I think the aggressiveness of the cattle is in inverse proportion to the use of the public footpaths in the area. In the Lake District one often ends up walking through cattle and they are so used to all and sundry traipsing through their field, they don't give a second glance. However, one walk I went with my brother near to Kirkby Lonsdale was dominated by escapes from over-interested/aggressive/charging bovines! It was one of those areas where the stiles were covered with barbed wire and the paths were overgrown with thorn bushes i.e. rights of way were not taken too seriously by the land ownders. I don't think the cattle had ever seen walkers in their fields before, and in the end we took to the road for the last four miles having had enough narrow escapes!

 

Regarding horses - mares will protect their foals and can be VERY aggressive. Again, it depends on the area though - you can wander up to ponies on Dartmoor and take pictures of the foals with no bother, but a mare with its foal in an enclosed field is something to be wary of, especially if it is a Shire horse!

 

I'm just glad we don't have to worry about bears in Britain...!

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