COWS

[+Team Sieni]

I'm sure some professional will now tell me that I'm not supposed to get cattle wet.

 

Tut tut, no. You should never do that.

 

And don't feed them after midnight either

[+careygang]

I'm sure some professional will now tell me that I'm not supposed to get cattle wet.

 

Tut tut, no. You should never do that.

 

And don't feed them after midnight either

[surching]

I always run as fast as I possibly can straight towards the biggest bull in the field with my arms windmilling and shouting like a banshee. I worked out that all the other bulls and cows consider me to be the leader if I'm not afraid of the biggest bull. The biggest bull, being the boss thinks "what the....?" and is so gobsmacked that he turns and runs away and all the others follow. This works every time.

 

Calves are a different matter. I'm trying to pluck up the courage to hold one hostage, bovine shield, sort of fashion so they don't dare stampede me. I've not yet managed to get a lasoo around any yet, but I did smack a big bull on the nose with my lassoo. He was less than happy about the whole thing and I got some fantastic barbed wire scars down my back where he flipped me over the fence. Armed with several handfulls of cow dung I fought back courageously getting several direct hits in his eyes allowing me to go for the cache which I subsequently discovered wasn't actually across the field with the bulls in.

 

You live and learn.

[+Jemalong & Family]

A recent cache we did called "snails bottom" gave a new meaning to the term. It was a fairly long & tricky walk in because we lost the path - encountered swamp, shoulder high grass & heather...but on the way out things got worse. We ended up following a footpath sign into a field with about a dozen young cows/bulls - didn't get a chance to check. The, lets say aggressive cows, came vigourously "cantoring" toward us from the other end of the field shoving each other like teenagers as they approached. With no chance of returning over the style (they'd cut us off) we more or less froze and waited to see what they would do. Fortunately they stopped just short of us and decided that we were tasty salt licks - I didn't know a cows tongue was that rough! They encircled the 3 of us including our rather unnerved 6 year old boy, and stood round nudging each other. Eventually we managed to back out of the circle and slowly move toward the closest boundary which fortunately was a barbed wire fence and not a thick hedge like the rest of the field - there was no way they would let us continue toward either style - especially as one had their water trough right next to it. Having put about 20m between us and the cows we thought we could turn and step up the pace. Afraid not - maybe the red shirt I was wearing had something to do with it - one came bounding toward us much like a rodeo bull stopping about 1m short with head & all too large horns tossing the air. Needless to say the next 20m to the boundary and safety were slow and with a firm stare at the animal. From here on we stuck to the farm road that lead out of there!

 

No more cows for us!

[+mousekakat]

Our escorts at a cache yesterday

 

 

Nosy buggars followed us the entire length of the fence, hehehe!

Edited August 2, 2007 by mousekakat

[+Dr. Jackal]

I always run as fast as I possibly can straight towards the biggest bull in the field with my arms windmilling and shouting like a banshee. I worked out that all the other bulls and cows consider me to be the leader if I'm not afraid of the biggest bull. The biggest bull, being the boss thinks "what the....?" and is so gobsmacked that he turns and runs away and all the others follow. This works every time.

 

Calves are a different matter. I'm trying to pluck up the courage to hold one hostage, bovine shield, sort of fashion so they don't dare stampede me. I've not yet managed to get a lasoo around any yet, but I did smack a big bull on the nose with my lassoo. He was less than happy about the whole thing and I got some fantastic barbed wire scars down my back where he flipped me over the fence. Armed with several handfulls of cow dung I fought back courageously getting several direct hits in his eyes allowing me to go for the cache which I subsequently discovered wasn't actually across the field with the bulls in.

 

You live and learn.

 

lol sometimes i read these crazy stories and i ask myself would a cache really be worth this?

[+jerryo]

You live and learn.

You might like to learn this and live. When you say:

I always run as fast as I possibly can straight towards the biggest bull in the field with my arms windmilling and shouting like a banshee.

I think it's only fair to point out that if you are running towards the biggest bull in a field, it will actually be a cow (or bullock and these’re also less obstreperous without their blokey bits) and not a bull . While there are inherent risks associated in tangling with cows (especially if you're intent on kidnapping their young and chucking pat at them, no matter how patient Pat is), bulls are normally kept on their own in fields 'cos they are a) randy and you'd end up with too many small cows aggressive and you'd end up chucked in the hedge . If this is where the cache is, though, it's one way of getting near I suppose.

[markandlynn]

they would let us continue toward either style - especially as one had their water trough right next to it.

No more cows for us!

 

That old trick quite what the farmer expects you to do if your at the end of a circular walk defeats me.

 

I know a few farmers and have spoken to a few over the years, some are happy for people to be on thier land following the footpaths etc and do thier best to repair styles , mark paths etc.

 

Others (alchemy quest salt anyone ?) go out of thier way to make it difficult and akward to use any paths in thier fields. water troughs and feed stations next to the style ??? and not the gate at the other end of the field come on ! they know that even with no cattle in the field this turns it into a quagmire for walkers a bull in a field is always intimidating no matter what is deemed safe by the law.

 

Barbed wire, electric fences etc. Wheres a CROW officer when you need one.

 

The daft thing is that the former gets people following the correct paths and moving through thier land much more efficiently and with less disruption than the latter but try getting some farmers to see that.

[+tonibunny]

I had to abandon my attempt to get to the Shropshire Souvenir Cache at Nipstone Rock a couple of days ago, because of scary cows and bullocks in a field....it was a massive shame as I'd wanted to do this one for ages and we'd walked quite way towards it and were really quite close

 

After being charged at by a herd of bullocks a few weeks ago and having to leg it over a stile and find an alternate route back to our car, we really didnt want to risk it again!

[+Realmofchaos]

I always run as fast as I possibly can straight towards the biggest bull in the field with my arms windmilling and shouting like a banshee. I worked out that all the other bulls and cows consider me to be the leader if I'm not afraid of the biggest bull. The biggest bull, being the boss thinks "what the....?" and is so gobsmacked that he turns and runs away and all the others follow. This works every time.

 

Calves are a different matter. I'm trying to pluck up the courage to hold one hostage, bovine shield, sort of fashion so they don't dare stampede me. I've not yet managed to get a lasoo around any yet, but I did smack a big bull on the nose with my lassoo. He was less than happy about the whole thing and I got some fantastic barbed wire scars down my back where he flipped me over the fence. Armed with several handfulls of cow dung I fought back courageously getting several direct hits in his eyes allowing me to go for the cache which I subsequently discovered wasn't actually across the field with the bulls in.

 

You live and learn.

 

Brilliant! LOL

[+Realmofchaos]

You live and learn.

You might like to learn this and live. When you say:

I always run as fast as I possibly can straight towards the biggest bull in the field with my arms windmilling and shouting like a banshee.

I think it's only fair to point out that if you are running towards the biggest bull in a field, it will actually be a cow (or bullock and these’re also less obstreperous without their blokey bits) and not a bull . While there are inherent risks associated in tangling with cows (especially if you're intent on kidnapping their young and chucking pat at them, no matter how patient Pat is), bulls are normally kept on their own in fields 'cos they are a) randy and you'd end up with too many small cows aggressive and you'd end up chucked in the hedge . If this is where the cache is, though, it's one way of getting near I suppose.

 

I think (read hope!) it was said in jest

[+jerryo]

I think (read hope!) it was said in jest

You mean you couldn't tell???? The trouble with the written word is that sometimes people don't "get" it. Hence emoticons, which people then think are being used sarcastically. But, for you:

 

( )

 

Edited to say that have you noticed that if you put a smiley in parentheses, it looks like it's trying to walk like G. W. Bush?

Edited August 2, 2007 by jerryo

[fraggle69]

This moo moo got in the way of the cache I was hunting:

 

Image even though presented as a link was offensive to some members, and not suitable for viewing by younger members

 

Deceangi

Edited August 2, 2007 by Deceangi

[+Malpas Wanderer]

bulls are normally kept on their own in fields 'cos they are a) randy and you'd end up with too many small cows aggressive and you'd end up chucked in the hedge .

 

Bulls***

 

Bulls will be on their own when outside the breeding season or if AI methods used.

 

For any herds not employing AI methods bulls will do their randy thing out in the fields.

 

They should not be in a field where there is a Public Right of Way.

 

Probably another good reason for cache placers to get landowner permission.

 

I did walk through a field near Ouzel Meadows and within 6 ft of a bull before I realised he was such, we just done our own thing no stress no problems.

[+Realmofchaos]

I think (read hope!) it was said in jest

You mean you couldn't tell???? The trouble with the written word is that sometimes people don't "get" it. Hence emoticons, which people then think are being used sarcastically. But, for you:

 

( )

 

Edited to say that have you noticed that if you put a smiley in parentheses, it looks like it's trying to walk like G. W. Bush?

 

lol, i could tell, i unfortunatley quoted the wrong post, it should have been Dr Jackals. But hey ho, i just walk into a field with a big rubber glove on one hand, gets the cows out of the way every time

[+Flackadder]

Cows - inquisitive

Bullocks - playful

Horses - irritating

Bulls - Safety first I think.

 

If you feel nervous or unhappy about these animals then give the cache a miss. Simple.

 

:-)

Edited August 5, 2007 by golddust1000

[The Toughs]

 

A bull, however.... screw that

I think maybe you weren't concentrating in your biology lessons in school

[+sonatellas]

Last week whilst up on Dartmoor we were confronted by about 15 cows/young bulls with very big horns. They were not in a field but just walking around just up from Cadover bridge. Now Lady Sonatellas said to a very unhappy Lord Sonatella "It is ok they won't hurt you, just walk through them" Lady Sonatella starts to walk up towards them not getting too close and one of the rather large creatures starts to stamp his hooves and stare intently at her. At this point we both felt very uneasy. We then decided on a very very wide berth. This is the first time we have come across agressive bovines. Normally they just move off slowly. I think the best thing to do is judge each situation as you find it. If they are the dozy types they will move then go for it, if they are the killer cows from hell then get out of there. I did wonder afterwards where we would have run to as there were no trees to climb and no gates etc. I think our only option would have been to jump in the fishing lake!! It was a nice sunny day so it would of been quite refreshing. Just would of upset the local carp catching association.

 

PS Never mind the cows recently Lord Sonatella had come very close to being bitten by an adder and was attacked by a very angry swan.

Edited August 6, 2007 by sonatellas

[+Custheyder]

Cows... ahh yes. Now who has come accross the "stealth cow"?

 

I do a fair bit of night fishing in the rivers for sea trout and salmon. Pitch black, water racing round your knees, the occassional bat or owl swoops passed your head (nerve wrackiong in itself) but then there it is...

 

Hot breath on the back of your neck!

 

After an encounter like that in the pitch black it's time to go home. Nerves can only take too much. Stealth cows approach in the dark, silently!

 

Last time I was out caching on a coastal path I went over several styles and through fields of sheep, and accross empty fields. After a successful cache I returned to find a small herd of bullocks right in front of the style in a previous empty field.

 

Stealth cows have taken on daytime camoflage! I swaer the field was empty on the way out.

 

Easy enough to deal with, walked straight upto them, through the middle of the herd and over the style. A couple took a few steps backwards, but other than that they just maintained a dumbstruck expression.

 

Show no fear... they can smell fear ...makes'em curious.

 

Cust.

[+niknrich]

Cows - eeeeeeeeeevvilllll....

 

I now have a cow phobia and will avoid fields containing cattle even if it involves a long detour. It started when we went to do a maintenance visit on one of our caches. On the way through one field the dairy herd were right at the other end from where the footpath crosses... on the way back they were standing ON the footpath, waiting for us and looking menacing. As there was no other way back to the car we decided to walk "confidently" through them, but as soon as we did they came trotting after us, and as we speeded up they did too, so it was a race to the stile - luckily we got there first!

 

Then about a month ago the farmer father of a work colleague was trampled by his cows, resulting in broken ribs and sternum and severe bruising which put him in hospital for several days.

 

Since then we seem to come across cattle in fields on every walk! As other posters have said, cows with calves are the worst, and dairy cows especially. I have read that beef cattle are more docile and a beef bull with cows is allowed in a field with a public FP running through it - as to whether I'd use it, that's another matter!

 

Give me sheep any day...

[The Toughs]

As other posters have said, cows with calves are the worst, and dairy cows especially. I have read that beef cattle are more docile and a beef bull with cows is allowed in a field with a public FP running through it - as to whether I'd use it, that's another matter!

 

Give me sheep any day...

I work with dairy cattle, and would say that the ones with calves to avoid are beef cattle especially the brown ones (Limousins) They are very protective of their calves especially if dogs are around

Not the best pic I know

[+Chaotica_UK]

Thank goodness nobody has quoted my log on a recent cache. I found a herd of young females and a bull in one field and a herd of young bullocks in an adjacent field. Of course the cache was along the hedgerow between the two fields. The young bullocks were thundering around the edge of one field and each time they came near the cows and bull in the other field they were set off in a stampede as well. Luckily the cow/bull field had an electric fence around it (I found out it was working!) and the animals knew this as they never came closer than 5 feet from it.

 

Here is my log.

 

See below picture (the bull is far right in brown!)

 

 

I actually dont like groups of any uncontrollled farm animals, although Im fairly comfortable with sheep (minus horns). Im also always suspicious when I find a lone cow or sheep in a field - was it lost, or left there for a reason and should I be in the field with an animal that could be a killer?

 

Mark

Edited August 6, 2007 by Chaotica_UK

[mtfc94]

RUN TO IT

[fraggle69]

baaa went the little lone lamb baaa

[+mongoose39uk]

Read Coppers lots post about how to deal with cows earlier with interest. (thread now closed)

 

99% of the time they may be fine but...........

 

Tourist trampled by cow heard

 

Retired Doctor Killed by cow herd

 

Farmer badly injured by stampeding cows

 

OK, not an every day occurrence, however it does happen so nowt wrong with a bit of caution.

[+Coppers Lot]

My first choice is always stealth.

 

Cows like humans are unpredictable creatures, each encounter will be different to any other. Always be on your guard, always be cautious, always be aware and if all goes belly up: run like an ostrich or fight like a pit-viper.

[+MartyBartfast]

I had two different experiences with cows this weekend.

 

On Saturday I was crossing a field of cows, and of course they were all clustered around the exit I had to make for, but there were no calves and they were mostly sitting down so I didn't see a problem, it was only when I'd got very close and past the point of no return when I spotted this, which I had to walk right past:

 

 

Thankfully he just sat and watched me as I moved on. The cache was just the other side of the kissing gate so when I was searching they all came over for a look, and he did still have all his bits!

 

Then yesterday I came across another field where the cows were clustered around the entrance:

 

 

I made a brief examination of their nether regions to make sure there were no bulls this time and went into the field. This time they all came over to me, some were looking very jumpy, and one of them (the black one at the front in the middle) kept running around to my other side as if she was trying to cut off my escape. I was NOT comfortable, and was waving a stick in one hand, my hat in the other, and shouting at them when they got too close. I was very relieved to get out of that field.

[paganfrog]

just going slightly off original topic here but i just had to share this funny but short story.

 

myhusband, myself and our son were driving through some country lanes in between 2 caches, and we had to stop for a moment or two because some farmers were herding a small number of cows along the road. as they passed by our car, my husband got nervous when he saw a cow looking in at him.....

.....so he locked the door

my parents have started called my husband buttercup. i really dont know how they heard the story

[+Geo-Gophers]

I'd give that cache a wide berth and leave it for another day......and a cow-free field!!

[+Geo.Kitten]

You get pklong to tell em to move on! they listen I swear

[+Munkeh]

I move em

[+Geo.Kitten]

I move em

 

I'd like to see that Mr Munkeh

[+GarryJanine]

Yep - having read the posts on this thread we now know that we are not just big babies and will be avoiding all cow fields from now on!

We were nervous before but some of these stories confirm to us its just not worth the risk. If in any doubt avoid it I say!

[+Bambography]

I might just be lucky, but i've never had any problems with cows! On many occasions i've just followed my line across the field and they either move or watch me go past. On one occasion about 30 of them surrounded a gate while on a Scout night hike. Simple waving my arms as I went through created enough of a gap and so long as the 20 of us walked slowly there were no issues.

Another time they blocked the tow path of the Kennett & Avon canal and again, simple heading straight at them slowly made them move.

I think patience is the key!

[+Beds Clangers]

Have a look at the front of this weeks Bedfordshire on Sunday, sorry do not know how to do those "linky" things, but it is available on-line.

 

Even farmers can get into trouble!!!

 

Regards

 

Nick

[+ITCHYthirdEYE]

I smear myself in Horse Raddish, does the trick and I enjoy being a perv

[+MartyBartfast]

Have a look at the front of this weeks Bedfordshire on Sunday, sorry do not know how to do those "linky" things, but it is available on-line.

 

Even farmers can get into trouble!!!

 

Regards

 

Nick

 

Ouch!!

 

I had another encounter yesterday in a field full of bullocks, as soon as I entered the field they all started coming over to me. I waved my hat at and shouted at any that got too close and got through unscathed.

Edited May 10, 2009 by MartyBartfast

[+Seganku]

Got chased by some cows yesterday. As I walked on the footpath I could see the leader staring at me. He rallied his troops together and they started towards me. At first it was just an inquisitive approach but once they smelt the burger I'd had for lunch they wanted blood!

 

As they started running towards me I realised that all I had for a weapon was my now soiled underpants. I quickly whipped them off and faced those rotters down.

 

I was like David facing up to that big bully Goliath. Standing, feet firmly planted in the mud, I swung those underpants with all the force I could muster. Bits of my previous fear flew everywhere. And as the cows were getting splattered by pieces of brown shrapnel I made my way to the cache.

 

BTW I think it would be a good idea to keep a clean pair of underwear in some of the caches located near cow pastures.

Edited May 10, 2009 by Seganku

[+Teacosies]

While doing a cache Friday

CowsMoo

Yes, I did get the photos of the nearby Trig, but didn't see the scenery was too busy running away!

 

Mrs D.P. was ROFLMAO Hohum.

 

I'm glad we are not the only ones who have had this type of experience.

[+Haggis Hunter]

I don't mind cows, or even bulls as this log shows. However that doesn't mean that I wouldn't give them respect, and I would seriously think twice if I had my dogs and had to walk close by them.

[+adsandco]

see our forum title for general view

 

1. First check for udders.

2. Check Im always between the cattle and my wife. Not being so much a gentleman, more a case of shes a lot quicker and would have no qualms in trampling me on her way past

3. Check for udders again

4. Calves. Normally avoid.

5. Check for udders... what can I say Im always happy to see them.

6. If the dogs with me. Normally avoid, doubly if calves there.

 

We've had a few run ins and a mate is a cattle farmer... basically show any fear and they'll eat you

Edited May 10, 2009 by adsandco

[+adsandco]

forgot to say, our last incident was an enormous cow hidden in an ivy covered tree (well more than one tree tbh). Didnt see it until I was only a few feet away, likewise the cache. Bit of a standoff as I decided what to do until I noticed it had more than 4 legs! Calf behind it in the bush.

 

scarpered, quick like

 

Wouldnt have been that bad but it was in a random arable field and a good 'walk in', theyd obviously gone walkabout.

Edited May 10, 2009 by adsandco

[+The Other Stu]

There really is a Tiger in here!

 

Fortunately, these were bullocks.

 

They kept nudging her backpack. I was supposed to be positioned to distract them, but they kept going back to her.

 

[+Middleleaze Moles]

A few of us went out caching on Saturday and one friend in particular expressed her fear of cows and horses! We were slowly followed by a curious horse for a while - boy could my friend move fast! After the next cache, we think we wandered off course a bit and suddenly, on terrain that was quite steep and with lots of holes in the ground, we were facing an enormous Bull! Friend suddenly developed wings and was down the hill and out of the field so fast! On looking back - there were two large creatures watching us so we clearly made the right decision. Over the gate we all clambered, only to find a great and easy footpath waiting for us - no doubt where we should have been all along!

 

That, sadly, wasn't the end of our story! A few caches later, we suddenly realised it was getting much later than we had realised and we needed to cut our walk short. One of those stupid moments when you realise you are on one side of the railway line and the car is on the other! So we walk to the next bridge, cross the railway and pick up the footpath. Simples! Or not.... The path immediately took us to a bridge under the railway - or through a field of cows! Common sense said there was a crossing near the car, so avoid the cows and take the footpath back to the 'wrong' side.

 

Well, that would have been ok if there hadn't been a river in the way! 4 fields and total darkness later, we finally managed to find a bridge over the river and after another couple of fields we realised we were back at a cache location we had done some hours earlier. Relief spread amongst us until the bulls and the horses were remembered! Back to the map and fortunately, we were able to plot a route back to the starting cache which cut out those in between. But even feeling confident that we were finally on the right track - it's amazing how clumps of long grass can look strangely like sleeping cows in the dark!

 

A few more hiccups along the way but finally crossed the rail-tracks and got back to the car at 10.30pm!!! Lots of lessons to learn - but how we wished we had risked that field of cows!!!!

[+martlakes]

Check out this link Cows with Guns

[+The Flying Boots]

I took a picture of the ones following me yesterday. And no this wasn't zoomed in they really were that close. Now I don't have a dog to take caching with me Cattle don't phase me at all.

 

[+Pharisee]

Watch out for the spikey bits....

 

Fortunately, they were more interested in grass than in me. Anyway, as far as I know, cows aren't carnivorous.

 

 

 

 

[+The Blorenges]

Just you wait.

 

Come the Revolution...

 

 

MrsB

[+uk89camaro]

It's not the you want to worry about, it's the blinkin' 'orses.

[+Go Pack Go]

Bulls I find no problem as they are usually too big and up themselves to worry about us poor GCers. I have a cache where you have to walk through a field with one of the biggest bulls I have ever seen. When I set it I walked around the edge but as I have revisted on several occasions I have become more confident and can walk within very close proximity and he doesn't even blink.

 

Most dairy cattle are also not a problem but did recently have a problem with some Jerseys deciding to stampede up and down the narrow track and showing a little too much interest. Have also been chased, felt I had no option but to run, jumped a ditch and got to safety just in time. The 3 young bullocks were left snorting and panting like like you would see in a cartoon.

 

So, always best to make a judgment call at the time based on what you see and how you feel. Much more difficult to do if on a cache ring though as there is usually only one option.

Edited May 12, 2009 by Go Pack Go