The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-06-16
GREAT SPRING ROUND UP.
Exciting Scenes Now Being Enacted on
Cattle Ranges in Dakota.
(From the Minneapolis journal

All along the western borders of South
Dakota the roundup campfires burn
brightly now. Far to the west bounded
| only by the snow-capped Rockies, hun
| dreds of mess wagons staked camp for
the first time last night. The Missouri
river marks the eastern border of the
great Western ranges. In Dakota alone
at least 800 riders are now engaged in
rounding up cattle and branding the calf
crop. twenty-five outfits have planned
| and laid out their routes, and at least
six weeks Of continuous riding will be
necessary to do the work. Fifty to sixty
riders will follow each wagon or outfit.
The outfit consists of the mess wagon,
drawn by four or six horses, loaded down
with provisions necessary to feed its
crew; the bed wagon, Containing all the
bedding and camp equipments; the
horse wrangler, who takes charge of the
bunch of horses to be used in the work,
usually consisting Of 200 to 300 horses.
These horses arc moved with the camp,
and whenever rider wants fresh horse
he throws rope into the bunch and
brings out his animal. Then follows
the scene of 'bucking'' and plunging,
for often the bronohO has to be bustea''
before he can be used on the work.
every second day, from five to eight
miles along the route. Every morning
the line rider foreman leaves camp with
his crew OF riders and takes a course at
right angles with the route; every half
mile or mils ne starts couple of riders
to ride parallel with the route, to throw
in all the cattle they find toward the
are started out the foreman takes the
balance of riders and swings around in
front to drive all the punches gathered
toward camp, coming in for dinner.
In the afternoon the same course is
| adopted IN the opposite direction, and
both sides of the camp are worked. The
cattle gathered are all thrown into one
bunch, which is known as the 'oavy,'
and are moved along with the camp.
Calves are branded each day, and every
one is branded the same brand az It's
| mother, no matter where Or who the
owner may be. This part of the work IL
done with the greatest care, and every
cowboy is faithful to this trust,
Whenever 1000 or 5000 cattle are in the
"cavvy," and while cattle are on their
own ranges, the work of "cutting OUT
is carried on. In this tho peculiar skill
and ability of the cowboy in drawn out.
and only men of we'll known experiences
with brands and cattle are detailed to do
this work. The outing horse must learn
his part as well as the rider; he must be
able to turn about es quickly and on less
ground than any other and dodge the
attacks of the widest steer with as much
ease and grace as the circus horse. The
rider dashes into the "oavvy" and sepa.
rates the cattle of each particular brand
belonging on the range they are passing
over. He drives his animal to the out
side of the bunch and dashes back after
another. On the outside are a number
Of riders who drive these cattle off to
the owner. Each brand hold in this wav
Is driven back on ita own ranch, for
these range cattle become located. This
is called working the cavvy, and the
main bunch is pushed ahead until every
body's cattle are cut out and the calves
branded.
In this State not less than 400, 600 head
OF cattle Will be handled by the present
roundup. The country traversed will
be upward Of 25, 900, 900 acres, which CON
stitutesEthe great South Dakota pasture
or range country. Each wagon Is as
tire country is thoroughly worked. The
calf crop will be fully 25 per cent. larger
than last year.
The cattle industry has developed won
derfully during the past four or i've
years. Over 81, 600, 900 worth of cattle ars
shipped annually from this point. The
interest taken in grading up sioux cattle
and purchasing grade stock increases
each year. The industry has paid year
~ profit of not less than so per cent. for
the past five years, and the loss of the
last year was less than one per cent The
Missouri River Stock mans Association
has headquartesr at Fort Pierre. Its
duty is to furnish protection to stock
from cattle rustlers on the homo range
AMI inspection of all brands of cattle
sold at tho market points. 1t has a de-
tectiye service which hunts down every
rustler or person unlawfully handling
any brands belonging to it's members. Il
has done great good.
The present roundup promises to be
the best in the history Of our State as
grass is better than 1t has ever been at
this season of the year, and stock are all
in splendid condition, and can kbe moved
rapidly.