McClintocks kept busy rounding up stray cattle

Who do you call when your cattle get out and possibly pose a threat to motorists?

One option is Ed McClintock of Soldier and his son, Tyrel. 

The McClintocks, who rope runaway cattle on horseback, were called to two separate incidents in Jackson County last Tuesday. 

The first incident occurred at Holton Livestock Exchange when a gate came open on a trailer and two calves made a run for it. Later that day, seven cows either jumped or somehow escaped from a fence outside Banner Creek Animal Hospital, Ed said.

“We’ve both been doing this for several years, and I guess it just spread by word of mouth,” he said. “We own cattle so we treat these cows as our own.”

Both men have full-time jobs, Ed runs his own farrier business and Tyrel works for a rancher, but they are often contacted every few months by ranchers, private businesses or law enforcement to assist with runaway cattle.

Ed said that they are able to catch cattle more efficiently on horseback.

“If you try walking, you won’t be able to keep up,” he said. “A four-wheeler is going to scare them so you need to call somebody with a horse.”

He said that cattle are curious of the horses, which are able to keep up with them if they run.

When the men were called to assist with the seven escaped cows at Banner Creek Animal Hospital, they initially could only track down a few them.

“We gave up and had a late dinner, and while we were still in the restaurant, the sheriff called and said they were on the highway,” he said. “We were able to catch five of the seven that day.”

Ed grew up in Holton and worked for a couple of different ranches in Soldier and Emmett. He said he and Tyrel are just two of several people available to catch cattle on horseback during an emergency.

“We work well together, and we have flexible jobs,” he said. “Tyrel has a great boss that will let him leave. We just like helping people out that need it.”

McClintock said that they are compensated by the cattle owners or businesses for their time and assistance. 

The Holton Recorder

109 W. Fourth St.
Holton, KS 66436
Phone: 785-364-3141
 

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