Branding season has come early to Wallowa County in 2015. It seems we got 60 days of May in February and March and now that April is here we will get 90 days of March.

I have gone to four brandings in four days and by the fourth one I had two tired horses and a weenie arm that could hardly build a loop. The fourth was at Aunt Dan Warnock’s in the upper Imnaha. Due to my eroded condition I elected to leave my horses at home and just work the ground. I knew there would be plenty of ropers and they wouldn’t miss my participation in the roping. I felt it was necessary to show up if only to serve as a role model for Warnock boys. The older ones may be beyond help, but Riley the roper shows some promise.

There appeared to be plenty of ground help also, so I opted to have a beer and offer constructive criticism to the workers. This brought on an unprovoked attack from Lisa Morgan who suggested that I was only drinking beer and not helping. I pointed out that pretty people shouldn’t have to do hard work. I think it fell on deaf ears. Things went along pretty good until one of the ladies was justifiably, severely chastised by her relatives for using the wrong iron on one of the calves. I got to see a side of her I had never seen before. She seemed to shun the constructive criticism her family was offering.

There is a lot that can go wrong at a branding and OSHA would never approve of the exciting action at all brandings. We got through this one with little more than a broken fingernail. When all was done and the cattle were being turned out, the crew decided to rope a cow for one of the Warnock boys to ride. The cow was necked and others were trying to heel her when Amanda Smith’s horse decided it had all it was going to take and bucked her off. This caused Tyson McLaughlin’s horse to do the same and we had a double buck-off. It was all pretty scary and both riders were pretty aired out. Amanda had us all pretty worried and was hurting pretty bad. Turned out to be a couple of cracked vertebrae along with contusions and abrasions. Tyson is just sore all over.

I find it odd when animal rights people gripe about things like ranchers processing cattle. Ranchers are immunizing their animals from sickness or death and maybe giving them a vitamin or selenium boost. Sure they brand and install ear tags, but five minutes after the procedure the calf is happily sucking his mom and all is well. I look at the fit and active kids of ranch families participating, laughing and smiling. They compare favorably to some animal rights people’s kids that commonly are sedentary while they play video games and try to decide whether to get another tattoo or do some more body piercing. They complain about how we treat a calf and don’t appear to worry about their children.

Ranchers know that any abusive treatment is counterproductive and likely to affect them financially in the long run. These animals are worth over $1,200 for a weaned calf and maybe $2,600 for a bred young cow. Bull sales have been averaging about $7,500 per head. Why would anyone jeopardize earning this kind of money on their cattle? Urban people trying to pass legislation to alter the way ranchers operate might better spend their time looking at the urban children and the way they are allowed to decorate their bodies with their parents’ permission. There is plenty of time after you are older and have better judgment to tattoo, smoke, and pierce your tongue and nose.

What do you think Wally?

Open Range columnist Barrie Qualle is a Wallowa County cowboy who sometimes works and other times watches others work while he dispenses advice and drinks beer.