Many people aren't even lucky enough to get into the countryside. And they can also lack any kind of rural education.
Yesterday I was surprised that cattle were still guarding their calves as I perceived the young to be quite old now.
People are naturally curious regarding animals, there's nothing ridiculous about that. Some domesticated animals even like the attention - such as pigs. I'd love to be able to read animals, but sadly don't have a cowgirl to walk arm in arm with.
As @raisingirl has said, sometimes you are across the brow of a hill before you even know that cattle ar e there. I tend to be cautious, after reading horrible stories such as people that are trampled to death - even without dog.
My question really is what to do in the event of a problem? I read that you should walk slowly away. Is that correct?
I'm really interested in the answer to this as well - I've always thought if cows were running toward you, to wave your arms around (ie make yourself look big), and shout loudly at them.
Having had a field of cows run towards me before, this approach gave me (and my very pregnant sister) a fighting chance of getting out of the field.
Normally, if I see a field of cows and there's no way round, I end up skirting the very edge of the field just so I've got cover if I need it! I try not to make eye contact whilst constantly keeping them in sight out the corner of my eye. Yes, I look like a wuss. But they're such big, unpredictable bu**ers!
So yeah, I'd like to know the best way to deal with them as well...
I was once sat on a rock on a hillside admiring the view and feeling tired and peaceful. Until a cow huffed in my ear.......
I didn't even know it was there until it breathed on me! That was when I learnt how big a cow's head actually is. I just sat still until it wandered off. Then looked round for a farmer but couldn't see anyone. So I don't know if it was an escaped cow or whether I'd accidently walked on private land.
I wish I was a glow worm A glow worm's never glum Cos how can you be grumpy When the sun shines out your bum!
In Canada, and presumably elsewhere, you are told to wave and rave at either a black bear or a grizzly and play possum (dead) with either a black bear or a grizzly. I can't remember which. First, take a long hard look and identify your bear.... As you can see from the above I may have had some difficulty. We carried bear bells so's not to sneak up on them. They don't like that!
Same as snakes in Australia, Plant pauper. Don't creep up on them and surprise them. Stomp around in strong boots, they feel the vibration and slither away. I assume every snake in Australia is deadly, (and most of the spiders ) just to be on the safe side. In England, keep dogs on a very short lead near livestock, don't antagonise the livestock, and always make sure they have a clear exit and are not cornered. If any animal feels it is trapped, that is when it becomes dangerous. I always slow down for horses on roads and give them as wide a berth as I can. Mainly because I don't want a hoof print on the bonnet.
As someone who had to roll under the lower rung of a barbed wire fence with nettles underneath to avoid being trampled by cows with calves(I was wearing shorts at the time 😣). I can say be very wary of cows with calves especially if you have a dog with you,as I had. They are only being protective but the results can be disastrous. People killed every year. A recent episode of 24 hours in A&E featured a lady who had been trampled (she survived). Think farmers should post warning signs just as they have to do if there is a bull in the field. Then be it on your own head if you choose to ignore the signs.
The other cows were hiding and had sent it on a dare.😁
Yeah, I believe that.
I've generally found standing still works. There are store cattle in the field neighbouring our garden. When we walk round the garden in the evening, if they are in sight they'll come up to the gate as we go by with the dogs, but if we stop and directly approach them, they back away (this is, I emphasise, always with a fence and gate between us and them). We do occasionally 'cow sneak' to get past them to the gate if we're out walking and they are at the far end of the field. We stay close to the hedge (their eyesight isn't great) and try not to make a noise like a bucket. The gate clanging acts like a dinner bell.
In the main, cattle without calves may be curious but aren't aggressive. They may run at you but it's not a charge as such. The trouble is they can run very fast and their brakes are terrible so it is entirely possible to be accidentally trampled, which is probably what happens to the farmers that are killed and injured. There was one terrible incident recently where a fire engine's siren spooked cattle as they were being moved between fields.
So be quiet, try to be still, keep off the horizon and close to the hedge and try very hard never to get between a cow and her calf.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Well yes, tessa, but the farmer in the instance I showed had posted signs. His “field” was not a field, it was wild open hillside with public footpaths crossing it in all directions.
The person who claims to have been attacked by the highland cattle had gone onto signposted open hillside with a dog. The possibilities for giving the cattle a wide berth were vast.
The result of the dog owner ignoring the signs is that the farmer is about to have his herd, of previously impeccable character, sent to slaughter.
Signs are all very well, but people have to read them and not ignore them.
I couldn't read the article but I can't understand why cattle would end up being slaughtered. That doesn't happen even when people are killed?
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Posts
Yesterday I was surprised that cattle were still guarding their calves as I perceived the young to be quite old now.
People are naturally curious regarding animals, there's nothing ridiculous about that. Some domesticated animals even like the attention - such as pigs. I'd love to be able to read animals, but sadly don't have a cowgirl to walk arm in arm with.
As @raisingirl has said, sometimes you are across the brow of a hill before you even know that cattle ar e there. I tend to be cautious, after reading horrible stories such as people that are trampled to death - even without dog.
My question really is what to do in the event of a problem? I read that you should walk slowly away. Is that correct?
Having had a field of cows run towards me before, this approach gave me (and my very pregnant sister) a fighting chance of getting out of the field.
Normally, if I see a field of cows and there's no way round, I end up skirting the very edge of the field just so I've got cover if I need it! I try not to make eye contact whilst constantly keeping them in sight out the corner of my eye. Yes, I look like a wuss. But they're such big, unpredictable bu**ers!
So yeah, I'd like to know the best way to deal with them as well...
I didn't even know it was there until it breathed on me! That was when I learnt how big a cow's head actually is. I just sat still until it wandered off. Then looked round for a farmer but couldn't see anyone. So I don't know if it was an escaped cow or whether I'd accidently walked on private land.
A glow worm's never glum
Cos how can you be grumpy
When the sun shines out your bum!
First, take a long hard look and identify your bear....
As you can see from the above I may have had some difficulty. We carried bear bells so's not to sneak up on them. They don't like that!
I've generally found standing still works. There are store cattle in the field neighbouring our garden. When we walk round the garden in the evening, if they are in sight they'll come up to the gate as we go by with the dogs, but if we stop and directly approach them, they back away (this is, I emphasise, always with a fence and gate between us and them). We do occasionally 'cow sneak' to get past them to the gate if we're out walking and they are at the far end of the field. We stay close to the hedge (their eyesight isn't great) and try not to make a noise like a bucket. The gate clanging acts like a dinner bell.
In the main, cattle without calves may be curious but aren't aggressive. They may run at you but it's not a charge as such. The trouble is they can run very fast and their brakes are terrible so it is entirely possible to be accidentally trampled, which is probably what happens to the farmers that are killed and injured. There was one terrible incident recently where a fire engine's siren spooked cattle as they were being moved between fields.
So be quiet, try to be still, keep off the horizon and close to the hedge and try very hard never to get between a cow and her calf.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”