Working Buffalo

Hello, I’m Howard Hale. Thanks for joining us for the Cattlemen’s Corner. I’ll be back with the day’s guest right after this.

Dick Gehring and his family have Black Kettle Buffalo at Mound Ridge, Kansas. He doesn’t like to work above the buffalo when they’re working him. Give us a little more information about how you work those buffalo, will you?

Howard Hale, Host

Gotta keep them quiet. Get down on the ground. Watch their body language. Use pressure to move in and move out. Release a little pressure. If they’re doing what you want, let them go. If they’re not doing you want, apply a little more. The key to working these animals is to not get them mad. Learn how not to get them mad and things go real smooth loading old bulls, they can be pretty cantankerous and pretty set in their ways. Loading old bulls at home typically takes 1015 minutes. If you insist on doing it away that they don’t want to do it, it may take you ten or 15 hours. Use your head and be smart about it and things go really well. Well, basically what you’re talking about the way you ought to be handled. Cattle exactly. It’s the same thing. People ask, what’s the similarity? And I say, you just have to learn those subtle differences and take advantage of them.

Dick Gehring, Black Kettle Buffalo

Dick Gehring, Black Kettle Buffalo at Mound Ridge, Kansas. Thanks for joining us. Great to have you. So long, and may God bless. Come back and join us again, won’t you? I’m Howard Hale.