A vaguely doggy musing, cattle on footpaths

Vizslak

Vizslak

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Right, bit odd, I was just sitting musing about a herd of cattle (young beef stock) that have been on one of my regular walking routes for the last 2 weeks. Firstly, I've lived in the country all my life and am quite 'cow savvy' for want of a better phrase. I regularly walk my dogs through cattle on leads, never felt out of my depth even with particularly curious cattle, bit of flapping and gruff shouting usually keeps them at bay. This particular herd are however totally unflappable and you CANNOT walk through them, totally dangerous. If they are led down the other end of the field, which I can see from top of hill then I will still go through but even then they get up and charge, the other day I did actually release one of the dogs to divert them away from me, it didnt really work and we only just got out the gate in time. Now, in theory this doesnt really bother me, I'm very pro farmers rights to put their stock wherever they please and am thankful for being able to walk across their land in the first place so have only been going through on a calculated risk basis if they are far enough out the way but most days have had to divert to another route instead, no bother. However I was pondering this evening the amount of ramblers and stuff we have around here on these paths, I would describe the vast majority of them as total numpties (judging by my experiences of many with their dogs etc!). So given these cattle ARE in my opinion dangerous, out of the ordinary dangerous, to me a cow savvy person, do you think I should go and talk to the farmer? I actually would feel pretty bad if someone was hurt or worse and I hadnt mentioned it. He may of course tell me to sod off :p but then again he may be thankful of my attempt to avert a potential law suit against him?! :rolleyes: He had a rather pleasant herd on the same ground last year, I could pick through the middle of them with only the odd growl or flappy warning to them, nothing like this lot so the first day the sods really caught me unawares! :eek:
Opinions please!
 
God, I don't know. Personally I hate cows (until they are turned into steaks), and I do my utmost to avoid walking through fields with them, especially if they have calves at foot. I suppose it depends on whether he has any fields without paths through them that he could theoretically move them to? Or maybe he needs to stick some (non-liability admitting) signs up?

TBH I probably wouldn't bother though, as I do think he'll tell you to sod off:p Unless you happen to know him already, in which case that's different of course.
 
I wouldn't go anywhere near them :o I am a bit scared of cows, particularly some breeds (Sims, Lims, Chars!) and have had a few family members very badly injured by them at work on yards so would steer clear.
Had to leash off a few rounds of a shotgun into the air once after being surrounded in a field and I would actively avoid a field full of certain breeds of cows even if I have to go very far out of my way, I am a wuss, I know!!!
 
What are they? cows,heifers or steers, are there any calves in the mix and what breed are they? if you dont know what breed what colour?. I know from experience that young cattle being out in the fields for the first time are really curious and will come galloping up. If anyone dosnt understand cattle I can understand how intimidating this can be. I always make a point of walking beside the hedge then if the worse happens I can always throw myself into the hedge.:(
 
Steers, just a mixed bag of beef stock, look like limi crosses. I know what you mean DG but curious cows coming galloping over I'm well accustomed with, and its that time of year, we have several other new herds to contend with on our regular route. These are something else though, totally utterly unflappable, they dont back off at all.
I dont know the farmer, although he always says hello as I'm obviously 'local' now and he sees me with the dogs regularly. He may well tell me to f off, thats what I thought! Not me thats got a problem with it though, just thought maybe he would like to know before some idiot gets trampled! :p :D
 
I wont walk a hedge line with cattle in! Too confined and trapped! I will walk straight through the middle in most cases, there are a couple of fields I have to do most of the field walking backwards with the dogs walking forwards behind my back, if that makes sense!?! Only at the moment with the youngsters about. You can keep the curious buggers at bay like that with a few well time kicks, flaps and a bit of shouting to warn off the main offenders of the group! Good training for them, actually one lot that were put out last week have now lost interest and barely look up at me now as they know I wont let them near and we arent interesting any more!
 
I wouldnt say anything to the farmer he is probabley well aware of how they are and it might be his intention to keep out the numpties. He is obviously ok with you so if Iwas you I wouldnt rock the boat.

As most of our grass is cut for silage now, we let out the grass keep to the same local farmer and he will shortly be turning out his young beasts. They are always a pain in the arse to start off with but are fine once the novelty wears off. I dont put my dogs on leads they are uninterested in the cattle and they just want to hunt the hedges. I miss my Heelers they were brilliant for keeping cattle away however bold and stroppy. Once all the grass is cut perhaps you can come over for that walk.
 
It can be difficult and risky - you should have a dog on a leash through a field with livestock but that can entice cattle to come to close and it can be better to let a dog loose - after all, most dogs can run faster than cattle and can usually go through a fence out the way.

I have two dogs that will work cattle in that if I am doing some fencing and my neighbours beef stock kept crowding me I told the dogs to 'Take them away' a BC and GSD working together is something to be seen. The GSD stands and barks and bounces at them whilst the BC is at their heels and when the cattle start to move off both dogs will trot along behind them. A couple of this sort of treatment and they keep away!
 
Yea definately that would be good.
Mine are uninterested in cattle too but I dont like to leave them off as technically they should be on lead in livestock (and it does nothing but set a bad example to the numpties! I told you the story of the idiots that let their dog off in a field full of ewes and lambs because 'the sheep looked like they didnt mind dogs as they were talking to yours' :rolleyes:) Maybe I will mention subtley to my landlord as he is friends with him (neighbouring farms). I'm not sure he would be trying to keep people out as its used so frequently he must be used to it now, there are literally people on it all day! Although I guess they will stop people picnicing! :eek: Yep, people were sat picnicing in that field last month!! I nearly wet myself laughing actually as they were sat against a hedge, the field directly behind them was being chemically sprayed as they lunched! Wierdos, and so bloody rude!! :D
 
Why is it rude to stop for a break and a bite to eat, if you don't leave anything behind when you go:confused:
 
because its a footpath through someones field, therefore a access route through somebodies land, not a picnic spot that gives you rights to do whatever in the entire field! I wouldnt dream of it personally. Fine on common land and the like or footpaths that are like tracks or whatever but not on a footpath through somebodies ground.
 
ooh lol at that couple picnicing, you cant beat that lovely country air you can almost taste it:D

I let my dogs off lead because its our fields so one of the perks, no one else walks our fields as no public footpaths there. I do walk other farmers fields and they dont mind but am very mindful of my dogs, if there is sheep I stay away.

Going back to walking the hedge and you walk the middle of the field I would be very worried if they start to stampede and the ones nearest you would try to avoid you but the others at the back would cannon into them and them into you. Local farmer had this happen luckily only broken ribs but could have been a lot worse.
 
I think to me, it sort of equates to someone walking past on my road and popping into my front garden for a quick picnic...I would be most affronted! Also these particular people I should point out werent even walking, they had parked their car in the gateway and popped in for a picnic, which is even worse!
 
Dobiegirl said:
Going back to walking the hedge and you walk the middle of the field I would be very worried if they start to stampede and the ones nearest you would try to avoid you but the others at the back would cannon into them and them into you. Local farmer had this happen luckily only broken ribs but could have been a lot worse.
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Good point! Bloody cows! :p :D
 
It's not quite the same when someone has many, many acres and you're nowhere near their house though, is it? At least not in my book. I must just be a hideously rude individual:rolleyes:
 
Our wildlife is pretty diverse a few years ago I saw the dreaded black cat and my Heelers hunted it.

Last year I found the stripped carcase of a calf which wasnt there the day before, my daughter took photos of it very strange. Plus several reliable local farmers have also seen it.
 
I dont know any farmers that wouldnt give someone an earful for picnicing on their land, however far away from their house. I dunno, maybe I'm odd and all the farmers I know are rude...its entirely possible! :D I would FEEL rude if I sat having a picnic in someones field, but maybe thats just me! Clearly lots of people dont, Flora nearly had someones sandwiches the other day in another field where they were sat behind a hedge and I couldnt see them as I went into the field!
 
It is annoying when they block your gateway and you have contractors waiting to get in and you are paying by the hour and said people have gone for a nice walk.

Im a great believer in live and let live and consider myself very lucky but I dont like people walking around the back of my house purely from a security point of view. If they are local people I know I dont have a problem.
 
Dobiegirl said:
Our wildlife is pretty diverse a few years ago I saw the dreaded black cat and my Heelers hunted it.

Last year I found the stripped carcase of a calf which wasnt there the day before, my daughter took photos of it very strange. Plus several reliable local farmers have also seen it.
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I've seen one twice whilst lamping with the dogs. Once down Weare way and once on Mendip.
 
Well, my picnic walks are generally nine or ten miles long, I'm blowed if I'm doing that distance without a stop for something to eat at some point, and since I'm distinctly disinclined to sit on a road, that doesn't really leave much other option than to stop in a gateway or on a stile somewhere.

And if that makes me a weirdo, so be it:mad:
 
They are on Mendip, one of the wardens saw it and her brother.The farmers know about it but dont advertise the fact as they dont want Joe Bloggs out there with their guns
 
Maybe I'm just an overly cautious land user! I actually months ago stopped one of the local farmers that I see about regularly and whos land I walk across a lot via several footpaths to ask if it was alright once his crops were down to walk the perimeter edges rather than the path so the dogs could work the hedges. I don't suppose most would bother. He was greatful that I asked and gave me permission to work the hedges of his other fields too, not just the footpathed ones so my over polite tactics work! :)
 
Spudlet said:
Well, my picnic walks are generally nine or ten miles long, I'm blowed if I'm doing that distance without a stop for something to eat at some point, and since I'm distinctly disinclined to sit on a road, that doesn't really leave much other option than to stop in a gateway or on a stile somewhere.

And if that makes me a weirdo, so be it:mad:
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Yes but there are appropriate places to sit and picnic, on the sides of tracks and paths etc. I'm not saying nobody should ever stop whilst walking! Like I say, perhaps I'm just overcautious! I think there is a large difference in self imposed boundries when walking locally daily on neighbours land as I do and if you are out hiking somewhere 'foreign' too.
 
I need to have a word with my friend.Henry has been to their house before though, when I had an unplanned stayover away from home due to work. He came home a chastised dog:D My friend also has cats, so he had been thoroughly squished:D

There is a pheasant pen by one of the paths I walk along, I am dying to bump into the landowner to see if they plan to fill it at any point, and if so, can I take Henry to dog in when the time is right. Never seen them though, most annoying! Bloody farmers:p

It's not as though I'm lighting fires, setting up tables and chairs, staying for hours, disturbing stock, trampling crops or leaving litter - in fact much of the time I end up taking other people's litter home as well as my own - so I'd be frankly amazed if anyone had a problem with my presence. They would be in the wrong, legally speaking, if they were to have a go.
 
Like I say Spud no problems its gateways that are difficult and when they come too close to the house. We are not far from Bristol and certain areas are well known for their criminality. Last week someone stole diesel from one of the tractors left out in the field and it just makes you very aware of whose about.

Poor Henry coming home chastised:D bless ,I know you walk him miles and you and Vizzy are very responsible but you are few and far between. The one field of ours with a footpath is over the road so I get a good view and loads of people walk and picnic there but Ive have only seen one perseon pick up after their dog.:(
 
I don't particularly have a problem with people having a tidy picnic on our footpaths - especially the one by a stream. My uncle, however, is a farmer and hits the roof when people do. I did have an issue with one bloke who insisted on having the "right to roam" over our hayfield every day. He stopped when I told him that I would follow him home and trek round his flower beds every night...

Anyway, back to the cow question. I would definately mention it to the farmer - politely of course. Just say that you feel very worried on his footpaths because of the cow's behaviour.

We have a few footpaths across our land, and, where possible, fence them off so that the horses can't get to people. They are just being friendly, but people were ending up in the middle of three of them touting for cuddles, and I was always worried that someone would get hurt and I would get sued! Even with the paths across open fields, I part fence them, ie put about a 40m fence with a single wire, then a 10m gap where the horses can get through, then another fence - so that people can duck under and get away from the horses if they feel unsafe...
 
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