Montana is classified as “open range” territory. In the Western United States, open range is rangeland where cattle roam freely regardless of land ownership. When governed by "open range" laws, those wanting to keep animals off their property must erect a fence to keep animals out. This applies to public roads as well.
Plainly enough, this applies to both
of our properties.
Over the weekend, while we were at
the cabin, my neighbor’s cattle plowed through their haphazard fence and took
up temporary residence on our property. We came home to find our drive and yard
looking rather frazzled from grazing and littered with cow pies. The cattle, by
then, had been pushed back onto their proper grazing land.
I shoveled up and carted off the most
egregious pies and watered down the rest. Incidental ranching is a lot of work,
but not particularly rewarding. I’ve posted a photograph of the longhorns at my
drive—sent to me by a friend who happened to catch them there.
—Mitchell Hegman
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