The Cattle Drive Across the Colorado 2018, Matagorda, Texas

Each year, we leave the Coastal Bend and head to Louisiana. Our goal of coarse is to get back to Wyoming, but there’s still too much snow so we meander a bit. We usually make our first stop at Matagorda, Texas. There we fish for a few days, and if we are lucky, get to watch the cattle drive across the Colorado river.

The cattle spend their winter on a long and isolated barrier island, before being rounded up. Then, depending on tides and weather conditions, the cattle are driven to the rivers edge before swimming across the river. Sometimes the older animals will cross before the drive but this year the old lead cow was gone, and the cattle were reluctant to make the crossing.

We watched as the cowboys and cowgirls, rounded up the cattle and then drove them to the waters edge. The cattle seemed reluctant at first, but with some hurrahs, the sound of snapping lariats, and even a gun shot, finally entered the water.

They didn’t get far before they realized the water was deep and they balked, turning around and having a Mexican standoff with the cowboys. With a few more words of encouragement they turned and finally started the swim.

The cattle were then herded across the river by two boats. Sometimes a game and fish boat was also present but this year it was just a couple of smaller fishing craft. Once the herd started to cross the rest followed, well most of them anyway, and safely made the crossing.

One calf, separated from its mom made a run for it and tried to escape down the jetty, One of the boats turned it back and it rejoined the herd.

The same calf got confused when it started to swim the river and one of the boats had to rescue the calf. It was too big to lift into the boat, so a cowboy and cowgirl grabbed the head of the animal while the boats captain motored the craft to the shallows.

There, a waiting cowboy roped the youngster and was able to lead it up to the frim ground. The calf again balked and planted its feet, but the cowboy and horse won the tussle as the calf trotted over and rejoined the herd.

The cattle quickly started feeding on the parks well-manicured lawn, the grass was greener on the other side.

With a few more yells they then moved into the holding pens. They used to be driven to another crossing, but a new bridge was built and now trucks arrived to take them to their new pasture.

So ended another drive and it also coincided with our last day at the park. The next morning, we hooked up and headed to High Island, which is one of our favorite birding sites, (Renita took all the images used in the blog).  Clear skies