[Furball the Mystery Cat]

Last week I was riding up Palo Sola Truck Road at Michael D. Antonovich Regional Park at Joughin Ranch. It was a night ride and I was by myself in a place I have never been before.

I saw four black cows and one bull with horns. The black cows were spooky in the dark. The bull had 12 inch long horns. None of them were afraid of me.

Other wild animals I encounter on trails all run ran away as soon they see me, but these cows and bull did not run away. They just looked at me from the grass area beside the road.

Two days later I did another night ride on that road and saw them again. I got scared and turned around and went back down.

I want to ride to the top of that mountain, but I don't want to get stabbed by the Bull. How safe is it to ride there?

If I wait a few days and don't see any news of people getting attacked in that area, does that mean I will not get attacked either?

 

[Harold]

is this open range?

honestly, the biggest "danger" I've encountered from cattle or any sort (bulls, steers, cows) has been incidental...they saw my truck and got excited because they've associated pickup trucks with food. so they run up to the truck and start rubbing against it. could be "dangerous" if I got caught outside the truck and squished between excited cattle and the truck.

range cattle I've encountered in UT didn't want to have anything to do with me. they'd watch from a distance, but they also kept their distance because their encounters with people were far less pleasant over the years.

 

[BkngBear]

If they didn't spook then they are probably accustomed to people. Just keep a safe distance and go on past them. They won't or shouldn't bother ya unless you mess with them or their calf, or they may approach if you stop if they think you have food for them. They aren't aggressive by nature. But I love cows sooooo....LOL! Had a few on the farm but always wanted a pet one.

 

[Sir kayakalot]

Is this a serious post?

 

[WHALENARD]

Once on Nevis Island I decided to thwart the glad-hander trail guides and try to summit on my own. This took some creative doing and bushwacking on my part. Feeling somewhat successful I came into a open field when off in the distance I see one of the ornery dairy bulls that were ubiquitous on the sugar plantations. The thoughts start entering my head... is this thing dangerous? is it tethered? Hmm...

Well, as I came closer to it I realize the answer to the first question is yes and the answer to the second question was no. As I get closer, it becomes fixated on me and everything in my being tells me I'm in immediate danger. What to do?

Luckily there was a single tree between him and I. We basically played dosey doe around the tree like a tourist in Yellowstone with a buffalo for what seemed like an eternity but was probably around 8 minutes. Eventually his energy started to wane. He finally stood still sizing me up, snorted and sauntered off. Phew! But next came the fukking spiders, tons of them.

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[socal_jack]

Depends to some degree if it still has balls. If it's a Brahma bull I'd be careful, either way. Used to hunt on Tejon Ranch in Socal when it was 300,000 acres which to some degree had a mix of breeds but mostly dairy cattle. The only off limit area was the 5,000 acre Brahma pasture they'd tell you not to even shortcut thru if you were in sight. Got bluff charged by a few bulls outside that area. Much like a dog they seem to sense fear.

 

[BkngBear]

Depends to some degree if it still has balls. If it's a Brahma bull I'd be careful, either way. Used to hunt on Tejon Ranch in Socal when it was 300,000 acres which to some degree had a mix of breeds but mostly dairy cattle. The only off limit area was the 5,000 acre Brahma pasture they'd tell you not to even shortcut thru if you were in sight. Got bluff charged by a few bulls outside that area. Much like a dog they seem to sense fear.

Yeah you bring up a point I forgot. In my reply I meant your standard cow. I wasn't thinking about the Brahma and such. But yeah they do seem to be more inline with sensing if you're afraid. But I may not be the best to answer this since I get in trouble for trying to pet every animal lol!!! Nah I don't do that...I do love animals though. More then most people.

 

[Scott O]

I'd be less concerned with the bull's horns and more worried about other body parts:

Note: NSFW unless you work in the breeding industry

 

[norcalbike]

It was probably just a steer. Had a similar scenario on some of my local roads and realized they are far less dangerous than a mother

 

[Timothy G. Parrish]

Depends.

When we went to Colorado, we had a few encounters with them blocking the trail. Most didn't give a bull's ass and simply didn't move. There was one, however, that got quite onry when I tried to take his picture. So, I guess, YMMV. Just go around, and carry on.

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[kpdemello]

What color? I hear the red ones give you wings.

 

[milehi]

I've been chased while cutting through a field on Kauai after going for a surf.

 

[Mike Aswell]

I went to Moab in August two years ago so my classic Moab rides were all at sun up and then later in the day I would head up into the La Sal mountains so that I could get a second ride in without dying from the heat. At least twice I rounded bends on a trail and had to lay on my brakes to avoid a collision with a massive black cow/steer/whatever they were.

It was humorous to me at the time, though I am quite sure a collision would have been very bad for me. So far as I could tell that was the only danger they posed.

 

[natas1321]

A few of the trails I ride are on working ranches and there is the occasional interaction between the animals and riders. It's usually a cow or cows not getting off the trails and having to find a way around them. I've have worse interactions with roosters coming after me than with any other farm animals.

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[Pipeliner]

Grew up on a farm and around cattle. Take it easy and don’t ride up on them at full tilt. That said, mama cow with a calf can be pretty protective, give them time to move out of the way. Angus bulls can be pretty belligerent. Don’t pick a fight and you’re fine.

 

[BkngBear]

A few of the trails I ride are on working ranches and there is the occasional interaction between the animals and riders. It's usually a cow or cows not getting off the trails and having to find a way around them. I've have worse interactions with roosters coming after me than with any other farm animals.

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Sheep got me when i was just a wee lad! Lol! Nah for real...left me scarred for life when it comes to sheep. Sucker knocked the crap outta me one day when my back was turned and I was walking through the barn. It was actually trying to play but I didn't know that at the time. After that incident it would always seem to come find me. I swear it knew me! But then I got older and braver and would basically stand up to it and it would walk around with me. Animals are awesome and crazy!

 

[trulede]

In Austria, it happens that cows in alpine fields will kill walkers every now and then (not sure about riders).

Apparently (so I have herd) cattle don't cope so well with new things ... I would steer clear.

 

[NorCal_In_AZ]

Walk behind them. I ain't never seen a cow walk backwards.

 

[singletrack990]

Not all bulls have horns and not all horned cattle are bulls. If they didn't seem spooked by you the first time, you're most likely fine.

 

[phantoj]

Grew up on a farm and it really wasn't anything we were concerned about. Haven't heard about the protective "mama cow" idea.

To scare cows, flap your arms and make a sound like "whish-whish". I don't know what the purpose of the sound is, but that's what we would do when trying to move them from one pasture to another.