What to do when Encountering Cows with horns on trail?

[maynard]

Looks are about 30% of it. $ is about 90% of it. Yeah that’s not 100%

If u got a big horn . Money isn't necessary

 

[The EMF]

Most of the time they will move ..but not always .
You were right to be concerned if they have young calves ..if you had been a dog walker you would have been wise to turn back ..
They are individuals with their own personality and some can be just plain mean ..my sister in law who is a farmer is very wary when going into a pen in winter with certain cattle ..
I'm fine in a group of riders ..but have been known to reverse my route if on my own and the herd is close ..add a bull into the equation and I'm already heading in the opposite direction?
( bad experience crossing a field in NW Scotland while on a sea kayak expedition with my boat on my shoulder at age 15 ) ..

Mate I’ve done that before (retracing actually turning back f*****g sharpish) on Clennell Street above Alwinton. I’d noticed a herd of the big black beasties then they all started running towards me, I shit myself turned round an headed back to the gate and just made it I was on my Santa Cruz at the so didn’t have the option of Turbo mode......... Don’t like Cows ??

 

[The Hodge]

Mate I’ve done that before (retracing actually turning back f*****g sharpish) on Clennell Street above Alwinton. I’d noticed a herd of the big black beasties then they all started running towards me, I shit myself turned round an headed back to the gate and just made it I was on my Santa Cruz at the so didn’t have the option of Turbo mode......... Don’t like Cows ??

Amen to that brother ...?

 

[The EMF]

Amen to that brother ...?

Mind you I’d rather see a herd of cows than a mob of the bobbly hat brigade with their rapier like walking poles wearing their route maps round their necks like campaign medals...
Those buggers move for nobody sometimes disguised as normal people so be careful out there ?

 

[Zimmerframe]

..passing through them though ..no way .

Ohhhhh .... you don't want to do that ... you'd be really smelly afterwards, I'm not a fan of wet wipes, but this could be one of those moments when having some ready could be justifiable.


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[Kernow]

While they maybe generally docile, I wouldn't want to be on the pointy end of those horns. I've had a few encounters with these when on the Isle of Mull, I try to give them a wide berth.

they do look scary I agree but they are really docile lovely creatures , there’s a herd of these roaming free on The moor where i live , just respect their space and don’t get between mum and calf , although when I do I’ve rarely had any bother . If you’ve got a dog with you that’s another story , dont get anywhere near cows with a dog , you risk your life
this herd i nicknamed the white stripes , they are usually somewhere on my ride , they are eating silage here a few weeks ago when we had a cold snap . Worst part is the riding through the mud they Create .
this

View attachment 49889

 

[Barbara_Reed]

If u got a big horn . Money isn't necessary

And you guys wonder why there aren't many women here. What century do you think this is?

 

[KeithR]

And you guys wonder why there aren't many women here. What century do you think this is?

Well said, Barbara. Thankfully, he's not representative of most of us - or of most intelligent species, to be honest...

12 year olds, eh? (Mental age, I'm assuming, from his posting history.)

Just block/ignore him if you only want to deal with (emotional) grown-ups...

 

[KeithR]

I am referring to docile by nature of their breed.

They're pretty much all docile - until they aren't. It's literally impossible to make an informed risk decision about this stuff based on the supposed reputation of the breed in question: they'll all kick off if they're motivated to do so, and we have no clue about what that tipping point might be.

I've been pushed through a hedge by a "friendly" Highland coo (and to be fair, it did seem like she was playing); and the cow that stomped on me and put me in hospital was a supposedly equally "friendly" Friesan - outside of the calving season, and the only one in a herd of twenty-odd who'd woken up on the wrong side of the bed. I knew the farmer, I knew the land, and I thought I knew his beasts, and I still got worked over big-time.

But - far more often - I've been completely ignored by Friesans, Highlands, Herefords, Charolais and Christ knows what else.

Fact is, we know nowt. They're stupid, unpredictable, illogical animals,. You can't second-guess them, and you'd be stupid to try.

 

[Stihldog]

I’ve got a BBQ license but that doesn’t work to well here. My Pepperoni license works on bears but you have to pin it on your shirt while you’re riding.

 

[Hobo Mikey]

Just stare the cows in the eye and shout roast potatoes and Yorkshire pud. That will get them running the other way.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Thankfully, he's not representative of most of us - or of most intelligent species, to be honest...

Worryingly He probably is !

Is there really anything wrong with saying something ridiculous in the interest of humour ?

All that said, he does have a history of overcompensating .....

 

[The EMF]

Just stare the cows in the eye and shout roast potatoes and Yorkshire pud. That will get them running the other way.

I hate cows ?

 

[Kernow]

A new member arrives to the herd I call the white stripes

 

[Jimbo Vills]

Size of that spider!!!

You do know every nosey bar steward is now looking at your camera roll dude don’t you ??

 

[The EMF]

Size of that spider!!!

You do know every nosey bar steward is now looking at your camera roll dude don’t you ??

I think they are Belted Galloways
I hate cows ?

 

[Jimbo Vills]

I think they are Belted Galloways
I hate cows ?

Look along the bottom of the last pic mate ?

I know the main pic is cows ? ?

 

[Binhill1]

I was on a tight single track with my wife, when she all of a sudden stopped. Seems there were two cows with two calves, right in the middle of the trail up ahead. There was a hill to the left and drop off to the right.
What is the best thing to do? Back up, keep going, drag the bike down the dropoff (it wasn't that bad), etc..
Just an FYI, these cows had horns (who knew cows could have horns, but after some research some do!!), long ones and we were especially concerned because their babies were with them and mothers tend to be very protective of them.

Make sure you have an escape route.

 

[ULEWZ]

Yoy

You did not know that cows have horns? That's all I got from that thread ??, you so funny.

Sorry, I have lived in the burbs my whole life. First time I have seen cows on the trail (new trail by the way for me). Never seen a croc either, but know enough to stay away from them.

 

[maynard]

And you guys wonder why there aren't many women here. What century do you think this is?

Sorry to offend Barbara. In my defence though. I was told that by a lady . But yeah sorry for my disgusting humour . Ill try tone it down a bit . ?

 

[Shinn]

 

[Shinn]

Seriously though, having lived in bear, coyote and mountain lion country I was always told to dismount, keep your bike between them and you. Either walk backwards or around giving them a very wide birth - I would think this same technique would be good for any animal.

Just don't spark a stampede.

 

[HikerDave]

Seriously though, having lived in bear, coyote and mountain lion country I was always told to dismount, keep your bike between them and you. Either walk backwards or around giving them a very wide birth - I would think this same technique would be good for any animal.

Just don't spark a stampede.

Years ago I was riding with a couple of friends up and out of the Idaho’s Snake River Canyon (think Evil Knievel) and then back down when we startled a small herd of steers. They thought that was fun and circled around us to run ahead and be ‘startled’ again two more times; it was weird and funny how playful they were.