Pat & Sharon O'Toole: Scottish Highlanders, fall gather

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Scottish Highlander steer
Routt National Forest
photo by Sharon O'Toole

This fall, we once again relied on friends and family to help us gather our cattle off the national forest grazing permits in both Wyoming and Colorado. This year, we had the additional excitement of gathering scores of Scottish Highlander cattle along with our cows and calves. It turns out that one of our neighbors with an inholding the Routt National Forest had leased to a man who is trying his hand at raising this unusual breed. Apparently, the cowboy who was supposed to be watching them (and fixing fences) had long since departed. As we gathered our cattle, we found the Highlanders mixed with them, through and through. We brought all the cows we found down to our pasture, and sorted off the interlopers. They are a lot wilder than our cows, but really cute. Luckily, there were no Highlander bulls in with the Scottish cows, but they will have some Gelbvieh cross calves next spring. Should be an interesting cross.

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Eamon and Megan, gathering cows
photo by Sharon O'Toole

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Tricia and Megan
Bedrock Creek Hill
photo by Sharon O'Toole

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Eamon and Dirte, waiting for the rest of the cows
Beeler Draw
photo by Sharon O'Toole

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Seamus, Siobhan and Chief, watching the cows
Beeler Draw
photo by Sharon O'Toole

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Wasp's nest east of Three Forks Mountain
Routt National Forest
photo by Sharon O'Toole

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Trailing for home
Routt County Road 129
photo by Pat O'Toole

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About Pat & Sharon O'Toole

Pat and Sharon O’Toole are ranchers in the Little Snake River Valley near Savery, Wyoming, right on the Colorado-Wyoming border. They raise cattle, sheep, horses, dogs and children. Pat “immigrated” from Florida in 1970. He attended Colorado State University, where he met Sharon when both worked for the campus newspaper. Sharon grew up on their ranch, where they live and work with her father, their daughter, son and granddaughter (soon to be grandchildren!). Pat is a “water buffalo” and has served in the Wyoming House of Representatives (1986-1992), on the President’s Western Water Policy Review Advisory Commission, and is the current President of the Family Farm Alliance, which advocates for farmers, ranchers and irrigators. Sharon is an author, poet and journalist. She writes extensively on Western issues and is a columnist for “The Shepherd” magazine. Pat and Sharon are the parents of three children: Meghan, 27; Bridget, 26; and Eamon, 20.

Pat & Sharon O'Toole

Scottish Highlanders, fall gather

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