BERRYHILL, Okla. — Last week, 2 News told you about two cows on the loose two years after a trailer overturned on I-244, releasing roughly 90 cows. While most were found, two were living on land outside of Brenda Stapleton’s yard in Berryhill.
While friendly, the two cows would get in her yard, create a mess, cause damage, and even get right up to her window.
Stapleton said she made multiple attempts by Tulsa County Sheriff’s Deputies to wrangle feral cows. Authorities told the neighbor that she needed to hire professional cowboys.
“Who has money for that? It shouldn’t be my responsibility,” Stapleton told 2 News last week.
After a long back and forth trying to get the cows secured and relocated by officials, Stapleton reached out to 2 News for help.
After the story aired, several people reached out to try to help.
Only a week later, 2 News' Erin Christy joined a crew of cowboys who hoped to relocate the cows.
Bill Inhofe of Sooner Emergency Services worked that wreck in 2022. He had figured the ones they were not able to catch had passed away.
“I was shocked when I seen y’all’s article on the news the other night,” he said.
So, he, along with three dogs and three cowboys, went out to help.
“It pays a little to buy some dog feed but it’s really a big sport, we enjoy it,” said Clue Anderson, a retiree who wrangles cows and feral hogs in his free time.
After leaving feed out for the cows, their dogs track the scent, and the cowboys track the dogs’ collars.
“When they find the cows, the dogs are yelping, so the cowboys can look on their phone and know right where that cow is,” Inhofe explained. “They break it out of the brush, throw a rope on it and get it in the trailer.”
Bill stands by to follow in the trailer to get the cows loaded up.
Collar trackers showed that the dogs chased the cows for a total of 19 miles over a two-hour period. Eventually, they were able to tire the cows out. The challenge for the cowboys was getting the cows out of the wooded area and into an open area in order to rope them.
“You could only ride at a slow pace,” said Anderson, who said the wooded area was full of briars.
Bill stressed that getting the cows out of the neighborhood is important for public safety, especially since it is so close to a turnpike.
“A car is going to hit them, or a motorcycle, it could be bad,” he said.
Surprisingly, it is bittersweet for Brenda. She enjoyed seeing them out in the area but just didn’t want them in her yard.
“I’m sad to see them go,” she said. “I got used to talking to them and trying to befriend them. I’m disappointed I didn’t get to.”
The cows will head out to the ranch, where Bill will feed and calm them, and then he said he will most likely sell them.
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