On 6/17/2014 10:17 AM, Janet Bostwick wrote:
> On Tue, 17 Jun 2014 09:31:13 -0400, jmcquown >
> wrote:
>
>> Now that would be odd! I wonder how the cow got out? I don't remember
>> where you live (if I ever knew). Moose are wild critters so that's sort
>> of understandable. A branded cow? Not so much.
>>
>> Jill
> I live out west. We have sage and grassy foothills, not at all like
> what is in TN (bigger hills leading up to the mountains). These are
> great expanses that are leased by ranchers from the BLM. All roads
> have cattle guards across them (an open shallow trench that is covered
> with metal grid.

Yep, I know what cattle guards are.

> This allows cars to cross but cattle not) The cattle guards are the
> only barrier to anything coming down out of the hills. (no fences)
> However, the distance is great and steep and treacherous. I'm
> guessing the steer got into a gentle draw in the hillside and followed
> it down. I've lived here for decades and never heard of cattle coming
> into the city. There are sheep up there too, but they have a herder
> and dogs to keep them in place. When driving up the mountain I've
> never seen any livestock. They are grazed far, far away from roads.
> Janet US
>
Maybe the cow just wanted a little excitement.

When I lived in west TN I was on my way to Schnuck's (grocery store) one
morning and there was a cow standing in the middle of the two-lane road.
Of course this was well outside of the city so I wasn't really
surprised. The land on both sides *was* fenced, though, so I don't know
how the cow got out.

Jill