Kountz Cattle Drive: A family tradition

Recently my family moved over 600 head of cattle on their fall cattle drive. We go from Elk Park to Pipestone, MT. It is a long ways. There are more than 60 miles in the entire cattle drive. We ride almost ten miles a day. Ten to fifteen horseback riders make the drive go good. We stay in horse trailers and campers.

Nearly 80 years ago my great grandfather, Louis Kountz, started the cattle drive. My Grampa John has done it all of his life, and I have gone on the cattle drive all ten years of my life. Originally they did sheep too. It was two bands-that is 2,000-3,000 sheep, not cows. They stayed in the sheep wagon and tepees. They used to take the cows and the calves up in the spring and drive them back in the fall.

My favorites things this year were going to the big tree, Julia coming, riding my new horse, crossing water on Reggie, Olivia going with Princess, riding in the train tunnel on the cattle pass, starting a fire with friends and family, listening to my Grampa John's cattle drive stories, and the "Chinese fire drill" led by my Uncle Reid along the road. He locked Julia and me out of the truck.

It was fun and exciting, and many memories were made.