Longhorns

Longhorns. . , Good grass and shelter attracted ranching interests to the badlands. Taking advantage of the void left by the killing of the bison, a Texas trail drive pushed 4,000 head of longhorn cattle into this region in the fall of 1884. Other trail drives followed, bringing thousands of longhorns. Hardy animals, longhorns fared well on the long walk from Texas. Turned loose on the open range, they adapted quickly and were ready for market in two years., Twenty years later, the longhorns had almost vanished from the Northern Plains. Overgrazing and severe winters had taken their toll on the open range cattle industry. By the early 1900’s, ranchers were replacing longhorns with newer, more productive breeds of cattle. Fortunately, a few people intervened to save the longhorn from extinction., Today you may see a small herd of 10-25 longhorn steers in the North Unit. Obtained from Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge in Nebraska, the herd is maintained as a reminder of the bygone open range cattle era. , “Old Joe Clark has got a cow - , She was muley born. , It takes a jay bird forty-eight hours , To fly from horn to horn.” , (Old Texas folksong).