Ranching and the Long Drive

• Cattle were driven northward along established trails, with the Chisholm Trail being one of the most famous routes.
• The cattle drive was an annual event that lasted from April to November.
• During the summer months, cowboys would rest their herds at grassy areas called "cow camps" or "bivouacs."
• The cattle drive was an arduous journey that lasted several months, often involving harsh weather conditions and dangerous encounters with Native Americans and other obstacles.
• They also had to deal with stampedes caused by thunderstorms or predators like wolves and coyotes.
• During the cattle drives, cowboys would ride ahead to scout out potential dangers and make camp at night.
• Why did the Cattle Industry grow?

  -Transport the cattle to market- sold there

  -Barbed Wire (1874)- stops rustling

  -Goodnight Loving Trail (1866)

  -Able to charge more in Northern/ Easter states

  -Ranches on the Plains, no need for the long drive.

  -Refridgerated railcarts

  -Cow town- Abilene
• Challenges for cowboys


  -Civil war

  -Plains Indians

  -Rustling

  -Long distances

  -Settlers and farmers

  -Texas fever
• Key individuals

  -Goodnight

  -Loving

  -Iliff- ranches- first millionaire

  -McCoy- Abilene (cow town)

  -Cattle baron- own a lot of cattle- very rich
• Life on the ‘Long Drive’

  Took 2-3 months to drive a herd of cattle from Texas to Kansas. Hardwork- Half-wild longhorn cattle were very easily scared into a stampede. If cows lost weight theyd be less valuable. 3000 cattles were involved in the long drives, 12 cowboys needed to manage it. Cowboys would travel around 15-20 miles each day on the long drive. Once cowboys were paid they would get drunk, buy new clothes, go dancing with different women, gamble and fight
• Challenges faced by cowboys when transporting cattle

  Swimming cattle across rivers

  Dealing with snakes and wild animals

  Negotiating permission to cross Indian Territory
• What was an ‘outfit’

  A group of cowboys who drove the cattle, bosses earnt around $100, others earnt around $30
• Life on the ‘Ranch’

  Winter, cowboys would often get a different job eg in a bar. Those who were kept on would repair equipmen, help animals in difficulty, plan the year ahead. Once cattle had been rounded up, they were sorted according to who owned them and branded them. Life on the ranch was hard for anyone older than early 20s. Cowboys would all live together in a bunkhouse. The plains ranches were much closer to railheads than Texas ranches in the 1860s. Ice and snow was a big problem- couldnt get to grass or water, ride out in blizzards to find cattle