The Cobra is located in an area called Klondike Arizona, not much there but a small general store with the post office located within it and from what I hear it’s now gone.
This area only consisted of cattle ranches at that time which is located about 58 miles of dirt road from either Wilcox or Safford Arizona. Because of the distance on the old rocky dirt road we only went to town about every two weeks and sometimes only once a month to get supplies and maybe have a drink or two or three and sometimes more at one of the local beer joints. We took advantage of goin’ to town.
My pard Jeff whom I had worked with on other outfits took over the Cobra as ranch manager and he asked me to join him and being we was best of friends I never even gave it a second thought. This outfit had been only taken care of by an old couple who just watched over the place and it had been let go for quite awhile with the state threatening to pull the leases.
Now the next thing to understand is this outfit was a purebred longhorn ranch and many of them hadn’t seen people in probably three years being up in the rough mountain pastures. These longhorns were wild, mean and fast. We wore out two horses a day at times rounding these critters up and pushing them down to the ranch area.
Terry McGahey
Associate Writer/ Old West Historian
This area only consisted of cattle ranches at that time which is located about 58 miles of dirt road from either Wilcox or Safford Arizona. Because of the distance on the old rocky dirt road we only went to town about every two weeks and sometimes only once a month to get supplies and maybe have a drink or two or three and sometimes more at one of the local beer joints. We took advantage of goin’ to town.
My pard Jeff whom I had worked with on other outfits took over the Cobra as ranch manager and he asked me to join him and being we was best of friends I never even gave it a second thought. This outfit had been only taken care of by an old couple who just watched over the place and it had been let go for quite awhile with the state threatening to pull the leases.
Now the next thing to understand is this outfit was a purebred longhorn ranch and many of them hadn’t seen people in probably three years being up in the rough mountain pastures. These longhorns were wild, mean and fast. We wore out two horses a day at times rounding these critters up and pushing them down to the ranch area.
You had to push these cattle like buffalo, slow and easy only guiding them best you could. when some would brake away you just let them go as not to loose the main body and came back later to gather them once more. You didn’t use your rope much on these critters but if you did you had to heal them because if you headed them you might not get your rope back for awhile and sometimes they would turn and come up your rope a hooking with those double twist horns trying to gut your horse and you also.
I remember one time I was working with one eyed Luke and yes he had only one eye. Jeff and Roddy roped this big cow by head and heal, sucked it to the ground while we had to brand it. This cow hadn’t seen people in lord knows how long and I guessed this cow to be about three years old.
I remember one time I was working with one eyed Luke and yes he had only one eye. Jeff and Roddy roped this big cow by head and heal, sucked it to the ground while we had to brand it. This cow hadn’t seen people in lord knows how long and I guessed this cow to be about three years old.
Well, when we finished I went to pull the head rope but hadn’t quite cleared the horns when Luke pulled the foot rope, this onery bitch came up before I could get out of the way and hit me, goring me slightly in the left leg and threw me what felt like ten feet in the air and maybe fifteen feet away before hitting the ground. I jumped up quick because that bitch was coming fast but I got to the side of the pen and clambered up to the top real quick. After that I looked at old Luke and said “Next time look at me with your good eye”
There is much more to tell about when it came to a few of the guys getting hurt, and a few were hurt pretty badly but I do not wish to get into that part. Every day the dangers were there, if not because of the terrain, horse wrecks or shale cliffs it was those wild ass longhorns themselves. Anyway, maybe this little insight I am giving you can give you a slight idea of what it’s like to be a working cowboy.
There is much more to tell about when it came to a few of the guys getting hurt, and a few were hurt pretty badly but I do not wish to get into that part. Every day the dangers were there, if not because of the terrain, horse wrecks or shale cliffs it was those wild ass longhorns themselves. Anyway, maybe this little insight I am giving you can give you a slight idea of what it’s like to be a working cowboy.
Terry McGaheyAssociate Writer/ Old West Historian
Terry has been a working cowboy, writer, and historian. He is best known for the fight that he waged against the City of Tombstone and their historic City Ordinance Number 9. He was instrumental in getting the famous Tombstone City Ordinance Number 9 repealed while at the same time forcing the City of Tombstone to fall in line and comply with the laws of the State of Arizona.
If you care to read how he fought Tombstone's City Hall and won, check out:
If you care to read how he fought Tombstone's City Hall and won, check out:
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