interesting ear mark????

[swwildlife]

We see many types of split and torn up ears on deer and elk. Some guys like to leave them and some want us to repair them. This is a deer that was taken in southern Arizona. It had a very unique ear mark. while working on this one the ear had healed over a long time ago. the whole tip of the ear was cut clear off.

This reminded me of stories I heard while working on cattle ranches growing up. One of the ways to mark livestock is to catch the animal, and cut a unique pattern in the ear, either slices or taking a larger piece out of the ear.

I have heard, more than once and from different sources that cowboys would rope deer. And to prove it to their peers they would mark them by cutting their ear.

looking at this ear it appears that the ear was cut off cleanly and smoothly. If the ear was torn I would think that you would see more scaring at either end of the cut. although the picture doesn't show it it is a very smooth cut, and while holding it while wet and movable, I could recreate the motion of cutting it off.

 

Now I don't know if true or just some Americana folklore, So I just put it out there.

[Pine Donkey]

I have heard old cowboys tell these same stories. There was even one old-timer who claimed to have roped a bear. Thanks for posting his question. Great looking mount.

[kennyazman]

That's pretty cool!

[DCS]

These stories are true,if you know anyone that is a true cowboy working on a ranch then you know cowboys will try to rope anything that will run or fly.My dad tried to rope several antelope on ranches in New Mexico,and Chino valley,but they would just outrun him.Finally one day another cowboy chased a buck by him from across a flat,and when the buck came by a juniper my dad hung it on him.His uncle had roped several bears in New Mexico until one almost got in the saddle with him.This stopped all roping of bears after that.

[swwildlife]

I'm glad others have heard of this because when I tell someone around here of this practice they look at me like I'm full of it.

[prowlerMan]

I've heard of it too. Deer, bear mountain lion all roped. There's a old man which I know who has done it all. He even had a mountain lion as a pet. There is a particular person on this forum that is his grandson. If he sees this post feel free to share a story or two.

[Flatlander]

My old man grew up in the town of Mammoth inside Yellowstone National Park. As a kid he and his brothers got a rope around a bear and tied it to a tree in town. Another kid in town took the heat for it since the rope belonged to him. They didn't fess up to Grandpa until just a couple years back.

[Heat]

Here's my 2010 Pronghorn with some of Jim's "ear magic". I thought it was pretty cool that he was able to make the ear as real as possible.

 

Thanks again Jim!

 

Nick

[Workman]

I've heard of it too. Deer, bear mountain lion all roped. There's a old man which I know who has done it all. He even had a mountain lion as a pet. There is a particular person on this forum that is his grandson. If he sees this post feel free to share a story or two.

 

 

Hey there! I think you might be talking about my grandpa Bill Workman, he was a lion guide out of tonto basin back in the day. His lion was named Sammy and yes them old school cowboys would rope dang near anything. He's 84 now and still goes on every hunt he can with us, my profile pic is him and I at the head of Parker canyon in 23 on a late coues hunt a few years back.

[swwildlife]

Nicks Antelope had a bizarre split and curl to the ear. That was a fun one to work on.

[AZbowhntr]

My dad worked on a ranch between Tucson and Nogales when he was younger. He told me a story about him roping a javelina once and hog tieing it. His partner grabbed it and threw it up on his saddle with him. Apparently that is when the rodeo started. His horse wanted nothing to do with that.