SHEEPHERDER

Ad in Salt Lake Tribune Sunday February 6, 2011

My three brothers all could qualify for that job.  They all herded sheep.  Our daddy earned and owned his own sheep; as did his daddy before him; and his daddy before him in the Highlands of Scotland.

Yes, my brothers could tend/move sheep flocks; prevent animals from straying; protect flock from predators/bad weather; assist with lambing.  They knew how to be on call 24-hours a day/7 days a week, including holidays.  So did Daddy.  Including Christmas.   He was out on the Arizona Strip tending his sheep the last three Christmases of his life.

Daddy and the kids:  Lucy, Lynn, Shirley, DeLoy, Jeanette "out to the herd"

As children, we looked forward each summer to going “out to the herd”.  That’s what we called it.  The “herd” was usually out to Bob Creek.  It wasn’t actually at Bob Creek.  In those days, there was no road to Bob Creek.  It was up on top.  To get to the lush meadows and stream of Bob Creek from our camp up on top, we first had to hike down through Jimmy Creek, up a big hill and back down into Bob Creek.  At least, that’s the way I remember it.  I’ll have to ask my brother, Lynn.  He’s four years older than me and spent a lot of time with Daddy “out to the herd”.

Lynn wrote:

 Hi,  Here is a Topo map of The Herd.  The red dots are places where we camped.  The Herd went from Fredericks Canyon north of Sorensen’s Ranches on the west, up over Clear Creek Mountain then on west through the Orderville Gulch and ended on Dry Lake Point on the west. It contained about 2000 acres of private land and a BLM permit. You could get to the herd by going on the North Fork Road to the Orderville Gulch and the west side. To get to the east side we went by Sorensen’s ranches and then either up Nutes to Earl’s Canyon or up Frederick’s Canyon. The other way to get there was to start on the North Fork road then soon turn off and go north upon to Clear Creek Mtg. and to our deer camp and “On Top”.  On Top included Bob Creep Point, Jimmy Creek Point, the marking corral, money rock, deer camp, As you mentioned there was no road to Bob Creek. We would drive out on Bob Creek point and take our camp down the Bob Creek hill, “trail”, with pack horses. Tink’s throne was about half way down the Bob Creek Hill.

Map of Camps Daddy took his family to while herding his sheep.

I was only 10 when Daddy was killed while herding sheep on his own hard-earned land.  I want to thank Lynn for helping me understand where we were when we were “out to the herd”.  We’ve been deer hunting and camping there since we have grown up but I still never understood the lay of the land.  I’m adding this to my Life Story!
This is the map Brent prepared.  You can go to comments for an interactive map.