Freaking neighbors!

[Oklahomabassin]

Frustrating and aggravating. I understand completely. Totaled a pick up in November. AFAIK it only cost the farmer the loss of a cow.

Report to S.O. every time they are out. If you have visiters that have to dodge cattle have them call as well.

Take pictures of the bad fence.

From my experience all of the reporting and evidence will be helpful. Your insurance company will be glad to have it.

(Edit to add. This documentation is mostly for future incidents. You may never have another or because of roadway speeds never have significant damage, but even a few grand in damage doesn't take much)

My insurance covered the tow, rental and the pickup at the highest sticker price at a dealership (I searched within 200 miles on the internet) for same year model, package and similar mileage that I could find. My insurance claims asked if the cattle were reported out often, fence condition, and who the owner is. I didn't know if they are out often as I travel that area 1 or 2 times a year at most. I did have owners name and phone number.

 

[jollyrancher]

Talk about biting the hand that feeds. Glad the dept. of ag doesn't have the same view as some of you. Yeah, to a point it's free range. I am 15 minutes sw of Enid. No roads crossing cattle guards. And my butt is protected by the state. The only way I would be at fault is if I was a documented nuisance. As in cattle out quite often and multiple reports with OHP. $#it happens that producers can't control. I have fricken oil well pumpers leaving gates open all the time. Had some cattle get on the road about a month ago because the gate post snapped in half. It was just it's time to go. And then there's hot fence. Real popular with cattle on wheat in the winter in my area. We use it on land we rent. Usually the owner is too big of a tight a$$ to put up 5 strand barb wire. We aren't going to invest thousands in fencing in something we might not be farming in the foreseeable future. Get a winter storm at night that knocks out the power, and the hot fence is dead. Cattle crowd the downwind side of fences in storms. Some are going to push through and be out. Have to wait till morning to put them back in. They can't see worth a hoot at night. Now if someone has cattle out all the time, he needs to be called in to the highway patrol. He's just being a lazy sack that is giving us guys that give a damn a bad reputation.

 

[jollyrancher]

Oh and by the way. Enid is a dive. I don't claim it.

 

[CHenry]

Parts of OK are still free range. At least that was the case around the Fitzhugh area when a friends son hit a cow on a road, livestock owner claimed free range, not responsible.

OP needs to verify if the area he was on is free range, if it is free range, tough luck. Good luck tho getting anyone with livestock to own up to one of their animals being on a road.

Now a side note about free range, free range can also be hunted and fished, no permission needed from what I have been told.

Its a line that livestock owners love to use when it benefits them, but dont like it when its turned around on them LOL.

OK is not al all free range in any of its 77 counties. Hasn't been since I was alive.
Now I do know CO and WY and some.others are but it must be posted on the road signs as Hazzard alert, just like sharp curves with speed warnings.

 

[Snattlerake]

Dad always said two things.

1. Good fences breed good neighbors.

2. If I ever hit a cow out of its fence, it will surely be the only one without a brand.

 

[Uncle TK]

OK is not al all free range in any of its 77 counties. Hasn't been since I was alive.
Now I do know CO and WY and some.others are but it must be posted on the road signs as Hazzard alert, just like sharp curves with speed warnings.

Free Range Ended in 1895

When Did Open Range End In Oklahoma? - PartyShopMaine

In 1895 the open range was declared closed by the territorial legislature, and by the first year of the new century almost all Indian lands had been settled. Cattle raising in Oklahoma during the twentieth century, as in the rest of the plains, moved toward improved breeds and more scientific...

partyshopmaine.com

 

[hunter966]

Talk about biting the hand that feeds. Glad the dept. of ag doesn't have the same view as some of you. Yeah, to a point it's free range. I am 15 minutes sw of Enid. No roads crossing cattle guards. And my butt is protected by the state. The only way I would be at fault is if I was a documented nuisance. As in cattle out quite often and multiple reports with OHP. $#it happens that producers can't control. I have fricken oil well pumpers leaving gates open all the time. Had some cattle get on the road about a month ago because the gate post snapped in half. It was just it's time to go. And then there's hot fence. Real popular with cattle on wheat in the winter in my area. We use it on land we rent. Usually the owner is too big of a tight a$$ to put up 5 strand barb wire. We aren't going to invest thousands in fencing in something we might not be farming in the foreseeable future. Get a winter storm at night that knocks out the power, and the hot fence is dead. Cattle crowd the downwind side of fences in storms. Some are going to push through and be out. Have to wait till morning to put them back in. They can't see worth a hoot at night. Now if someone has cattle out all the time, he needs to be called in to the highway patrol. He's just being a lazy sack that is giving us guys that give a damn a bad reputation.

I agree with everything you said, no problems at all with any of these things that would happen.

Talked to “freaking neighbors” adjuster and neighbor told him his fences aren’t great but they’re not that bad. Adjuster asked if I could get pics of neighbors fence. I walked less than 100 yards and found at least 4 places where wires were pushed almost to the ground by tree limbs, another place where wires were off the T post and separated wide apart and one place whEre multiple wires are broke and have been so long they’re rusted.

 

[hunter966]

Free Range Ended in 1895

When Did Open Range End In Oklahoma? - PartyShopMaine

In 1895 the open range was declared closed by the territorial legislature, and by the first year of the new century almost all Indian lands had been settled. Cattle raising in Oklahoma during the twentieth century, as in the rest of the plains, moved toward improved breeds and more scientific...

partyshopmaine.com

From what I read on the www Oklahoma used to be a fence out state, where you put fence up to keep livestock off you’re property, and now it’s a fence in state, to keep your livestock off the roads, neighbors etc.

I have cattle myself and sure enough they get out but it’s very seldom, usually cause I had a brain fart and left a gate open.

 

[Okie4570]

Over the last 20y I can't tell you how many times I've been on a cow vs vehicle accident. I don't recall it ever being the same cattle owner more than once and I don't ever remember not being able to ID the cattle owner within the first few minutes on scene. Not one time has the cattle owner been declared at fault. I do know a couple guys who've been taking pics of fences and gates and calling the sheriff each time and documenting dates and times, because they are out frequently, and it's going to happen sooner or later and are hoping they won't get stuck with the repair bill.

 

[hunter966]

Most folks do try and take care of their fences. You said you didn’t recall it ever being the same landowner, I guess that’s a good thing, sounds like they took care of the problem when it came up.

This jackwagon doe not do that. Just in the 4 miles from town where I live he’s got 4 places and each place has cattle out weekly except for one and that place isn’t in a county road.