[Jacob-list] A Pretty amazing sheep story

[Gotothewhip at aol.com]

Im pretty embarrassed to tell this story.. as I thought  I checked out who 
had bought my sheep from me.. But I didnt.. I was pretty  embarrased that he was 
one of ine.. But so glad to have him home &  safe
 
Im still in shock....

This Tuesdays local paper  had a STRANGE ad in it.  It said Ram found in 
Watkins (About 12  miles west of me) need to find owner.. I thought it was 
curious.. But I'm  not missing any sheep.. so thought nothing of it.

I was working at the  local vet clinic today.. Got a call from the guy who 
found the ram.. He had  questions on care of a sheep as nobody had called to 
claim the ram.  He  asked me if I "knew about sheep breeds".. I said "I do"  He 
said he had  what thought was a Jacob ram... Curious.. There are not a huge # 
of Jacobs in  Colorado...... but i had not sold any in the Watkins area.

We visit a  bit, and he asked me if I would consider taking the sheep.. I 
said "Sure"   I asked him if the sheep had 2 or 4 horns... He said 4.  And I 
asked him if  it was gray and white or black and white.. He said Gray.. I really 
got a weird  feeling at that point.. as there are VERY FEW Lilac  Jacobs in the 
 state....  BUT .. AGAIN.. I was NOT missing any Rams!  He said the ram  had 
funny forward pointing horns... an odd trait .. I explained that that was  
Undesirable in the Jacobs.

I got to thinking.. I DID sell a Wether  (Castrated male) Lilac with 4 weird 
horns in MARCH but that was to  a person well over 40 miles away in the 
OPPOSITE  direction.....But I have spoken to his owner since.. and  he hadn't said a 
thing.. Not to mention.. he still hadn't paid for that  wether!


Well.. I grabbed my registration papers and photos .. I  figured I would show 
the guy what MY sheep look like... 

I get there..  and meet him out in front.. We talk a bit.. he tells me that 
this sheep has been  running the neighborhood (several homes on small acreage's 
) for 3  weeks or so.. He saw him and penned him up.

I opened my book.. and a  picture of "Spaz".. the Lilac wether I sold and he 
points.. asks if  they ALL look the same.. I said"No... he is an odd ball"  He 
says" I have  that sheep in my  backyard...."?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

We walk back there.. and there is Spaz....a  bit worse for wear but 
DEFINITLEY the sheep I sold (and never got paid  for) a few months prior.

Spaz left the flock this guy had on  several THOUSAND acres of land.. and 
traveled..   He crossed I-70 at  some point... went past 3 towns....somehow did 
not get eaten by a  Coyote....

Needless to say.. Spaz now has a FOREVER home.

I just  feel like I'm living a Disney movie...I wish he could talk. and tell 
me how he  got where he was and his adventures along the way.....How on earth 
did he find  water.. not get eaten or run over or so many likely outcomes...

How on  earth did it work out that the ONE day per week I work at the clinic 
, he  happens to call, and speak WITH ME?????
 
We got Spaz home, and sheared him off... found a few  old wound and lots of 
barbed wire marks on his back.  We think he followed  one of the dry creek beds 
to this neighborhood.. His fleece was obviously not  something to keep... But 
was AMAZING after the top few inches.. still white as  snow and soft!
 
He had OBVIOUSLY been eating a lot of Wheat.. as he had  PLENTY saved in his 
chest area.
 
What made this guy leave the other sheep on this guys  farm?  
 
I so wish he had a camera taped to his horns...Or a GPS  unit on him!  
 
I cantstop staring at him.. wishing he would tell me  his story!
 
He seems to be glad to be home with his buddies.. Everyone got sniffed  over. 
 He is a FAR more alert sheep than anyone else. and hears  EVERYTHING!
 
He is surprisingly good flesh for living in the wild.  When we sheared  him 
off yesterday... He OBVIOUSLY had a bad case of the scours... It was mostly  
dried up, and is feces are normal now.. but the poor guy was plastered in liquid 
 poop down to the skin!  He is all slicked off.. we gave him a bath as he  
had some older wounds.. and got his behind back to being white...
 
Well.. I sure wish he could tell me how he happened to travel all that  
way....But I guess I will just have to accept he is a TOUGH JACOB!
 
 



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