Can Anyone Tell Me About This Old Cattle Brand?

Wyatt Burp · Sep 16, 2014

Check out the cattle brand in the stock of this old Winchester. My dad acquired the gun in the late 50s. Is there a way to track down old obscure registered cattle brands? Also, I'm thinking of hijacking the brand and put it on a holster I'm making for myself, but I don't want to make it upside down. Is it a "seven something" or an "L" something? Since I associate the brand with my dad and with this old heirloom .44-40, I thought I would call it mine.

sipowicz · Sep 16, 2014

You found it! That was my dad's rifle. It was stolen off our cattle ranch back in 1959. The brand is actually directions to the ranch from the highway. I'll pm my address so you can mail it back to me.

Wyatt Burp · Sep 16, 2014

sipowicz said:
You found it! That was my dad's rifle. It was stolen off our cattle ranch back in 1959. The brand is actually directions to the ranch from the highway. I'll pm my address so you can mail it back to me.

I'll start boxing it up right now. Now where did I put that bubble wrap....

Maddog 521 · Sep 16, 2014

You normally read brands from the left. Yours could be--lazy 2, lazy double L, or many more. Rather unique isn't it.

OLDNAVYMCPO · Sep 16, 2014

The way cattle brands work in Texas, the brands are registered in the county where the livestock resides, not necessarily where the owner lives. Each owner registers his individualized brand. Some effort is made to be distinct from your neighbors for obvious reasons. There are literally thousands upon thousands of different brands, active and inactive. Only the most famous, such as XIT, get remembered. I'm sure California brands are handled in a similar fashion. You can find books on brands but they apply only to a particular area and only for a specific time. Some brands are in such common use such as rafter 7, the owners must register a mark also such as a ear notch or dew lap( notch in neck skin). I would think you are free to use that brand to mark equipment without worrying about infringing on anyone's property rights.

THE PILGRIM · Sep 16, 2014

Same in NM. You bovine must be branded to legally sell it. One of my associates used to run a couple of cows just to keep his land tax down.
Being as we are a cowboy state, your grazing land gets a tax break for cows.
He was really was a horse type of guy, but no tax break for them.
He didn't have a brand. So his neighbor would brand his two cows and then write him a bill of sale paid in full.

jag312 · Sep 16, 2014

In California, the brands are registered with the State. There is an online list of current livestock brands. Anyone can submit an brand design for registration. I have a registered livestock brand in my name.

jag312 · Sep 16, 2014

CDFA > AHFSS > BUREAU OF LIVESTOCK IDENTIFICATION > 2010 BRAND BOOK

Here is the website where you can get some information concerning livestock brands.

walkin jack · Sep 16, 2014

Maddog 521 said:
You normally read brands from the left. Yours could be--lazy 2, lazy double L, or many more. Rather unique isn't it.

I would guess and that is all it is is a guess that it would be "lazy". If it were just tilted at 45 deg with a semi-circle under it I'd call it "rocking". and I agree that it would be something like Lazy 2L or some variation of that.

feralmerril · Sep 16, 2014

I remember one was 2 (lazy 2) P.

Herknav · Sep 16, 2014

The online tracker is neat, but I wouldn't think it would tell you anything historical. In OK, the Cattleman's Association used to put out a book every year with all of the registered brands in the state. It might be worth a shot to see if your registering organization has any historical books you can peruse. Think of a brand registration as you would a car registration. It has to be renewed periodically.

As an aside, more than one person can use the same brand in OK, they just have to specify a different place on the animal.

jag312 · Sep 16, 2014

The brand on the Winchester is very similar to a brand registered to Wolfsens Feed Lots in Los Banos.

Airpark · Sep 16, 2014

feralmerril said:
I remember one was 2 (lazy 2) P.

Actually one of the more famous Texas brands.

Story goes that is was done by a lady who owned and ranched about 10,000 acres and had a husband who refused to work so she made the brand and called is as you said. "Too lazy to pee."

Old 44 Guy · Sep 16, 2014

The one I saw in Idaho once was Lazy ***.

perrazi · Sep 17, 2014

sorry I can't help with the brand, but you have a nice Winchester there.

Leslie Sapp · Sep 17, 2014

If you have an idea where the rifle came from, check the "brand book" at the courthouse there. I went down to our county court house some years back to investigate my family brand and earmarks history. I was escorted way back in the records section and after some searching, we found a massive leather bound ledger containing generations of registered marks. Fascinating reading if you know most of the old families like I do.

feralmerril · Sep 17, 2014

Wyatt, dont you think there is some chance that could be a rack number for a prison rifle?

Wyatt Burp · Sep 17, 2014

jag312 said:
The brand on the Winchester is very similar to a brand registered to Wolfsens Feed Lots in Los Banos.

It's identical! Either the brand pictured is upside down, which I doubt, or I just assumed it was an "L" with a curve on top. Thanks a lot. That was some digging for you to find that.

Can Anyone Tell Me About This Old Cattle Brand?

Wyatt Burp

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sipowicz

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Wyatt Burp

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Maddog 521

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OLDNAVYMCPO

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THE PILGRIM

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jag312

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jag312

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walkin jack

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feralmerril

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Herknav

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jag312

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Airpark

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Old 44 Guy

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perrazi

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Leslie Sapp

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feralmerril

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Wyatt Burp

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