near miss – Page 5 – Cattle Safety

“The Bucking Bullock of Bungay”

Report number 815

Date of incident 31/8/2023

Site of incident: On Bungay Common next to the River Waveney on the edge of Bungay town, Suffolk

I had been for a swim in the River Waveney, I went through the gate that is at the end of the footbridge, onto the common, there was a herd of cows about 200m away. I didn’t have a dog.

I started to walk across the field towards the gate on the other side keeping an eye the cows all the time. One spotted me and started briskly walking towards me then bucked twice and started running towards me. I ran as fast as I could to the gate. When I got there the bullock (I think) stopped about 50m away and lost interest in me. Shocking and scary!

“There should be signs put up! This is not a remote area. I found the walk and wild swim in a guide book and the common is on the edge of a busy town so I imagine plenty of people use the common. ‘The Bucking Bullock of Bungay’ should be common knowledge by now!”

Jonathan’s unforgettable visit to Stonehenge 31/03/1972

Response ID: 293,315,471

Report number: 812

This happened a long time ago when I was just 12 years old but remains fresh in my mind like it was yesterday. Two of my older cousins aged 19 and 22, took my brother (aged 10) and I to see the stone circle at Stonehenge. After visiting the circle, we decided to walk back using the field rather than the roadway. We were walking along a well-worn footpath without a dog. There was a group of cows in the middle of the field about 300 feet away. One of them started mooing and we didn’t notice but they started moving slowly towards us.

We did not have an inkling that cows could be dangerous as in the public mind they are considered ‘gentle’ animals. They broached up around us very quickly and had us surrounded. They acted in a very aggressive manner. Luckily, my cousin had a walking stick and waved it at them, shouting. We backed up against the field’s fence and moved slowly along it without turning our backs. Eventually we came to a gate not far away and made a quick exit.

The cows followed us all the way and stood at the gate staring. I can still remember how they looked up close, they are big animals and at 12 years old they looked huge. We were all terrified and shaken & felt lucky to escape unharmed. Heaven forbid if we were not near the fence when it happened. Since that time I have enjoyed many walks in the countryside and have steadfastly refused to walk in any field with cows even if there was a public footpath. I always skirt around them. I do not believe that cows should be allowed in fields with public rights of way or they should be fenced off from the footpath. They are dangerous animals.

We need fences separating cows from public rights of way, warning signs for the public and more public awareness of the danger.

Charged at by a herd in Derbyshire

Report number: No. 749

Date of Incident 12 08 23

Location: Cliff Farm, Elton, Derbyshire. On public footpath.

Single person, no dog

When I entered the field the cattle and bull were lying down mostly at the bottom of the field a good distance away from me and the footpath. I didn’t see any young with them. As I started walking across the field they stood up and one started making an awful, aggressive sound. I continued calmly, didn’t change direction or pace and kept walking away from them.

There were a couple of cows very close to the footpath, they let me pass without any problem. I heard more noise, looked back and they were starting to walk quickly towards me, so I sped up as the field is quite big. When I looked back again they had start running towards me along with the two I had recently passed by. So I had to run!

I just made it to gap in the wall before the closest one reached me. I dived through and my ankle caught in the gap and fell. I hurt my ankle, shin and knee as I fell. It was a terrifying experience, the gate very close by was wide open and they could have come through there so I was still terrified as I crossed the next field. Thankfully, they stayed at the wall and continued to make aggressive noises.

Additional note – I had walked through another field previously with cattle (grid ref – SK21972 61197) I don’t know if it belongs to the same farm. This was a much smaller field and they had young with them. The cows didn’t mind me walking through, even though I had to walk straight through the herd and I had no issues, however I did notice as I was a good way over the field that there was a massive bull in there too with no signage anywhere. If it’s the same farm, it makes me think it’s a farmer with a bad attitude to walkers and rights of way.

Tom’s story – a cow with calf blocking the way and a blind farmer

Report number: 750

Date of incident: 7/8/23

Where: Yorkshire Dales, specifically on the public footpath between Carperby and Castle Bolton

No dog, 2 walkers

We were walking through fields toward Castle Bolton, our walk was about 90% completed. We saw ahead of us, a metal gate. On the other side of that gate, only about 15 feet away from it, we saw the rear of one cow. When we were about 45 – 50 feet from the gate we could see that the gate was the footpath’s exit route from the field. The cow turned around to face us directly. When we got a little closer we saw one very young calf (looked like it was born 5 or 10 days ago; I’ve seen a cow give birth, so I’m familiar with what a very young calf looks like,) the very young calf was suckling the cow that had just turned around to face us. We approached a little more, (now we were about 20 feet from the gate) and we saw that TWO very young calves were suckling the cow. We KNEW that we would not/could not open the gate and enter given the cow’s proximity to the gate. Also, if we had opened the gate, a dry stone wall was to our immediate right, and the cow would have been about 15 feet to our immediate left, and it was a long way to the next gate.

Dave’s story – unprovoked attack by a cow

Response ID 292,302,524, report number 799

Date: 12/10/23

Where: Near Ashley Walk Car Park, New Forest, nearest village Godshill

While walking with my 2 Cocker Spaniels this morning near Snake road we were subjected to a sustained & totally unprovoked attack by a lone dark grey cow. We were about 25 yards from the animal & heading away from it when it suddenly charged at the dogs. It took them by surprise & almost caught one of them but the dog managed to roll away from under its hooves.

Then the cow turned its attention to me & charged. It was a truly terrifying moment as it thundered towards me, only pulling up when about a foot away. I slowly backed away as it followed wild-eyed & snorting . I moved more quickly backwards without running & eventually it lost interest & we made our escape.

My dogs were unharmed, I was badly scared.

The warning signs in the New Forest are all about not letting your dog worry livestock. Nothing about the danger to humans or dogs

This has been reported to New Forest National Park Authority

There has been a huge increase in the number of cattle in the New Forest in recent years. It has become very difficult to avoid contact with them. It would be great to have some cattle-free areas where people can walk without fear of attack.

Lucy and her friends meet an excitable mob

Response ID 291,013,673

Incident number 787

Date of incident 25/09/23

Site of incident: A path on the fields surrounding Princess Helena College, School Lane, Preston, Hertfordshire, SG4 7RT. The co-ordinates for this (closed) school are 51 54′ 34″ N 0 16′ 58″ W. We entered the field at a gate on School Lane near St Albans Highway/Hitchwood Lane and exited further down School Lane near Crunnells Green.

On Monday 25th September My Dad, his friend and I were hiking in our local countryside with my dog Tabby. Tabby was on her lead at all times during the walk. Towards the end of the route we had to enter a field with some cows in. The cows were black and white and they were a herd of young animals. As we entered the field the cows were on the left of the field grazing beside the fence. We followed the designated footpath across the middle of the field. As we got closer to the cattle we started to walk wide of the path so we did not have to get too close to them.

*Photo by Julissa Helmuth on Pexels.com*

Simons story – hunted by cattle

Response ID 291,908,092, Report number 792

Date of incident: 12/09/23

no dog lone walker

I was walking on my own on a footpath on the north side of the stream which flows east to Fordingbridge from beyond Rockbourne. I entered the large field by a stile at the east end with the exit stile at the west end. The path was parallel to a fence with stream lower down & brambles & shrubs filling the gap between the barbed wire fence & stream. The field rises on the right but stays level by the fence all the way to the exit stile. It seemed a long way on level ground to the exit in the west.

After a few steps I saw cattle grazing on the sky line near the top of the field. When I next looked one was staring at me. I avoided looking at them & walked a little faster. I looked up after a few seconds and the herd of about 10 cattle were walking down hill exactly towards me. I knew if they started to go faster I would not make it to the end. I quickened without running. I felt the ground vibrating, looked sideways & saw they were running towards me. The barbed wire fence on my left had brambles & thick vegetation behind it.

Escaped over a barbed wire fence

report number 782

Response ID 290,748,076

21/09/23

Nayland, Suffolk/Essex border.

51.96661620544016, 0.8753255126471292

I was on my own crossing a field on a public footpath, no dog with me. I had walked this path before and usually there were friendly white cows in the field that paid me no attention. This time there was a new black cow (or bull – I didn’t stop to check,) that was looking at me in a menacing manner as I approached. The herd were blocking my path to the gate on the other side, so I headed around them to use a different exit to the field. Suddenly I heard a noise that made me look behind and saw a cow charging towards me. I just managed to jump over the fence to get out of the way in time.

I caught my finger jumping the barbed wire fence escaping from the charging animal.