Sheep Wagon, the Life of, by Pierre Etchemendy

The life of this sheep wagon according to Prosper Etchemendy, owner.

I was built in about 1929 in Buffalo, WY by Jimmie Henderson for Prosper’s uncle. I was originally used around the Buffalo-Arvada-Clearmont area.

In this era I was lived in year round by the herder. Sometimes 2 people would stay in a wagon my size. In bigger wagons 3 or 4 people could stay.

I was moved whenever the sheep were out of grass to eat, or if it was lambing or shearing time we moved to the corrals. Before the 1930’s I was pulled by team of horses. A supply wagon was also pulled along to carry firewood, water, coal and shelled corn in the winter time to feed the sheep.

Prosper has lived in a sheep wagon during several winters and he says it is fine! In the winter time as many as 2000 head of sheep were cared for by each herder. Most of the summer herds were 1000 ewes and lambs.

A herder’s duties were to care for the sheep, make sure they had food and water and to carry a gun to shoot at the predators and kill them if possible.

Most of the time, the owner of the sheep brought food to the herder on a regular schedule.

Each sheepherder had one or more dogs to help handle the sheep. When asked if the dogs slept inside the wagon, Prosper said “No, they slept on gunny sacks (burlap bags that feed came in) under the wagon.” Often canvas skirts were put around the bottom of the wagon to help keep the wagon warm and the dogs would sleep in there protected from the weather. The dogs ate the sheep that died. Prosper added the dogs were “probably better cared for than the herder’s wives!”

The sheepherder counted sheep before moving so they wouldn’t leave any behind.

“The pay was miniscule! During the Second World War, wages were $150-$175.00 per month. Laborers were in short supply. The herders knew it and were hard to get along with. One big outfit I knew would send a 11/2 ton Chevy truck to town about every day, loaded with sheepherders coming and going. “

“Believe it or not-Prosper Etchemendy ”

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