There aren’t many genuine cattle drives left in the world, rues experienced Alberta ranchman Keith Lane. Everywhere is just getting too crowded.

But twice a year, for almost a week during August or October, you can visit the Willow Lane Ranch that Keith owns and runs with his wife LeAnne in Granum, Alberta. And you can herd cattle the old fashioned way, with cowboys and cowgirls who live the authentic life.

“A cattle drive is basically taking cattle from one point to another,” says Keith, though he admits there’s a bit more to it. “Cattle drives are becoming a thing of the past, but you can do them with us.”

You can find Alberta ranch packages that include cattle drives and other adventures. Read on to discover what you need for true grit with our cattle drive round up.

How to Get the Job Done

Twice a year, the Lanes move 75 head of yearlings to pasture in a progam they call The City Slickers Cattle Drive.

Everyone has a specific job on a cattle drive, says Keith. In most cases, you have someone out front, riding point, and then you have people riding along the side. “It depends how long these cattle stretch out,” he says. “Depending on the cattle drive, you can let the cattle go at their speed, so there will be a few guys at the side and some at the back called the drag.”

“Some people look at the old Rawhide movies and see the guys in the back being in the dust, and they may not like that so much, but they are a necessary part of the job,” he adds “You have to work in a ‘u’ shape and be like a roving ‘u’, so if the cattle go one way, everyone will have to shift to move with the cattle to put them where they need to be.”

If you let an animal get out because you weren’t paying attention or it sneaks out between you and someone else, then it’s your job to get him and bring him back. “You shift back and forth along the way, and if it’s done the right way, it’s an easy job and the cattle will get there in good shape,” explains Keith.

First Time? The Biggest Challenge

The biggest challenge for people doing this for the first time is getting the horse to do what you want them to do. Keith has a different challenge. “Many beginner riders stop the horse from doing what he’s supposed to do, so it’s a challenge for me to keep people going,” he says.

“Most of my horses know how to work with cattle but sometimes riders disrupt that,” adds Keith. “In our cattle drives, we will take beginning riders with us from the ranch to the forestry and we take it pretty easy. We take two days and come back to the ranch in the middle, so they have a soft day at the end of the day. We put the cattle in the corral or the pasture and then go back and start again.”

Levels of Experience

Anyone with a little bit of riding can do this job, says Keith. “Now, if we were in the hills doing a Porcupine Hills Cow Camp, we’d request intermediate riders, who will have more hours in the saddle. Because if you’re doing a drive where you have to stay in the saddle seven or eight hours at a time, and be content with the trees and everything else, you’ll need more experience.”

Get Your Hands Dirty

At the cow camp you may do some fence work and more, depending on what you can do. “We don’t let anyone rope unless they can prove it,” says Keith. “Even to hold cows down, you need knowledge. I am very concerned about keeping people safe, but if you want, you can get hands your dirty.”

Cowboys and Cowgirls Welcome

Most of the Willow Lane cattle drives attract women, but there are men, too. “We get a lot of Europeans and we are considered a safe destination, because many single women will come out for our trips,” says Keith. “We’ll pick them up the Calgary International Airport and bring them to the ranch, but otherwise it’s about sixty per cent women and forty per cent men coming out.”

What Gear to Bring

You need to have boots, and Keith prefers cowboy boots or boots that don’t lace up. “It’s a safety thing,” he says. “We suggest you bring rain gear, and a hat. The cowboy hat has a purpose, it keeps rain and sun off you. Ånd we suggest you have chaps, and we do rent chaps. The chaps protect you from the brush and the trees when you’re in the hills.”

This Ain’t No Diet Ranch

Count on some down home cookin’, Western style. When you’re in Alberta, you’re in beef country.

“We are not a diet ranch, we are a beef ranch, and my wife is a very good cook,” says Keith proudly. “We have three to four course meals. If you don’t gain weight she is not very happy. We serve our own Alberta beef, also chicken and pork and wine and beer and buns, of course. And dessert, always.”

Other Cattle Drives

Aside from Willow Lane, Lucasia Ranch Cattle Drives, Mountain Meadow Cattle Drives, and Brown Creek Cattle Camps are other ranches in Alberta that are all available in the cattle drives package offered by Home on the Range Adventure Tours Ltd.