hird grader Tucker Jackson joins his grandfather Larry Jones on a cattle drive out west

by Lissa Blake

It’s not a typical third-grade assignment.
But when eight-year-old Tucker Jackson of Waukon was offered the chance to go on his first cattle drive two weeks ago, he jumped at the chance.
Jackson, a student in Ms. Franks’ class at East Elementary School in Waukon, recently traveled to Pringle, SD with his grandfather, Larry Jones (Waukon High School Class of 1974), to help with an annual cattle round-up.
This was Jones' sixth trip out west to help and his grandson’s first. “Every year, they graze their cattle on ground belonging to Custer State Park. In the fall of the year, they round them all up and drive them to their winter pasture,” said Jones.
Jones and Jackson headed west on the heels of an early snow storm on the Great Plains, which was responsible for the deaths of at least three people and an estimated 100,000 cattle. Jones said as he drove through South Dakota, he saw a total of around 60 dead cattle, many of which had frozen in their tracks.
“I talked with some farmers and they said they just got disoriented. There were 70 mph winds and after breathing in that snow, many of them died of drowning,” said Jones.
Jackson said he missed most of the carnage because he was sleeping, but once when he woke up he saw a skidloader “picking them up.”

A GOOD HAND
Jones said Jackson was the youngest person on the drive, which created a lot of interest by the other men on the drive. “A lot of people think kids that age are still in the phase of riding ponies and he rides a regular quarter horse,” said Jones.
Jackson rides a 16-year-old quarter horse named Cocoa and wears a helmet. He and his family enjoy trail riding and travel to Yellow River Forest occasionally to ride.
Because his family owns cattle, Jackson also had experience sorting calves. “One of them asked if I had ever been on a cattle drive and I said I hadn’t. He said, ‘You do good for your first time,’” said Jackson.
“I think they were all pretty amazed after our first day of riding,” added Jones.

THE SIGHTS
Due to the government shut-down, the grandfather/grandson tandem wasn’t able to drive into Mt. Rushmore, but they could see it from a distance. “It looked like George Washington was crying because he has snow underneath his eyes,” said Jackson.
Other highlights of his trip included eating at the Hitch Rail Bar, finding a mule deer horn and seeing a rattlesnake with 12 buttons. When asked if he’d try it again, Jackson doesn’t hesitate. “Yes, but my sister said she’s going next year,” said Jackson of his five-year-old sister, Taylor. They are the children of Joe and Sarah Jackson of Waukon.
Jones said it was a great experience and he thinks his grandson learned a lot. “I think I might have started something - I think he’ll be coming back next year."
Jones owns his own semi and drives for Art Pape Transfer out of Dubuque.