Hello Gail,
I've not heard any ranch hands use this term, but after a quick google
search, it sounds like "bushing" refers to releasing the herd after
counting and perhaps branding or marking.  Cowboys use the verb as a short
hand for "release the cattle into the bush."  I expect you already know
that there are several distinct cattle ranching traditions that came
together at Nevada and Utah, which will complicate your study a bit.  It
might help to look into where your ranger learned to ride and drive a
herd.  That will give you clues about whether to compare the language to
the traditions from Texas, California, or elsewhere...

Cheers,
Tim


> Hi all:
>     I am transcribing a 1912 Forest Ranger diary and have run across a
> term
> that I do not understand.
>     The stockmen and Forest Rangers are conducting a cattle drive to count
> the number head on the range and match with permits that have been issued.
> They drive the cattle into a corral, count them and bush them.
>     What do they mean by "bush" them?
> gail carbiener
> =============================
>     Here is an excerpt from the dairy:
> "Sent the men out. Put two shoes on my horse and rode to the meadows and
> unpacked & had dinner. Then rode to Burgess ranch and counted & Bushed the
> cattle gathered."
>
>     McAllister was the Assistant Forest Supervisor on the Dixie National
> Forest at the time headquartered in St. George, Utah. He was there and my
> diaries cover the period from 1907 to 1919. The diaries a hard cover
> books,
> 6 1/2" x 4 3/4" with about 200 pages, yellow paper blue lines vertical and
> horizontal making 1/4" squares. His detail is wonderful.
>     At the time the Dixie NF covered the area from Cedar City and Zion
> south
> to Arizona, and included the Arizona strip, west to Nevada, northwest to
> Modena at the railroad. In 1912 this was significant and strong Mormon
> country, still is.
>     Last night I transcribed a day that included another, but different,
> reference to "bush." Here it is:
> ====================
> Wednesday June 26, 1912
>
> Rode with Lee Terry and Joe Woodbury to the head of Slaughter creek and
> geathered [gathered] cattle from there down west & north of Big Mountain.
> Drove to Pulsipher's corral and counted & Bushed. Pulsipher corral is a
> fright of a place. The corral is side hill and rough and it is bad to get
> in
> either down the creek or around the ledge. Rode back to Pine Canyon &
> geathered [gathered] cattle as we went. A bush of a tail was found on the
> trail as Pulsipher, Benson & I came along. The rest of the boys were 1/4
> of
> a mile ahead. After thinking & talking the matter over we found there was
> no
> way of finding out how the tail came there. I advised John to call all
> together and tell them what had happened and that we would not stand for
> it
> and if it was done their permits would be cancelled [canceled]. Whipple
> was
> at camp when we returned and he reported very few cattle in Nephi Canyon
> or
> around Terry's Ranch.
>
>


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