Sometimes a legal proof of ownership would not be accepted, for the owners were determined to stamp out the rustling business.
Deprived by this means of a market for their hoof cattle, the rustlers were compelled to butcher their cattle or drive to Montana.

The latter recourse was not only difficult and dangerous, but there was no certainty of a market when accomplished, as the Live Stock Association kept a vigilant watch on all Wyoming cattle.
The other scheme was unsatisfactory, but it was all that was left to the rustlers.

They employed a number of butchers at Buffalo to do their killing for them, but even then they were not sure of always getting their meat marketed.
In the summer of 1891 the rustlers ran waggons openly on all the three great round-ups, and worked the round-up just as if they were a regular Association outfit.

They also gathered in all the mavericks, and no one dared interfere.
It should be added that no more dangerous set of men can be found anywhere than the Wyoming rustlers.

No living being excels them in horsemanship.