A St. John's-area farmer has had no luck in finding a herd of cattle that have been missing since a snowstorm blew through his pastures more than a month ago.

Sam Taylor, who farms in the Foxtrap area of Conception Bay South, west of St. John's, has been scouring trails in the area for the 19-member herd.

Sam Taylor points to a section of wilderness where he believes his cattle may have headed.
(Rod Etheridge/CBC)

"They could be in a bunch of woods, not 20 feet from you, and [if] you walked by them [you] wouldn't see them," he said. "They're not making a sound."

Taylor was moving the herd, including five animals owned by other farmers, on Dec. 1. As night fell, the cattle were left out for the morning.

But an early winter storm set in, and the road to the area was not cleared for several days. By then, the cows could not be found.

Taylor believes that the cattle, which were being raised for beef, are simply missing, and have not been stolen or slaughtered.

"I don't think that at all, because I couldn't get in," he said. "If I couldn't get in, no one else could get in."

Taylor has begged provincial government officials to bring in a helicopter, but has had no luck.

Doug Rideout, who owns a cabin in the area, has been using his snowmobile to help.

"I know the country and we haven't seen a track of any cattle at all," he said.

Taylor said the search has taken a toll.

"I'm tuckered out," he said.

"I'm going over the same ground all the time, every day, and maybe sometimes twice a day. 'Cause if I got home and somebody calls me and says they [have] seen tracks, I'm gone again."

If there's one silver lining in the loss of a herd, Taylor said he has learned who his friends are — and just how many he has.

He has received tips, calls and offers of assistance from scores of people, and says hundreds of people — friends, strangers, cabin owners and even ski enthusiasts — have agreed to help him keep watch.