As your driving down the road in Montana you might have noticed an old boot sitting on a fence post. "That's kind of odd," you think to yourself, and maybe it gnaws at you, "why was that boot on that fence." Well once you know, I think you'll realize why if you should come across another, it's best to just leave them alone.

K99 logo
Get our free mobile app

Farmers and ranchers are the backbone of both America and Montana. Hard working people with plenty of traditions that are sometimes not known or misunderstood by those not familiar with that world. Placing a boot over a fence post is one of those traditions.

Why would a Montana farmer or rancher put a boot on a fence post?

Canva
Canva
loading...

Thankfully the website Classroom has the answer, or should we say, answers for why a rancher or farmer places a old worn out boot on a fence post

  • It could represent the death of that rancher/farmers horse they shared a bond with
  • It could a hands boots after they pass away
  • To represent the hard work put in with those boots. Once they wear out, they go on the fence to show what was possible thanks to those boots.

Less likely today, but one of the reasons years ago, was to let others know the farmer and/or rancher was home. This was before the invention of the telephone or electricity. A boot on the fence let passerby's know that the work day was done and you could visit knowing they were home.

So the next time you see an old boot or two on the fence post, pay a little respect and leave the boots alone. The men and women who work the land thank you for it.

KEEP READING: Here are the states where you are most likely to hit an animal

Hitting an animal while driving is a frightening experience, and this list ranks all 50 states in order of the likelihood of such incidents happening, in addition to providing tips on how to avoid them.

KEEP READING: These 11 Items You Should NEVER Buy At A Montana Dollar Store

The Dollar Tree can be a great place to save some much needed money. According to Bob Vila's website, there are 11 items that you should NEVER buy and just leave on the shelf.

LOOK: States with the most people earning $1 million or more

Stacker examined Internal Revenue Service tax return data to see which states had the highest share of people who earned $1 million or more in 2019.

More From K99