The Desert Cowboy of America's Great Basin 

Sheep herding in very rough conditions, locations no help except from his dogs, requires a special personality/person. My cousin from Peru was a herder, who preferred to being alone, away from humans. The family could rely on him to manage and protect the herd and dogs with his life. To the family they understood my cousin/s nature and cherished him like royalty. So to this herder Francisco, life is good, he is satisfied man.

This is what my dad did as a teen in Durango, Mexico. Loved watching this cause I always imagine what it must’ve been like for him.

Not bad looking merinos

I really enjoyed the serenity of the video. Seems boring compared to the hustle and bustle of modern life, but I found it incredibly peaceful.

Beautifully shot film. The quiet way the story was told perfectly matches the quiet nature of the desert landscape.

I stumbled on this video in my suggested feed. So glad I found it. What an amazing short documentary. The world needs more people willing to work hard. Farmers, ranchers, trade workers, police officers, nurses, etc., all amazing people. Makes me miss working around cattle from when I was in high school

I often see these sheep camps ,hunting in Nv ,Co,every yr . Always curious about the sheep headers. Thank you .great documentary 👍

Finally, dogs doing what they were bred to do. Those border collies are at home wrangling sheep and riding in truck beds.

Barely a word was said during the whole length of the film, yet it conveys so much

En Polonia, las ovejas son montañas. Es un trabajo igual de duro. Me alegro de que alguien esté documentando tu vida. Saludos desde Polonia. Hola amigos

That was excellent, a pure documentary. Also refreshing to see a part of the world that still abides to nature's rhythm. Really well done.

This man has a sense of solitude that Buddhist Monks chase for

Love the Intermountain west. Society sucks. What beauty and serenity looks like. A man and his dogs just chilling. Excellent video

Jakins are Jenius's - fantastic, not a word spoken, but I spent 18 minutes in the desert - I want to go back....now!!

Beautiful. Those are some happy dogs!

I’m from the Great Basin. There are places you can look out over and not even see a road or utility line. Just as it’s been for thousands of years. It’s so quiet that your ears hurt searching for any sound.

I have a mobile repair business & occasionally I work on sheep herder vehicles here in the outback Idaho Rockies & most of the herders are from South America like Peru & Bolivia. Loved the video, it's always a great place to be where the people are not!

TRUE DOCUMENTARY, amazing work. Static beautiful shots, Non influenced depiction of cowboy, congrats to creators!!

Beautiful documentary! Hard working, dedicated man. I hope his employer values him and gives him a good wage for his commitment to the flock.

Would you rather be here or in a cubicle computer coding? This is what a man does.

So amazing how no words can be spoken and yet the beauty of Mother Nature and this great land takes voice yelling through its amazingly stunning videography and cinematography in its greatest form ! Semper Fi

Trabajo duro y en soledad.

I live in the Great Basin, love this short video. I cherish where I live every minute of every day. A window into the life of a herder. My favorite dogs, working both sheep and cattle are very special. The only dogs I've ever owned except for Blue, and Red Heelers. A great read, Sweet Promised Land by Robert Laxalt.

Such a man is exceptional in life. He's a modern day Shepard. He's is content with little. His main concern are the sheep and dogs. If only, people could learn to be as contend what a wonderful world of would be. Thank you for showing us such a beautiful film.

Simple. Beautiful. That man has so much more than money can ever buy. He is living life. Love this.

my family is going through major loss right now Mom and Dad Both passed within a few weeks of each other and this was refreshing... and Lifted My spirit...Gad Bless the unseen Cowboys and their Companion...Beautifully Done!

Very nicely shot! Would’t he rather be the Desert Shepherd, though?

My grandpa worked in montana as a sheep herder with a mexican group. He learned spanish. He was Navajo. So he spoke Navajo and Spanish. He left to the montana mountains because of the draft in WW2.

For those who have never visited the high desert it's a place of great beauty and changeable weather.

It is a work or art! Best film I have seen in a least 10 years, hard working people are the real super heroes!!!!!!!!

They should have at least gave him a voice or a minute or two to tell his story. Men like this don’t get a voice in this country.

Whats the struggle? Not his first rodeo, he knew what he was getting into. This is typical work for a sheep herder.

He said a lot without saying a word! Love it!!

My goodness this was an amazing to experience. My great grandfather's were mestizo sheep herders in that region, awesome to see what it would be like today🙌

The first cowboy. The Mexican.

The word cowboy is misused here, he doesn't herd cows. He herds sheep. Therefore he is a Sheepherder or shepherd. What's the heck wrong with you people?

Intimate, beautiful and real.

Hauntingly severe, hard-scrabble yet peaceful life... thank you, a beautifully crafted film!👏

A fantastic documentary on the life of a desert cowboy /shepherd.This man is some man for one man ,Complete with rifle for coyotes X Maremma sheepdogs X border collies ,they leave nothing to chance .I'm guessing he only works for the sheep owner ,Pay him well ,good men are hard to find,and they don't get any better than that man ,He's tremendous at his job .I'd give him a straight 10out of 10,I live in Ireland and it's so different here than in Mexico .Great great documentary,and hardly a word spoken in it ,I loved it

A thankless job. Not many will work like this anymore! Thank you Francisco Llerena for your dedication and hard long days & nights.

Love beginning of video with Ibex dry lake bed with House Range and Notch Peak in the back ground. Even Utah's central West Desert has it's own beauty to it.

This movie speaks Volume through actions not sound...🤠👍🐕🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐕

Perfectly filmed.

Outstanding. I wish The Atlantic still produced videos like this.

He is a shepherd. Do not see cows. Tough, lonely life. Love the dogs. Appreciate his hard work.

The Great Basin of the West. When the settlers saw that basin as they left the Wasatch Range? They were astonished and Depressed. Many a settler died in The Great Basin.

sheep herder, not a cowboy. No Subarus, no lattes, dogs that mind because they have a purpose, awesome

Had a relative who grad from HS then left for Vietnam. Later when he came back took up ranching on Wym sheepherding cattle etc. Retired after so long. Wow he passed on i wondering time he spent ranching. RIP J Begay

The Atlantic has really been putting out some impressive, provocative videos recently.

Well that was enthralling

Nice to know that people still work for a living...

It’s like watching Jesus on Horseback lol

The great pictures don't need any words .... good job.👍 Best regards from Germany

Hate t break it to ya boys but these here are sheep herders, not coyboys.

So relaxing seems like zen driving around that water truck all day.

One of the best documentaries on the "web". thanks so much!!

This is so well done thank you all very moving.

Very great video!! So much said with no speaking !!!!

Beautiful

beautiful

This real life stuff is awesome. An Odyssey.

Absolutely beautiful! BRAVO!

This guy will never get Covid or any of its variants.

More of this please! Great work.

give me Will Penny any day. With all the Mormon's your faith create, you can't find a Mormon village member that doesn't want to go to college to do this job???? Amazing!!

Misleading title

This is STUPID! Said they were cowboys, yet the are working sheep????

👍🏼tranquilidad.

I saw shepherd's around Reno ,and I stop to talk . My Dad spoke Basque , Spanish , and could find out where deer were. . My spanish was limited but guys I met were from Chili , and his sheep dog had puppies. He wanted sell me one for $ 50.00 . Man that was my mistake not to buy that dog .

This is special.

This guy is a real Cowboy, the real deal. He earned it.

High desert above the 37th parallel is nothingness, but it’s still everything you need.

Thank you Atlantic. I live in the mountain west and I would never want to be anywhere else.

Sheep herders not cowboys! Raised on a sheep ranch! Hated those mountain maggots then and at 75 years old still hate the stink of them.

Just you the dogs and the livestock and God, Beautiful :)

This was a fantastic video,....thanks for making it, just loved it.

Sheepboys, not cowboys. I didn't see any cows.

Love it!! Thanks Atlantic

Really nice film! Thx!

This video is about a sheep herder, why is it called "The Desert Cowboy"?

I really enjoyed this film. I feel they do a lot of none other could endure. Thanks again!

Saw a shepherd. Didn’t see a single cowboy.

That’s 20 minutes of my life, I’ll never get back

Nice to see there are some real cowboys.

Omg…

@5:35: The literary irony of the background sound is stark.

Awesome not a single word was said yet it told so much.

This may be where we are headed..middle east economics and climate.

Thanks guys from Neola

A sheepherder is not a cowboy.

I always thought a cowboy herded cows and a shepard leads his sheep.

In 100 years we will be farming on the moon.

That’s Living at it’s Best !

A beautiful video. Thank you 🦋🦋🦋

I was wondering when I was gonna see a catch pen…..

Please more videos of that kind

Not as glamorous as Hollywood paints it

I respect that lifestyle

Surely one of the last real cowboys.

Great video on desert sheep herding. Why in gods name would you title it as cowboys??? While doing similar work, they are worlds apart in culture and philosophy.