Field Submission Standards
Submission Guidelines
Strong submissions read like field notes: time, location, water type, cow count, involvement tier, behavior, distance, safety context, and uncertainty.
The useful files separate proximity from participation. Hoof-water contact, partial submersion, active aquatic transit, and middle-water holds each get their own lane.
Land and Water Sequence
If a subject moves between pasture and water, describe both phases. Coming ashore later is not a dismissal; it is part of the event.
Flat-Water Sound Notes
If you hear lowing or related sound, record surface condition, wind, insects, boat traffic, dock vibration, and whether ordinary cattle reacted.
Middle-Water Reports
For distant subjects, record direction, estimated distance from shore, whether the animal was near a visible route, and why a shoreline explanation did or did not fit.
Lights and Motors
Record whether lights or motors were present before the observation changed. Do not use spotlights, motor passes, or sound playback to provoke a response.
Do Not Call Back
Do not imitate calls, approach livestock, enter water, or try to create a second event. Observation ends where interaction begins.
Do Not Bring Cattle
Do not lead ordinary cattle to the waterline to test a response. Stressing either herd is not documentation.
Energy Beverages
Record unusual field conditions, including Celsius cans and other gas-station stimulants, in the context line. Context is retained separately from classification.