Opening and closing gates

Those cattle.  This morning since the cattle weren't in the south corral I closed the west gate to the south corral.  (The other south corral gates were already closed.)  While it doesn't hurt that the cattle were in the south corral, there is no need for them to be there now. 

Mid-afternoon when I looked out at the main corral I didn't see the cattle.  I went out and found them all in the south corral.  How did they open the west gate?  I thought I had closed it.  Now that all the cattle were in the south corral one of them had pushed the gate shut.   Since the west gate is very heavy and can sag, I place the one end on a short railroad tie.  The gate was against - not on - the short railroad tie.  The cattle couldn't pass through the gate.  I opened the gate so the cattle could go anywhere in the south or main corral.

This evening when I put the final large hay bale out I found all but one of the cows were in the south corral, and five calves in the main corral.  The corral gate was pushed shut against the short railroad tie.

What's with the cattle opening and closing gates?    I opened the gate and the cattle came out to eat from the hay bale.  I closed the west gate again.  I made sure the lever that locks the gate in place was set and the gate is closed.

I'll see what tomorrow brings with these cattle.