Cow Hitch (Lark's Head)

One of the most basic hitches. It involves two hitches where both ends exits the knot from the same side. It is called a cow hitch when its tied with a length of rope and its referred to as a Girth Hitch when it's tied with a loop of rope.

How to Tie:

If around an object, make one half hitch and then make another in the opposite direction. Both ends of the rope will be exiting the crossover at the same spot. If you are making this to drape over something or to tie a Woodlands Zip-Tie, just take both hands and pinch the rope next to each other. Then twist your hands in opposite directions and fold the loops together.

Whether you are using it for quick tool organization on a staging deck or as a temporary lanyard attachment, the cow hitch is a fundamental component of practical field rigging. While it lacks the extreme grip required for heavy, high-voltage wire pulls, its sheer simplicity and speed make it an indispensable asset for daily material handling. Master this basic connection to streamline your workflow on the job site, and ensure you also look into more specialized Cow Hitch-based friction hitches like the Woodlands Ziptie for better bundle control or the Prusik Hitch for securing temporary power cables.

Uses for Electricians

The Cow Hitch is an excellent tool when running big PVC underground conduits. I will tie a piece of mule tape into a loop that's 4 to 6 feet long. Then I'll drape this over a pipe and run it around and back through itself, making a quick pulling hitch. Then when it's time to glue the pipes together, this hitch can be used to quickly and powerfully slide the fittings together and seal them well. It makes a world of different when you are trying to seat a stubborn 6" PVC pipe.

It is also great for quickly attaching a lanyard to a tool from any loop knot. The Running Bowline knot incorporates a Cow Hitch in its structure and is my preferred tool lanyard knot.