After a long and complicated Monday packing orders this past week, exhausted, we arrived back home in the dark to do chores. But there was a sight in the night that made us halt. We gathered quietly on the patio to watch the fire. Gale force hot winds blasted the high country of our summer …
Evacuating Snakebite
The 800 pound steer we call Snakebite charged and knocked Indiana intern Renae off of her feet, and proceeded to trample her. He had already had enough human interaction for a day, and it was payback time. The rope, freshly attached to his neck pushed him to his breaking point, and when he turned to …
Fires
Like many in the West, our lives are defined by fire. AUGUST 3: 1600 HOURS. There a massive column of smoke erupting from behind the Moose Creek ridge. I can see it from headquarters, even though the ridge is 15 miles away, and is a little obscured by the haze caused by distant wildfires in places …
Denizens Don’t Steal
At the crack of dawn today, I discovered myself a victim. I recognized this feeling. It was a weaker manifestation of the same sensation I had when I discovered that several antique firearms I had on display on my wall in the ranch house had been stolen. It wasn't until the perpetrator was …
Into the Wild after Weeds
I was the Forage Scout yesterday. What that entails is getting my 56 year old rear end fastened to a dirt bike for a rough and tumble journey of 140 miles across hill and dale and mountain and canyon and seeing what the grassland situation is across all of our wilderness range. There's some old …
Classy Coats on the Leaves of Grass
As I was crawling up Larkspur Canyon in my non-late model Chevy pickup, I kept my eyes peeled for the huge rocks that would roll down on to the densely vegetated two-track from the steep walls that soared above me. Only we drive this remote jeep trail smack dab in the middle of our wild grazing …