Category: Cowboy Common Sense

What Really Happens if Elk Feeding Ends

There are those who advocate the elimination of elk feedgrounds, including the National Elk Refuge. I call that ideology foolishly impractical. I challenged them to submit their plan. In response, they delivered a research paper to me entitled “What Happens When Elk Feeding Ends”. In this treatise their main claim is that since many other places throughout the west have viable elk herds without artificial feeding, then northwest Wyoming can do the same. This is not a valid argument or comparison for the following reasons; 1) Our harsh winters are much worse than any other elk area. 2) No area…

Continue reading

TAKE YOUR GUN TO CHURCH

As they escorted the young man out of our worship service, I immediately thought, “What if he goes to his car and returns with a gun? We are sitting ducks!” It was obvious the man was not ‘all there’, having some kind of mental illness. He could be upset that he wasn’t allowed “to preach to the people” as he had expressed an intention of doing. Revenge was a possibility. I looked at all possible means of defense. Nothing more formidable than a hymn book or bible was at hand. I sweated out the last 15 minutes of the service.…

Continue reading

The Grinch, himself, carved the roast carrot

A strange thing happened to me the other day. On a late hunt I was in pursuit of the wily wapiti. I was following a fresh set of tracks, which looked like they could have been made by a bull elk, but they looked a bit strange. Just different, somehow. Finally I got a glimpse of a grayish-tan hide through the bushes. Gray? It should be reddish brown, but I’ve seen odd-colored elk before. There!! The tip of an antler! I started to shoot, but my training kicked in; “Positively identify your target.” The antlers had a strange configuration. Palmated…

Continue reading

BLM Lacks Horse Sense in Managing Mustangs

Horse sense is sadly lacking where management of the wild mustang is concerned. I see that a Judge dismissed the suit that Wyoming brought against the BLM for having too many cayuses on the range. It seems the critters are competing with Wyoming cattle, not to mention damaging habitat meant for native wildlife such as camelopes, muleys, and wapiti. The Wyoming Governor is quoted as saying the BLM “fails to comply with applicable law.” Well, you can pass all the “applicable law” you want, but the biological urge to reproduce trumps any law you can concoct in the hallowed halls…

Continue reading