Nov 7th..I navigated around this blog thing, and edited some things. Mostly I got rid of the pink background, I accidentally put on yesterday. We finished up the death lists for the UGRCA. We have 9 confirmed wolf kills, and 30 confirmed grizzly kills. Most of these are calves, but there are yearlings and cows verified also.
November 6th 2005. My sister talked me into this..I do admit it's a fun idea. Today I've worked on the computer finishing up lists of grizzly and wolf kills on the Upper Green River. For anyone who doesn't know, my soul mate and best friend, Bob and I ride for the Upper Green River Cattle Association. Bob is their foreman. I ride, take pictures of the dead animals we come across, and try to verify as bear or wolf predation, and keep books on the above. We came down from cow camp October 31st. We have been going over records since.
November 4th. Friday. Toots and Salude. We arose early, fixed a substantial breakfast. We caught, saddled, and loaded our horses in the dark and drove out to the Cora "Y". There we met Charles at 6:30 a.m. and reloaded into his trailer. We drove to Alberts, mounted up and headed to Charle's lower place. We moved his cows from his south pasture to his home ranch. I rode Honda part of the way a horse of Deano's, who we are considering buying. He's a six year old bay gelding. We had a great dinner at DeAnneÂ’s. Couched out this afternoon.
July 27th. Wednesday. Toots and Salude were the horses for the day. The obnoxious racket of BobÂ’s alarm clock went off shortly before three a.m. Getting the bed off of my back was no small ordeal. We knew we had a long day ahead, and I fixed us breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. The horses were in the corral, which meant I didnÂ’t need to go catch them in the pasture. At four we were in the corral and by four twenty we were horseback heading for the Mud Lake pasture on the second level. Bob and Charles discussed at length where every one needed to be to begin this drive to South Fish Creek Park.
As we crossed Wagon Creek in the south east pasture, Bob mentioned that not many people get to see the reflection of the moon in the creek. It was neat, without a doubt. An hour or so later, we marveled at the sun shining on the Saw Tooth Range and Bacon Ridge. It was still dusk where we were.
Its about in here where we can see lights coming up the Green River Lakes Road, and we know riders are headed up into our country. We saw about four or five headlights, some on each side of the river.
Half a mile later, we came across a moose that jumped up in front of us, and spooked our horses. Not much later as it was becoming quite light, but no sun yet, Bob spotted a grizzly bear. We watched her for at least ten minutes, winding her way around a small meadow, in and out of the short alpine willows, and into sparse aspen patches. As she ran out of the last one, only then did we realize she had two cubs. They were running all over giving her a merry chase. In fact she wound up going pretty much where they wanted. Amazingly, our horses barely paid her any attention. This is something IÂ’ve found strange in this high mountain country..that our horses are unafraid of bears. Further east about a mile, we came across two nice bucks who thought they were invisible in the trees, and didnÂ’t move as we rode past. I think it was less than a half a mile further, we stopped so I could go to the bathroom. I wasnÂ’t done when Bob said "Get back on your horse, now! ThereÂ’s a bear!" As I stepped on, we saw a grizzly come up toward us through the bushes. He came to about twenty yards from us, and just sat there and watched us. I pulled out my trusty camera, only to find out the batteries were dead. Darn! I fished out new ones, as he sat there, and was able to take his picture as he moved slowly away. Bushes did interfere with that photo, however. I was muttering about this, when back he came. We watched him for well over five minutes. He wandered around trying to figure us out, and not becoming the least aggressive. Again our horses paid him no attention. He was a light brown, with a light grizzled patch on his left shoulder. There was some grizzle on his right side, but nothing distinct. We would know him again if we saw him.
That makes four grizzlies, a moose, and two deer so far. Whoops...another deer jumped up about now, and ran up into the trees. What a day. I mentioned it would be perfect if weÂ’d just see some elk.
By now the cattle down country from us are beginning to bawl up a storm. Bob got his binoculars out and saw three bunches heading our way. We were nearly down the steep hill when we met the lead end. Zac Robert was bringing it along and Richard Huland was right there too. The lead end was in no hurry to get up that hill, and even less hurried to go up the new Crow Creek fence. I muttered several times about the problems of "creating" a "hot trail". Part way up along the new fence, we saw ravens fly off of a dead calf. Upon inspection, it turned out to be one of Charles PriceÂ’s. Bob tried to get him on the radio phone, but to no avail. We picked up the ear tag, got a gps reading, and went along driving cattle up hill. We made it into Fish Creek Park with the lead end about nine thirty. The rest trailed in for another hour. It was another hour before we dropped them on the east side at the creek crossing. We all visited a while, as stuff settled, and then we headed out. A few cows and calves beat us to the gate.
We stopped with a view of the Saw Tooth Range for our lunch under a tree. The horses were having fly trouble, so we didnÂ’t stay long. Not long after we left our lunch spot, Bob noticed another grizzly running along side of us in the bushes. Soon he appeared in front of us, and ran across the road and up Pinion Ridge. That made five grizzlys we saw today. As we neared our pasture, we could see a number of cattle stringing along toward the cattle guard. We are in the process of changing pastures, so we gathered up almost a hundred head on the creek and headed them to the cattle guard. We counted them all through the gate. On the way up the hill, I came across an old hide. Darn! Another dead calf. Actually, it was one I almost knew had to be there, but had been unable to find. IÂ’d found the kill spot two weeks before, but could find no carcass. After we got back to camp, unsaddled and put the horses out, Bob got on the four wheeler and brought the hide back to soak in the creek. He hoped to be able to tell who it belongs to, and what killed it. We packed up the truck and headed for town. We stopped at The Place for a Place Burger...which are to die for, and came home. After five grizzlies, eleven hours in the saddle, and all the other, IÂ’m the one who is dead meat. However, it was a wonderful day.
July 2nd. Saturday. TB and Pest. We rode down to the Moose Lake fence, found a gate broken and down, which Bob fixed. Pushed some cattle that apparently got out, back. Rode down Nummie Creek to the campground. Visited with some Rock Springs people. Lee Bertinoli OÂ’Farrel and her father in law, Tim. Had a neat visit. She fed us some bread pudding and pop. HeÂ’d been in 5 campaigns in WWII. She pretty much has the cabin on Lake St. just up from MotherÂ’s old home. Albert called and reported Mason pulled out. We saw him leave with a horse and his horse trailer when we left the Nummie Creek Camp Ground this morning. After lunch, we packed up for camping in the horsetrailer, caught horses, and turned them in the old pasture, and I rode Snip and led Smokie out to the trailer. We pulled it down to the Kendall Guard Station, where we parked next to the corral. As we drove in, we saw Adam, of the Game and Fish, and he reported that didnÂ’t catch the grizzly that night. We cooked supper on the Coleman Stove, and spent the night in our sleeping bags in the front of the trailer. It was neat.
July 3rd. Sunday. FF and Smokie. Got up at four and cooked breakfast of sausage and eggs. Loaded the horses and were up at the Kendall bridge at 5:30 p.m. to push SproutÂ’s cows up the WellÂ’s trail. It was a literal horse race with the cattle to get from there to the trail. Up on the hill above the WellÂ’s place, BobÂ’s horseÂ’s saddle slid back, and Smokie bucked like a bronc first up the hill then down. Bob was bucked off hard between many large rocks. When I came over the hill he was curled up holding his head. Blood was gushing out of his nose and left eye. He was complaining of his left foot and his left hand, his neck, and his ribs and his tail bone. Charles and Eddie helped get him off the hill, which was approximately 1/4 mile to SproutÂ’s truck. Bobby Gilbank chased down Smokie, resaddled him, as the saddle was under him and between his back legs. Adam was there seeing if he could help. Also, Rita announced she was an EMT, and wanted to assess BobÂ’s condition. She was great, and good help. We loaded the horses and Bob in SproutÂ’s truck, and I drove it down to the Kendall bridge where our truck was. We reloaded horses, and came home. I took him to the clinic. He has a badly sprained ankle, and hand, broken nose, probable concussion, and a cracked bone in his neck. His ribs and tail bone were NOT broken. His nose is double size, as is his ankle. His attitude is good. HeÂ’s joking and totally with it. We have decided he was probably knocked out for a minute or so, but certainly no longer. He was with it when I rode up, no more than a minute later. Brian Nesvik called to see how Bob was, and to report they caught the grizzly. It was the little female they snared in Fish Creek Park two years ago, that had two cubs. She will be done away with. Sally came out and brought some DVDs to watch since we turned the TV off. BobÂ’s done well today.
October 16th. Sunday. Toots. We got up early this morning so we could hunt. If left on Toots in the dark and headed for the spot on the east division fence where I saw a bull elk bugle at me a few years ago. Bob met me there and we walked down the fence for a whole five minutes or so...when elk appeared. Bob shot a cow. I ached to shoot, but was afraid IÂ’d interfer with his shot. Anyhow, we have our winterÂ’s meat. We field dressed her, and came back to camp. We took the truck over there and loaded her with a come along. We met Ron and Cindy Wilson and Joe Sondegroth.. They watched us do everything, including Joe watched me pee with his binoculars. He was really hard timing me. They also hard timed us about not being on a road. We stopped at the Place and picked up the affidavids the girls left there for us. We got the elk to the locker plant, and came home to shower. We got back to camp about six thirty. Got the horses in for in the morning...and did supper. Bob is cleaning his rifle as I do this.
