Most of today was spent summarizing last fall's harvest checks, since I finally received the data from most of the other regions and wardens.

And answering the telephone.

Don't really have an entry tonight, and was torn between writing a synopsis of my description of hell that Trinity liked, or simply cataloguing my phone calls.

One is easier.

So, sorry, here's the phone calls I had to deal with today:

Started with one of my neighbors, calling with a change he and his game warden would like to make in one of their antelope seasons. One of their landowners has been complaining about lots of antelope coming in on his circular pivot and eating his crops, so they would like to add another 50 licenses for does or fawns.

No biggie. We can handle that.

The boss called a little afterwards, concerned about three projects that we just got notified about by email. Two huge spike treatments and a small burn. Projects that we will have to evaluate and comment on, as far as their impacts on wildlife. Also relayed the antelope season change to him, saving me one email.

A Coloradoan called, with lots and lots of questions about one of my antelope areas. About antelope numbers, yes, but also about access, public roads, availability of public land, and camping sites. Trying to determine if he wants to apply for a license in that area. He, as with many Coloradoans, seemed surprised at how much information I was able to provide. I suspect the outfit that does our work in his home state is a little less accommodating. The advantages of a small population.

Boss called again just before lunch. More discussion about the possibility of trapping and transplanting more bighorn sheep into my only herd, which is just about extinct. Mostly about the politics of the proposal.

Woman at the wife's previous employer called to try to confirm a meeting time with her. She's been gone for over a year, and they still haven't figured out how to do things without her.

One of the federal agency folk called to apprise me about the proposed upgrade to part of a county road. Realigning and straightening two curves. One isn't a problem, but the other reroute will either destroy antelope crucial winter range and slice through some wetland ponds in the sand dunes, or it will destroy crucial winter range for the local mule deer herd.

Either way, bad things will happen. On top of it all, they want to keep the old road open, to provide access for folks with ATVs to get to the sand dunes to play.

Something we have been trying to discourage or prevent for over a decade.

And this evening, with just four bites of dinner left on my plate as we watched Buffy, a Californian called with questions about what we are planning for hunting seasons in his favorite antelope areas. He has been calling several times a year for quite a few years, and normally I enjoy the looong visits.

But not while the last of my dinner is getting cold. Not during Buffy.

Fortunately, our proposals made his day, and I was also able to give him good news on the deer hunt he was going to try for in my neighbor's country. So the call was short.