Had our annual Open House yesterday afternoon and pm. Mainly to discuss the proposed hunting seasons with anyone who is interested, but also anything else that they may want to bring up about our outfit.

Have one statewide issue that quite a few folks wanted to discuss, and fortunately the bosses brought all the materials needed to explain the various options, and fielded most of these folks and their questions.

Not that it's a contentious issue (not like Forest Service food-storage rules in the Confederate Counties (yes, two others joined the rebellion)). Just that I haven't paid much attention to the emails on the subject.

It's strutting season, you know.

We hold the open house in one of the large ballrooms in the community building. Large, square, plain, with large wooden beams in a high, pyramidal ceiling. Got us locals, our two bosses, and then wardens and biologists from neighboring areas. Folks we don't get to see that often.

(As a side note... according to my wife's boss in her previous job, who would be in a position to know, my wife is the only person the caretaker of this building has ever trusted with the keys to the facility (with the exception of her own, grown son.) It was always a small matter of pride with the wife that she was trusted with the keys, whereas her boss was not. Nor the hundreds of other people who use the place. We used the building for many years for our youth groups, and apparently impressed the caretaker.)

Had a total of 18 citizens show up over the three hours, so they almost outnumbered us by 3:1. Been times when there were more folks in uniform than not. With our "open house" format, folks basically come in and tell us what they want to talk about, and we direct them to the right table. Lots of small conversations throughout the room.

No strong arguments or disagreements over our season proposals. One friend who doesn't like our deer quota in one area (too high... he doesn't like sharing the hills with anyone else).

Almost didn't recognize one of our neighboring wardens... he had shaved off his moustache. Been wearing it uninterrupted for almost 20 years. His wife doesn't like it, but it makes him look younger, so I think it'll stay gone. He admitted he first started growing it to look older.

(Wife has never seen me without mine. Started it years before we met.)

Mid-way through the meetings, I stepped off towards the coffee machine in the corner to try to get some pics with the digital camera (didn't work well...too dark, and too large a room for the flash). The boss noticed and came over to check the camera.

He could not believe it was on loan from someone I knew just over the internet.

He, and most of these folks, live in a different world; where the internet is seen as a necessary evil, an intrusion, and not to be trusted.

Afterwards, we all had dinner at the former cancer cafe. Quite pleasant now that they've gone "no smoking". (Owner reported to wife that business is up 30 percent.)

As much as I enjoy these folks, I often find myself on the outside of conversations, looking in. Last night was no exception. We had two tables shoved together, and I was at the seam. Table on the left was discussing mainly firearms and trucks. The three on the right shared horse stories (of which I have none).

Tales about "Kojak", the outfit's packhorse who put more than one outfit employee in the hospital. About throwing a horseshoe five days into the wilderness, on the one trip that the shoe kit was left back in the truck. And having to scour the woods looking for another warden's secret cache of supplies with shoe nails. (Yes, they have caches of supplies hidden in the woods. Secret trails and campsites as well. And, of course, secret fishing holes.)

Got passed by the clean-lipped warden on the interstate as we headed home. Wished him a safe drive home as I took our exit.

And got an earnest thanks in reply.

A very pleasant, comfortable evening.