A few lines that brought chuckles at today's eight+ hour meeting:

"I'm going to read this objective out loud, just because I want to say 'hibernaculum' a few times."

During the third or fourth attempt to wordsmith one particular phrase, one of the cowboys at the back of the room spoke up... "'Compatible' was my word. Therefore, it was the perfect word..."

"I'm so excited to say 'phenotype' and 'Iberian'."

In describing the size of a minimal genetically viable feral horse population, the horse expert explained "You need at least 100 competent breeders." As the snickering died down, he continued "That always brings a chuckle... as you can see, I paused and waited for it."

The same conversation brought up this wonderful quote: "Sometimes you don't ask questions because you don't want the answers."

One fellow concluded his remarks with "... manage for a particular phenotype or genotype. (See, I can say it, too.)"

Much of the horse discussion dealt with the results of DNA testing of some of the desert feral horses. The exciting news (if you like horses) is that one herd came up as true Spanish (or "Iberian") horse descendants (unlike a neighboring herd, which came up almost pure Morgan, the common farm work horse of the early 1900s).

Guess I might have to start liking them, just a little.

As is normal for government documents, this one is full of acronyms. RMP, TBD, FLPMA, PFC, and the like. As a new section was begun, the moderator asked "Before I make a fool of myself, what is WWDC?"

I would never have imagined you could have so much discussion on the difference between "could" and "would be allowed to".

Really.

When discussing a particularly unusual piece of land, one (in the back again) unprofessionally blurted out "It's really neat!"

With this large a group and a tight agenda, it has been pretty common to assign contentious items to smaller groups or pairs to iron out. When one fellow suggested he and another discuss one item "in private", he realized that looked a little suspicious, and offered to have anyone listen in if they wanted.

"You selling tickets?" was the response.

"What do you think they're worth?" was the rejoinder.

"I'll give you five dollars if it means I can go outside."

Yeah, it's been a long three days.