Well, I made the mistake of reading my emails late last night.

The environmental comments I knew were due today?

The bosses decided they needed them early in the morning. (With good justification, I should add, just in case they ever find this place.) Not midday.

So, no classifications in the morning.

Sleeping in felt good, but then it was grab coffee and start writing. Good comments, if I have to say so myself, although maybe a little too rabid.

Project proposers claim they will have minimal impact on wildlife. Mostly true, if everything goes according to schedule.

Things rarely do, and most of my comments dealt with the inadequacy of their plans if things didn't go through on schedule.

And the introduction of another major source of noise into sage grouse country.

That, and the fact their consultants missed a new bald eagle nest site.

Got in the email by 10:30.

So, spent the afternoon with my monthlies.

The paperwork kind, not the female kind.

And then headed out to run one of the two remaining classification routes.

Evening routes are always stressful. Keeping the pace up, making sure you can complete the route before dark. Add to that the extreme extra hyperness of two heelers who haven't been out of doors (or a vehicle or basement, even) for almost four days.

Needless to say, I was crabby, and they noticed.

But they got lots of drag races (lots of gates), and the little maskless sister even got to rip some boughs off of some pines that were bold enough as to touch her side of the truck. (Got video of that.)

Just for grins, and because I don't know if I can do an entry without pictures now, this is where I was working this evening.

Any better than your office?

(And yes, that's an old stone stage station.)

Classifications were actually a little frustrating. As dry as it is, most antelope were close to water.

Which means they are in bigger herds.

Which means it is much more difficult (and time consuming) to get these large groups classified into doe, fawn, adult buck or yearling buck.

Lost several groups because they got over a ridge or dune before I could get everyone accounted for.

There is a particular little spot on a two-track in the dunes, which looks east over several large sand and rock valleys, that I always try to reach before sunset. If I can get there while there is still light, I should be able to make it to the end of the route before full dark.

Didn't make it.

Had to pass through several gates just before that spot, so the heelers had their runs and were quite thirsty. But I knew I only had 10-15 minutes of useful light left.

No way I'm wasting three or four of those to water the dogs. They can wait.

After getting no response from staring at me like I was an idiot, the little maskless heeler jumped into the back seat and began pawing at their water bowl.

When the hopeless human was too stupid to figure out that clue, she returned forward and dropped her front feet onto the floor boards, apparently trying either to point out the water thermos to me, or trying to open it herself.

Failing again, she finally laid down on the seat in disgust.

They got their water, and then some, immediately after the last gate, when it was too dark to see without lights.

But I'm sure she feels it is sometimes hard to work with an idiot.