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Author
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Topic: Light at the end of ......
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earthwalker
Cultural Editor & middleweight arm wrestling champion/Intermountain Region
Member # 4177
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posted September 23, 2018 05:18 AM
the tunnel is getting awful bright for this season.
On my last shift of 11 hour days. Getting up at 0430/0500 is getting old.
Oct 1st start 0900-1730 for a couple of weeks then it's over for this season.
Other half is done on the 29th of Sept.
Next year is going to be total hell!! It'll be my last season after 40 years of sitting on mountain tops more or less.
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another long hot smoky summer coming
Posts: 1105 | From: Intermountain region | Registered: Jul 2012
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted September 23, 2018 05:55 AM
That has to be one of the more unique 40 year occupations. Seriously, how do you pass the time? I would read, I guess? But, do you spend 15 minutes observing north, then south, then east and west or is there a pattern? Binoculars handing around your neck all day long?
Is your home on that mountain or someplace else? Do you get to visit and make sure everything is okay or is it locked up all summer?
Oh, and is the "other half" on the same mountain and why does he stay longer? Oh, and do you ever check out the look out once in a while after the season is over?
Excuse if these are dumb questions.
Good hunting. El Bee
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31494 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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earthwalker
Cultural Editor & middleweight arm wrestling champion/Intermountain Region
Member # 4177
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posted September 23, 2018 08:33 AM
The rule of thumb on the hour you do thorough look in all directions.
On the quarter hour you do a general glance. On the half hour you do another thorough look on the next quarter hour you do a general glance. The start all over again. That is why it's so important to know your country and where the general white/light spots are and so forth. So at a glance you know something is out of wack.
The Swarovski's SLC's 10x50 aren't around the neck but always within arms reach.
I use to read all the time. Play the guitar and so forth. But with a computer and internet connection I don't read as much as I use to. I have my favorite authors but I can read faster than they can write. Haven't found any new ones to start their series with.
The old house is only 31 miles away the last 4 years I traveled up and down daily so to take care of the place as the other half was on another lookout in the Owyhees 131 miles one way. He'd come one day a week. Yes, that got old as all get out. We did that schedule for 4 summers. He went in last fall and this spring and told them to either put us back on the same lookout and the old schedule. First 40(hours) or he wasn't coming back. So they put us on it and that has allowed us to get a lot of work done.
You work Wed-Sat 40 hours then Sunday - Wed second 40. So 80 hours in 8 days of work and 6 days off. Wed we both work 7 hours each one is from 0730 to 1430 the other one works 1200 to 1900. The other days are 0730-1900. Makes for very long days. I just started the second week of this shift or my second 40 hours.
He will finish his last week of work starting Wed and be laid off on Saturday. I'll go back to a 5/8's Monday-Friday schedule for 2 weeks before I'm laid off. I'm a career seasonal 6 months on and 6 off. I have a tiny amount of retirement and I get health insurance.
Taking care of the retirement house has been the killer the last 5 years. But we fell into this place and knew it was to good of a deal to pass up. So we've been moving stuff in big time this summer trying to get anything of value out of the old place and into the new one. It wouldn't be so bad but when you've lived in the same place for 32 years and you're a trapper with all the heavy gear it takes a lot of blood sweat and tears to move his "STUFF".
I have my "STUFF" too. Way to much horse equipment but I got it moved up a couple of years ago. Plus some of my parents items and all of his grandmothers, parents and middle brothers stuff from a couple years back. In some ways glad I didn't get all of my folks items or had to clean it up. Long story but niece stabbed me in the back big time. She'll rot in hell one of these days!!
These are not dumb questions at all. If you don't ask you don't know. My parents spent their first year of marriage on Thunderbolt lookout in 1946. Must have worked they made 68 years of marriage before they both passed away. So I grew up listening to stories and had to become a lookout. Just didn't know I'd do it for 40 years.
We'll close down the building drain all the water, put shutters up and call it a season. Go into the office sign papers check items back in and head off to the hills. LOL
I pay for my own internet service. I don't want the government knowing anything I do on this thing. Also the things I'd have to jump through and the yearly test I'd need to do isn't worth it. So I pay for my own time up here on a good system as they are only 300 yards away.
I listen to a scanner so I know what the rural fire departments are up to and if they should need the BLM's help I'll notify dispatch to give them a heads up.
This mountain doesn't have the amount of animals it use to have. To many fires and no habitat left up here anymore and very limited amount of water to be found on this south end. Also to close to the local town and it's over used and abused by the locals.
We're back to driving home each night. They charge $5.00 a night to sleep in the building and by this time of the year the water in the holding tank is getting very stale and colored don't like only taking a bath a couple times of week. PTA baths get old(Pits, tits and ass).
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another long hot smoky summer coming
Posts: 1105 | From: Intermountain region | Registered: Jul 2012
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted September 24, 2018 03:45 AM
That was very interesting been up and in a few towers over the years Have not yet made the trip to the one closest to me now Up on Bill Williams Mountain It is supposed to be a beautiful drive.
Wow 40 years is a long time.
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted September 24, 2018 04:12 AM
I wonder who Bill Williams is/was? I know where the Bill Williams River is, but didn't know he also has a mountain; and it's not that close?
Good hunting. El Bee
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31494 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Kokopelli
SENIOR DISCOUNT & Dispenser of Sage Advice
Member # 633
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posted September 24, 2018 04:36 AM
Bill Williams was a famous mountain man & explorer in the fur trade days of the old west.
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And lo, the Light of the Trump shown upon the Darkness and the Darkness could not comprehend it.
Posts: 7591 | From: Under a wandering star | Registered: Apr 2005
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted September 24, 2018 10:43 AM
Well, the "river" is in the general vicinity of Alamo Dam and runs towards the Colorado river, in a westerly direction. Usually dry.
It's where I was "attacked " by a tiny pup coyote that attached himself to my boot and I couldn't shake him loose. Where he came from, I don't know? Yucca Mountain, I think it was?
Good hunting. El Bee
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31494 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted September 25, 2018 03:02 AM
Bill Williams Mountain is fifteen miles from me and I view from my dining room window. He was a noted Mountain Man trapper and explorer .
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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earthwalker
Cultural Editor & middleweight arm wrestling champion/Intermountain Region
Member # 4177
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posted September 25, 2018 06:48 AM
Spent a few winter down in that country (Bill Williams) trapping in the early 80's.
Went back a few years ago. To long of a drought had taken it's toll on the country. No critters to speak of. And way to many trappers that had came in ahead of us using a ton of cage traps.
Last time down we went to the Arizona strip and spent some time in there. Then some rains came and we spent 7 days straight in a tent waiting the monsoon out. It washed out roads. We never moved so much rocks in our lives trying to get through to pick up cages. We got out Christmas morning.
Had a guy jumping the line coming in from St. George using foot hold traps (which is illegal on public lands).
So the that will be the last time down in that country to trap. Might make future winter trips for calling but I doubt it. Have a new area to learn and piss the locals off. LOL
Age and life is catching up with us. Our bodies aren't near what our brains think we can do. Takes a lot to plan out of state trips. Probably have driven close to a million miles in our travels and getting so I don't like to drive much anymore.
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another long hot smoky summer coming
Posts: 1105 | From: Intermountain region | Registered: Jul 2012
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted September 26, 2018 08:16 AM
Earthwalker I'm in Ash Fork Bout 15 from Williams we had the monsoon from hell this year al most daily we would have downpours like 2.5 inches in an hour had little river running across my property it brought up the seeds from or bird feeder where we used to camp before we put in a permanent home now I have river of sunflowers quite a gift from the rain. The critter populations are not real high but I did well on bobcat a few years ago not currently trapping after I got sick had to sell my equipment a guy from Montana bought it all. and as you noted at my age may not trap much again but its still in my blood probably set a few I have permission on several private ranches and foot holds are a lot easier than the cages which can get quite heavy, but its all work. Be well !
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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