I tried to tell a friend where to find the bison. I promise they were there when I went.
I can be pretty sure that if I tell someone that they'll see dinosaur tracks at Clayton Lake, New Mexico, they'll see Dino tracks. I mean, those tracks have been there for my whole life so...
Wait, they have been there my whole life but they weren't visible until construction work uncovered them in 1982. So technically they were there, you just wouldn't have known because you'd have been walking over a layer of dirt that had them concealed and protected.
Even telling someone about dinosaur tracks doesn't mean they'll actually get to see them. One little mistake in the directions can alter the success of an expedition considerably.
The problem isn't the dinosaur tracks. Those are protected and they're in stone. But the problem is locating live animals.
I told someone whose wife had never seen an American bison that we had a herd nearby. He went, but unfortunately the bison live on a large acreage and the day he visited they'd decided to move away from the road.
Do you think the bison get blamed or do you think I get the side-eye?
Of course, it didn't end the friendship, but it didn't do a great deal for my credibility.
On any given trip to the wildlife casino, you might come home with a sighting you never expected, or just an empty picnic basket.
They say gambling is more addictive because you don't always win. You win a little, and that keeps you coming back. Of course, there are a few jackpots here and there. Enough to keep the wheels turning.
And that may be what wildlife watching is like. So, I really should be thankful. If I saw a fox every time I looked out, seeing a fox would be diminished. It would become like seeing the neighbor's dog. (Not the neighbor's adorable dog, Maple.)
So, in the future I'm going to try not to tell anyone my favorite wildlife places. It won't be because I'm keeping them secret, but because I know the odds are that they'll be disappointed because they might not be willing to get up at 4:00 am. in order to be at the spot when the sun rises. Plus, can you imagine how upset someone would be to get up at 4 am., drive several hours, and only see a prairie?
I sometimes see a critter repeatedly in one spot and then never see them again.
People who find animals will also be crafty enough to weasel a good location out of me. Or, more likely, they will have already found it on their own.
I can be pretty sure that if I tell someone that they'll see dinosaur tracks at Clayton Lake, New Mexico, they'll see Dino tracks. I mean, those tracks have been there for my whole life so...
Wait, they have been there my whole life but they weren't visible until construction work uncovered them in 1982. So technically they were there, you just wouldn't have known because you'd have been walking over a layer of dirt that had them concealed and protected.
Even telling someone about dinosaur tracks doesn't mean they'll actually get to see them. One little mistake in the directions can alter the success of an expedition considerably.
The problem isn't the dinosaur tracks. Those are protected and they're in stone. But the problem is locating live animals.
I told someone whose wife had never seen an American bison that we had a herd nearby. He went, but unfortunately the bison live on a large acreage and the day he visited they'd decided to move away from the road.
Do you think the bison get blamed or do you think I get the side-eye?
Of course, it didn't end the friendship, but it didn't do a great deal for my credibility.
On any given trip to the wildlife casino, you might come home with a sighting you never expected, or just an empty picnic basket.
They say gambling is more addictive because you don't always win. You win a little, and that keeps you coming back. Of course, there are a few jackpots here and there. Enough to keep the wheels turning.
And that may be what wildlife watching is like. So, I really should be thankful. If I saw a fox every time I looked out, seeing a fox would be diminished. It would become like seeing the neighbor's dog. (Not the neighbor's adorable dog, Maple.)
So, in the future I'm going to try not to tell anyone my favorite wildlife places. It won't be because I'm keeping them secret, but because I know the odds are that they'll be disappointed because they might not be willing to get up at 4:00 am. in order to be at the spot when the sun rises. Plus, can you imagine how upset someone would be to get up at 4 am., drive several hours, and only see a prairie?
I sometimes see a critter repeatedly in one spot and then never see them again.
People who find animals will also be crafty enough to weasel a good location out of me. Or, more likely, they will have already found it on their own.
The dinosaur tracks are only about a 1/4 mile from the parking lot. Instead of elbow-to-elbow tourists, only a few people were there.
Track Photos from Clayton Lake, New Mexico. Bison photos from Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.
Track Photos from Clayton Lake, New Mexico. Bison photos from Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.
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