Trevor and His Dogs

It took seven hours to drive from my survey at the top of the world north of the reservoir, to Glasgow, across the Fort Peck Dam, and to my next survey south of the reservoir.

When I got to the survey, I parked off the road next to a salt lick, and went to bed.

I didn’t realize that a ranch house was around the corner.

I couldn’t get ahold of the landowner, but I spoke to the landowner’s dad who was friendly and said great great great. But the grandfather didn’t tell anybody I had called.

It was Saturday night around midnight, and from a deep sleep, I heard a diesel engine and someone bang on my truck windows. Then they grabbed the bumper of my truck and started rocking it.

I jumped to the front seat, opened the drivers’ side door, and jumped out onto the dirt road.

It was a kid in his twenties driving a huge truck hauling a huge horse trailer with an angry looking girl in the passenger seat.

I said, “I’m doing a bird survey here in the morning!”

The kid, “Oh, ok. I’m on my way home. My name’s Trevor.” The grandson. He shook my hand.

My heart raced. “I spoke to your grandfather!”

Trevor, “Oh, ok. You’re ok. Have fun in the morning.”

Then he jumped in his diesel and they drove off.

I couldn’t get back to sleep for hours I was so rattled.

Next morning, I had points right at the ranch house where Trevor and the girl were sleeping off their Saturday night. One point was right by the kitchen window and I just couldn’t do it.

As I skulked around the side of the house though, these two showed up and made my day.

They did the entire survey with me after leaving the house.