Time Well Spent

The good thing about long roadtrips is that you have plenty of time to think. The bad thing about long roadtrips is that you have plenty of time to think.

Driving from Kadoka, SD to Carbondale, IL yesterday, I had about 14+ hours to reflect on the past month, and what a brilliant month it’s been. When it comes down to it, 30 days is not a long time but these last four weeks have been jam packed with uniquely enriching experiences. I had not anticipated the wealth of access and opportunity that would be dropped on my lap.

I wanted telemetry experience, so after a quick lesson on how to use the receiver, I was handed the sole receiver that was available at the time and given free reign to track badgers that were out and about each night.

I wanted to trap badgers, so after a demo on how to set a leghold trap, I was let loose to trap any unmarked badger I found, as well as two marked badgers that needed replacement radio collars.

I wanted more experience handling carnivores – and mammals other than my disease-ridden beloved prairie dogs, and so I assisted in the processing of about two dozen black-footed ferrets and five American badgers.

It’s remarkable just how many chance encounters, casual introductions and referrals have led to jobs, grad school leads, collaboration on side projects and many a fascinating conversation. And of course there’s the people, who continue to amaze me with their generosity of time, expertise and advice that is so freely given. The world of conservation biology gets smaller and smaller with each passing field season. I look forward to the day when I truly enter this world and cease being an outsider peeking in.