Yellowstone Reports

Wedding Day

Pre-wedding Hike
by Dan Hartman

June 7, 2014

Wedding day was quickly approaching here at the Hartman Cabin. On the day before, Cindy and I made a flower run to Cody. On the other side of Cooke Pass, just across the Clarks Fork Bridge, we spotted our turkey.
Late winter our tom turkey and two hens headed east, never to be seen again. A young male originally went with them, but then returned to spend spring at our cabin. A few weeks ago, it too headed east. Now we've found him. Hopefully he'll find others of his kind.
At the high ponds, a sand-hill crane strutted in a small meadow. Ducks and geese floated in the glassy waters. A young eagle sat nearby. A cow moose with yearling twins watched us from the trees. Farther along another moose, then a strange sight. A young moose with hair missing and a large white patch on its back. This could be one of the ghost moose we've heard about. Meaning a moose so covered with ticks, it's hair is turning white.
In the sky above, three sand-hill cranes soared in formation.
Wedding Day!!!
I took Kevin, (the groom), on a morning hike. The wedding wasn't until 1PM, so we had time to kill and men are just in the way when it comes to wedding preparation!!!
We decided to check out an owl nest that would take a forty five minute hike through deep timber to reach. We were forced to circle deadfall that was too dense to climb over but finally we reached the site. A red-tail hawk sat in the nest. Rats!!
We crossed a raging stream, then waded ankle deep muddy water to gain a dry game trail. Bear tracks were everywhere. (I figured if Kevin disappeared on his wedding day, the authorities would surely suspect the father-in law). We started back to the car. An owl hooted from the timber. We searched the trees with no success. I knew we had something else to do later in the day so we hurried back to the car.
The wedding was beautiful with just a few friends in attendance. Just as the ceremony began a terrific wind and rain storm hit but nobody seemed to notice.

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