Tag Archives: Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Jack Rabbit

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2016-03-04Jackrabbit7079

Lots of people don’t know jack about rabbits. If you ask these people about rabbits, like, “So What do you know about rabbits?” many of them will simply say I don’t know jack and walk away. But there is a lot to know about rabbits. Much more than say, aardvarks or 3 toed sloths or even dogs and cats, of which very much is known.

Rabbits have played a huge part in history down through the ages. Take for instance the Easter bunny. There is a bunch of weird but strange facts about how a rabbit and especially one that lays chocolate covered Easter eggs in a basket full of fake green grass made of green cellophane, came to be the head of a multi-gazillion dollar marketing campaign that has spread around the world.

For instance how is the succession of rabbits chosen to be the one true Easter rabbit amongst all the rabbits of the world. How does that work? There are a freaking huge amount of rabbits in virtually every country on the globe, how do they choose that one that will be the head of the rabbit world for the rest of his life. The Head Rabbit that hands down decrees, visits poor children and homeless rabbits around the world, makes decisions and choices which will affect faithful rabbits everywhere, and gets to wear neat Easter rabbit clothes and live in a colossal warren where he is the Big Clover forever.

To answer that we went to the source, which is Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming. Wyoming is like Rome to rabbits, and Hutton lake is like the Vatican. This is where anything of importance to rabbits spiritual lives happens. Special envoys are sent from rabbit colonies all around the world to be part of the organization that handles rabbit doctrine. And the single biggest, most important part of their rabbit lives is when an Easter bunny dies and a new one must be chosen.

After the mourning period is over the rest of the rabbits get down to the critical business of selecting the new Easter rabbit. First among equals of each delegation are chosen, then those most important of rabbits are locked in a big cage together and cannot leave until they have unanimously chosen the new Easter rabbit. This can be an extremely contentious time with much un-rabbit like discussion and occasional ear pulling, and the occasional well placed thump from an extra large hind foot. Each delegation has an interest in the new Easter rabbit, as this gives much prestige to their colonies back home but more importantly allows their regional viewpoints to be heard and hopefully implemented.

Each day is spent in reflection, discussions, maneuvering, imploring, deal making, whatever it takes to come to a consensus. At the end of each day a vote is taken and if there is no unanimous decision amongst them the rabbits burn a sage brush treated to produce black smoke. This means no new Easter rabbit was chosen. The next day they repeat the process until they finally come to a unanimous decision on which of them will become the new Easter rabbit. When the decision is made they burn some sage treated to create white smoke and the multitudes of rabbits waiting impatiently for the newest Easter rabbit to be chosen, let out squeaks and cries of ecstasy and joy that can be heard for miles. In fact it can be heard around the world as news travels at the speed of light and informs the faithful that there is a new Easter rabbit.

Within days the factories crank up production of chocolate facsimiles of the new Easter Rabbit, chocolate covered Easter eggs are flying off the assembly line, tons and tons of fake green grass is produced and marshmallow chicks and rabbits are quickly packaged and loaded onto 18 wheelers for delivery to big box stores around the country. The Easter business is back in business.

Meanwhile back at Hutton lake the conclave of important rabbits has disassembled and gone back to the business at hand of running one of the biggest groups of mammals on the planet. It won’t belong until we see the fruits of their labors as Easter is just around the corner. Hopefully there will be enough chocolate covered everything to go around. If this new Easter bunny has his way there will be. And that’s a good thing.

Out West

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This is out west. Wyoming to be exact and even more specifically if you’re that kind of person, Laramie, Wyoming. You can get physically further out west but you will be hard pressed to get any further out west emotionally. This is a small lake on the Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge where migratory waterfowl and other birds stop over on their way North or South depending on the time of year and their inclination. You can see just as far as you want to in any direction but you may have to climb a small rise next to the lake to see to the ends of the earth.

What you will see mostly is fairly flat land that is the color of a dusty old dun horse, the sleepy one leaning against the side of the barn because that’s where its warmest right now. Slap it on its haunches and the dust that rises from his coat is the color I’m talking about. At this time of year it is just barely spring and the green hasn’t started yet. The brush that is left over from last year, the stuff that didn’t blow away in the cold winter winds, is covered with the same dust that you can see for two lifetimes. It sets the mood for the place now. One that is slumbering but gently stirring, straining to wake and begin the new season. The roots are beginning to pulse with the need for spring rains and some of the buds on the low growing brush are trying mightily to break out into the new leaves that will signal the frenzy of spring’s beginning.

To get there you turn into the entrance of the city’s premier cement plant then head west for about three miles or so along a dirt road that pulls you steadily forward through sage and cactus and barbed wire fences towards the distant mountains way off, even more west than you are now. When you reach the gate with the small sign saying Hutton Lake National Wildlife  Refuge, cross the cattle guard and you’re pretty much there. To those unused to driving along the back roads out here, where you don’t see the constant panorama of strip malls, gas stations, houses, street lights, stop signs, motorcycle cops and all the other visual cues that tell you, you are safely at home and the worse that can befall you is a long wait at the drive up window, this can be a little intimidating. What happens if you get a flat tire? Or you get hungry. Or even scared. Many times your cell phone won’t work because you’re too far from the towers. There aren’t enough people out here to make it worth while to put some up. You will definitely feel alone but then that’s what a lot folks say they want.

Actually you just deal with it. Kind of like people did for the last couple of hundred years. Most of the time you find out that you can live through it. Out here you are exposed and vulnerable to the conditions at hand. When a storm blows up like the one above, you have several choices. Find shelter, always a good choice. Stay where you are and get wet and probably blown over too if the wind is strong enough. This is a marginal choice. Or a combination of the two where you stay out and experience the full effects of the wind and rain and the overwhelming power of one of these Prairie storms until the very last moment where you run back to the truck and sit inside listening to the thunder of the rain on the roof and the sound of windblown dust hitting the side of your truck rocking it back and forth. This is my personal favorite. Yours may vary on your tolerance levels.

One thing for certain you will know you’re out west. And alive.