Lowly Wanabe hunters? Where did that come from? Was it the muleskinner or long hair thing. I'm an avid hunter who is using this site too(apparently more than I should be) and I packed 4 mules into the backcountry this summer. Lighten up a bit as it was just humor. The other day I ran a bunch of those Hippie types(alternative life style people in case my boss is reading) off the Forest. They live out on the Forest and apparently were out in this particular spot for 2 months before I found them. That's where that came from and so they probably could out last me too. And the muleskinner remark comes from knowing some outfitters and packers who I just couldn't picture sitting at the computer. I guess I didn't appreciate the hippie and horse whisperer comments, horse whisperers are better than folks who use two-by-fours. So I stick by my remarks humurous or not and I appreciate others oppinion more than you know. Elknut, your not a smokejumper are you? I've known some out of McCall Idaho. Good guys to be stuck on a fire with. Nice country too, that's where I got my cross-cut saw training.

I'll fall back on the motto I've developed since becoming a Federal employee"If everybody is equally pissed at me I must be doing a good job".

Hey Coastie, thanks, and as far as cross-cuts vs. chainsaws, I use chainsaws when I'm outside of the Wilderness because I try to be as efficient as possible with your tax dollars. Chainsaws are not allowed in the Wilderness so I can't there. Come out and volunteer for me sometime and you'll find most of my crews can push a misery whip all day and clear quite a few trees and they love it. I just don't think adding chainsaws to the Wilderness is worth a few extra miles at the end of the year. A lot of people who pay taxes and use the Wilderness want to keep it that way. Your right I don't have all the answers and guess that's why I keep asking questions. I know it's contradictive all of this. Whether it's chainsaw crews outside the Wilderness or cross-cut saws in, we don't have enough funds to do a proper job and I Don't want to loose the Wilderness experience because of the almighty dollar. Oh well!