Today was the coldest day of the New Year and on my way to town to get the paper I began to reminisce about what I would probably have been doing on such a day in the late fifties, early sixties. There would be every likelihood that I would have been afield. Both my professional work and recreational pursuits were centered on the outdoors. If it was a workday it might be checking on a softwood logging job to check to see that top lopping regulations were being followed. State law dictates that all softwoods have to be lopped down to a three inch diameter to render them as close to the ground as possible. The object is to speed up decay and lessen the possibility of their furnishing fuel in case of a forest fire.

Maintaining state boundary lines would have been another probability since each ranger had several†miles of lines in their respective districts. In my day the rangers were charged with maintaining and patrolling the boundary lines. It was usually a cooperative effort with rangers in adjoining districts working with each other. It was not only safer but some aspects of the job were made easier and the results better with two or more men working together. Many of the boundaries were located miles from the nearest vehicle access. They could only be reached by foot or in those days by snowmobile or boat. New regulations in place today preclude using motor vehicles of any description.

Winter was usually the best time to do boundary line work. The boundaries were delineated by blazes on those trees located on or near the survey line. The blazes were preserved and made more visible by paint. Prior to commencing the painting of blazes the lines were brushed out and located precisely. Over time the lines would become overgrown by brush and branches. Many times it was necessary to use a compass to locate the line and the intersecting corners. One of the biggest bonuses in winter time work was the absence of black flies and mosquitoes. Another was that swamps and streams could be crossed on the ice and snow cover. Learning and knowing when it was safe to travel over such areas was all part of being a ranger.

Many rangers enjoyed the boundary line work. It took one into seldom visited areas of the deep woods where few others venture. The snow made an open book showing the goings and comings of the denizens of the woods. The tracks and markings in the snow told the tale of the life and death struggles of prey and predator. At noon we would build a fire and toast our sandwiches, often dry wet gloves and sharpen axes. The camaraderie flowed as did the kibitzing among guys who shared the same values and interests.

One guy in particular comes to my mind when it came to good natured banter. He was Fred Rickard from the Town of Ohio. Fred was one of the older guys who never married and lived with his mother. One of his quirks was that he had the same lunch everyday winter and summer, in the woods or on the road. It was three fried ham sandwiches and a quart of cold black coffee. We used to kid him about it but he gave as well as he got. In my case it was my choice of axe. Most of the guys used two and a half pound double bitted state issued axes. I used a single bitted Hudson Bay cruisers axe. Fred claimed that all my axe was good for was chicken killing. It all added up to a lot of steady good natured banter.

Today’s ranger force hardly resembles the one I along with seven others made history in. We were the first appointed through competitive civil service. We had very little if any of the equipment, training or duties of those serving today. They have come a long way since 1958 when my group was appointed. It was a very satisfying profession then but even better now. The primary duties of today’s rangers are enforcement of regulations and as such they are peace officers. They are no longer required to engage in any of the menial tasks that we were asked to do such as the above. It is one change that I can believe in.

Anyone who lives as long as I have is bound to witness a great many changes in their lives. From my point of view most of it is for the good. I hope and pray for the sake of future generations it remains so. The changes in the lives of people my age is primarily in their health. It alters our physical activities but not necessarily our mind set. I smile when I remember those subzero winter days on snowshoes plodding across some windswept lake to work on boundary lines. I smile because I really do not miss it in my present state of health. I only ask myself how did I do it?