I went out to find either Sunny or Intruder to dart mares today

 I went out to find either Sunny or Intruder to dart mares today.   I got lucky and found intruder a bit to the east.  They walked by close to my jeep and I took a few photos.  I slip to the back of the jeep and mix the vaccine and load my dart in the rifle. 

 I head to the  band and try to get close enough to dart.  If I got to 45 yard the moved off.   I followed and followed.  I knew the mares I needed to dart.  There was a horse I didn’t know.  I kept wondering  coming up the trail , who it was.  I see a truck coming up the trail. I curse as my jeep is parked in the middle of the trail.  It looks like a dot some distance from me.  I turn to go to the jeep , mad at myself for not pulling it over so they could get around. 

 But they just stop and wait.  So I turn back to the band and follow a bit more  I follow  the band.  Focused on darting Lam, Splash and Arrow  I get Splash, at last, after hiking a way up a hill.   The horses head over a hill.  I go back to the jeep and drive closer to where they went.   I turn right on the trail and see the truck again.  I pull up and they pull away from the band.  I hike up the trail, so appreciative that they are not spooking the band.  In fact they were a bit of a distraction, allowing me to get closer and get close enough to hit the rump of the lovely mare Arrow.  

 Only her rump visible as she stood behind a tree.   I walk forward to recover the dart and the lady from the truck steps out and yells  « did you get her?  I tried to stay out of your way. »   Wow, I wish it always happened like that.  Courteous people with the best interest of our program.  I smiled and was so happy to see her.   

I kept wondering about that other horse but with the distractions on my way out I didn’t think about it again.   Suddenly I get a text with a photo of the horse from Karen Red Jeep with a photo of the horse.  With the question « who is this in Intruders band? »  I said,  » think its a stallion. 

 She says « Nope, sure it is a mare. »   I then go check my photos and see that Intruder managed to steal three year old Jean from Zorro and her Momma Faith.  Now I have to go back to the band and still dart two more.   Maybe Deniz will get them while I am on vacation.