This is a story told to me by a friend, He had a neighbor that lived in New Jersey, that went on a vacation with his family, to a Dude Ranch in Central Wyoming. It was the first Dude Ranch vacation they had ever taken. As I understand, they spent over two months at that ranch because they enjoyed it so very much,
Not only did they go on a lot of trail and nature rides, they also performed some of the duties that you would find on a ranch. Feeding and Caring for the stock. They repaired buildings and fences and just about everything else that is done to make a Dude Ranch work. One could find almost any of the big and small game animals here. There were cattle to take care of and cows to milk. And the Family were doing their share. The ranch was a gold mine and they couldn’t accommodate all the people that wanted to stay there.
Of course there were other vacationers there that did nothing more than just enjoy life and be waited on hand and foot. The family from New Jersey were well to do and they wanted to do all these things to learn about ranching. They spent a number of vacations here at this ranch. Later, the man from the east, bought the Ranch and hired the family that lived there to stay on and run it.
On one of their later trail rides they came upon a Eagle, resting on a stump. As they got closer, the Eagle was trying to fly away, but there was something wrong with one of his wings. He made a screeching noise as if to warn them to keep their distance. They spent some time there with the eagle, thinking they could help the big bird.
When they returned to the ranch, a game warden was called. The game warden and a few assistants arrived and were taken to where the Eagle was seen. He, the eagle was no longer setting on that stump, but was on the ground not far away, They captured him with a net and it was a fight to get him back to the ranch and loaded into a cage.
After a few days, the game warden told them, that the Eagle was blind. They thought that he had eaten something with poison and that caused him to go blind. And it was thought, that as he tried to fly, or land, he would run into things and that was how he had hurt his wing. They said the wing would heal, but they didn’t know what they could do about the blindness.
The man that bought the ranch was an Ophthalmologist and said he knew of a place where they did surgery on the eyes of animals. But didn’t know if it could be done on a bird. He would check into it and maybe that would be the way to go. Several months had passed and the Eagle was recovering nicely. The surgeons at the eye hospital said, they had never done this surgery on a bird, but they could try. If it didn’t work, the Eagle would be blind for life or he would have to be put down.
Not only did they go on a lot of trail and nature rides, they also performed some of the duties that you would find on a ranch. Feeding and Caring for the stock. They repaired buildings and fences and just about everything else that is done to make a Dude Ranch work. One could find almost any of the big and small game animals here. There were cattle to take care of and cows to milk. And the Family were doing their share. The ranch was a gold mine and they couldn’t accommodate all the people that wanted to stay there.
Of course there were other vacationers there that did nothing more than just enjoy life and be waited on hand and foot. The family from New Jersey were well to do and they wanted to do all these things to learn about ranching. They spent a number of vacations here at this ranch. Later, the man from the east, bought the Ranch and hired the family that lived there to stay on and run it.
On one of their later trail rides they came upon a Eagle, resting on a stump. As they got closer, the Eagle was trying to fly away, but there was something wrong with one of his wings. He made a screeching noise as if to warn them to keep their distance. They spent some time there with the eagle, thinking they could help the big bird.
When they returned to the ranch, a game warden was called. The game warden and a few assistants arrived and were taken to where the Eagle was seen. He, the eagle was no longer setting on that stump, but was on the ground not far away, They captured him with a net and it was a fight to get him back to the ranch and loaded into a cage.
After a few days, the game warden told them, that the Eagle was blind. They thought that he had eaten something with poison and that caused him to go blind. And it was thought, that as he tried to fly, or land, he would run into things and that was how he had hurt his wing. They said the wing would heal, but they didn’t know what they could do about the blindness.
The man that bought the ranch was an Ophthalmologist and said he knew of a place where they did surgery on the eyes of animals. But didn’t know if it could be done on a bird. He would check into it and maybe that would be the way to go. Several months had passed and the Eagle was recovering nicely. The surgeons at the eye hospital said, they had never done this surgery on a bird, but they could try. If it didn’t work, the Eagle would be blind for life or he would have to be put down.
The Ophthalmologist that bought the ranch said: he would pay for everything and plans were made to do the surgery. The surgery would have to be done in two parts and that would cost a lot and take some time.
Once the surgery was done, the Eagle could see, but only from a distance, Nothing real close could be seen and this was going to be a problem for the Eagle. If he couldn’t see to land, than he wouldn’t be able to fly. Sometime later the Eagle was returned to the ranch and retraining was started, They decided to call the big bird Andy, after the movies ‘Andy Hardy.
Andy was taken out and away from the ranch and other things and a nest was built for him, Each day someone would take food to him. The bird didn’t want to move, just sit there and eat. The amount of food was decreased each day, so to encourage Andy to look for food on his own, and he finally did. He would take to the air, find something to eat and then return to his nest. He knew some food would be found there.
An Eagle was seen flying a few times and it was assumed to be Andy. Then the day came and no one had seen the big bird for some time. It was not known what had happened or where he had gone to. But they always remembered that big bird that was a part of their lives on that Dude Ranch in Wyoming.
Don’t know about you, But I love to hear stories like this.
By; Ben R.
Aug. 20, 2011
Once the surgery was done, the Eagle could see, but only from a distance, Nothing real close could be seen and this was going to be a problem for the Eagle. If he couldn’t see to land, than he wouldn’t be able to fly. Sometime later the Eagle was returned to the ranch and retraining was started, They decided to call the big bird Andy, after the movies ‘Andy Hardy.
Andy was taken out and away from the ranch and other things and a nest was built for him, Each day someone would take food to him. The bird didn’t want to move, just sit there and eat. The amount of food was decreased each day, so to encourage Andy to look for food on his own, and he finally did. He would take to the air, find something to eat and then return to his nest. He knew some food would be found there.
An Eagle was seen flying a few times and it was assumed to be Andy. Then the day came and no one had seen the big bird for some time. It was not known what had happened or where he had gone to. But they always remembered that big bird that was a part of their lives on that Dude Ranch in Wyoming.
Don’t know about you, But I love to hear stories like this.
By; Ben R.
Aug. 20, 2011
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