Teachable Moments

After several seasons in Yellowstone, I was given the opportunity to become a Field Training Ranger (FTR).

Being an FTR was a rewarding experience that gave me a sense of accomplishment and along the way I made some lifetime friendships.

One of those trainees had a specific skill set for locating fisherman on the Yellowstone River in violation of fishing regulations.

Those regulations included having a permit, possession limits, tackle restrictions, catch and release fishing only, and knowing where on the Yellowstone River between Upper Falls and Yellowstone Lake fishing was closed.

Ranger Keith Young would park his patrol car and never in the same spot and walk mile after mile along the Yellowstone River to check on fisherman.

Young usually practiced the spirit of the law when he came across a visitor who may not have taken the time to read the regulations and turned the contact into a teachable moment.

From time to time, Young was known to leave the keys in the ignition and start his fishing patrol.

Time for some remedial training and a teachable moment for a ranger.

I was driving northbound on the Grand Loop Road near LeHardy Rapids when I came across Young’s patrol car parked in a pull-out with the keys still in the ignition and the doors unlocked.

After giving some thought about my role as an FTR, I decided to drive away with Young’s patrol car and hide it in the woods nearby, walk back to my patrol car and disappear.

An hour later.

“611 Gale. 611 Young.”

“6ll Young. Do you have traffic. You’re breaking up.”

“611 Gale. Switch to car-to-car radio please.”

“Copy.”

“Rick. I can’t locate my patrol car. Can you meet with me?”

“Enroute. It’ll be a few. I’m tied up with a visitor who has locked his keys in the ignition with the doors locked.”

I gave it about 20 minutes before meeting up with Young.

“I couldn’t help myself Keith. I moved your car and hid it. Just make sure you take the keys with you next time.”

That was the summer Young pulled a college-like prank on his FTR who had just wrapped up his season. I think Pris was an accomplice, but I can’t prove it.

We had stopped in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for the night before heading back home to Southern Cal.

I was unpacking my suitcase and discovered all my clothing tied together. Socks were tied together and looped through shirt sleeves and pant legs. He got me.

Back then, Keith Young was Seasonal Ranger. He went on to get a permanent placement with the National Park Service and completed remarkable years as a Law Enforcement Ranger, D.A.R.E Officer & Basketball Coach.

Over the years, Keith and I have joked about teachable moments and college-like pranks on a good friend.