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Commentary: Partnerships key to protecting our best wild places

It is already cooling off, as the late afternoon sun starts its descent into the western horizon. Hiking into the Book Cliffs to my tree stand, I notice my tracks from coming out in the dark the night before. I feel a prickling at the back of my neck as I stoop down and trace with my fingers the big bear tracks right on top of mine. The heft of my bow feels good as my grip tightens and I continue walking down the trail.

Arriving at the ancient, gnarly ponderosa pine, I carefully climb into the tree stand and settle in.