Gary Yates

Jess Gary Yates

Jess is a hard working, fifty year old modern day cowboy, a bachelor who wants to make his life more meaningful in some way. In disagreement with, and embarrassed by the attitudes of a few of today's ranchers and other users of our public lands towards the environment, he finally makes a stand against his anti-environmental employer. Living alone in a cow camp in northern Nevada, Jess recalls incidents and acquaintances from his past as he tries to come to grips with his fear that he has wasted his life working on horseback and taking care of livestock. In this lonely and isolated cow camp, he recalls some of the outrageous acts of disregard for public lands and wildlife that he has witnessed over the years. When his boss tries to cheat on his grazing lease, Jess's act of defiance produces surprising results. The author describes the daily life of the present day working cowboy in a way that lends genuine, true to life authenticity to the story.