Sometimes I think they make it this complicated on purpose

[pinksonia]

Land agents are an important part of cultural resource management archaeology.  Basically, they're the people who make sure that I don't get shot by irate landowners or unsuspecting hunters (there is still always the possibility of being shot by drunk hunters, but I like the narrowing of chances by 2/3).  Now, recently the pipeline company we're working for got rid of a lot of their land agents and then neglected to tell us, so that when I went into the field Monday I got told " You have three counties.  The first county we have the name of the land agent but no one seems to know his number.  The second county we have a name, a number, and a go ahead so start with there. And the third county we have a name and a number, hopefully we'll get the go ahead soon."  That was not too bad except for the missing number. 

Then today I called the man for the third county to ask about some tracks for tomorrow.  Turns out he only works in half the county and there is really a fourth land agent we didn't even know about.  Thankfully the person he thought was the land agent for the other half was in fact in charge of that area, so I didn't look like a total idiot when I called this guy out of the blue.  I got my tracks cleared and then he told me that he also has tracts in the second county.  I wonder if the land agent I've been talking to for the last three days about that county knows that he's doing part of it because she sure didn't tell me. 

Anyway, I'm slightly confused, very tired, and hoping that my three counties don't suddenly sprout anymore land agents because I hate calling people on the phone. 

Comments

[ohthisstar.livejournal.com]

wow you have people who make sure you don't get shot at? Crazy!

[pinksonia.livejournal.com]

Well, that might be a slightly drama queenish description of their job. Really they are supposed to facilitate land owner/surveyer relationships and gain us access to all the land we are supposed to survey.

Then again landowners who don't want us on their property have been known to come express their displeasure accompanied by a shotgun/guard dog/horse whip. So far I haven't ever been shot at. I have been in vicinity of lots of gunshots from hunters a time or two.