November 20-21, 1998--Day 1: As Cherry finishes her Boundary Waters Adventure, Mark and Rusty embark on yet another day of fishing. Rusty spots a family of otters playing in the lake. Mark remarks that otters are clumsy on land but graceful in the water, adding that it is rare for them to be so friendly in the presence of humans. Rusty suddenly notices that one of the otters appears distressed.
November 23-28--Day 1: Mark notices that something seems to be preventing the otter from swimming away. He and Rusty go ashore. Mark picks up a stick and wades out to investigate. Sure enough, just as Mark suspected, the otter is caught in a steel trap! Mark frees the otter from the trap and holds her, telling her she'll be fine now. The otter meekly looks back at Mark as he holds her up. Mark tells Rusty that the otter's leg is badly injured and should be looked at by Doc. The otter is a mother otter and Rusty is worried that the babies will starve to death. Mark promises to return the otter if her condition allows. Rusty spots a scared-looking baby otter. Mark sneaks up behind it and catches it with his bare hands. Rusty asks who set the trap. Mark says he doesn't know, but he sure is going to find out. Mark looks pretty mad!
November 30-December 5--Day 1: Doc patches up Ma Otter, who sits patiently on the exam table with Junior. Doc says that she'll be fine in a few days, adding that there may be a problem; this is the 4th wounded animal he's seen this week. Mark hopes it's not poachers! Rusty says that Ma is doing better. Mark says he is going to look for clues concerning the steel trap. Mark and Andy hear what sounds like a rifle shot in the forest near Smitty's cabin. Smitty is a reformed poacher. Reaching the cabin, Mark finds Smitty's old dog has been shot to death. Andy looks over him sadly. Inside the cabin Mark finds Tom, a sheriff or deputy and Smitty who has been badly beaten. Smitty is unconscious. Tom says Smitty had called him half an hour ago, saying he had something to tell him. Tom arrived at the cabin just before Mark did. The two take Smitty to the hospital.
December 7-12--Day 1: A pickup with two men was seen leaving the vicinity of Smitty's cabin. The doctor has patched up Smitty, who will be alright despite his serious injuries. The doc will let Mark speak to Smitty, but just for a short time. As the men converse, a foreground squirrel is listening intently. Smitty tells Mark that the men were really mean. Mark holds Smitty's hand and asks WHO these men were. Smitty doesn't know, but they knew that Smitty was once a poacher and were trying to force him to join their ring. Their plan is to kill all the animals, including those in Lost Forest, which can bring in money. Smitty goes on to explain once more how the men asked him to join their group, then shot his dog and said he should reconsider. When he declined they beat him up. Smitty's description of the men is "big." One of them is named Rambo, and they base their operation at a hunting lodge on Pine Mountain. Sheriff/Deputy Tom (looking very much like Jesse Ventura) says he is familiar with the area and that there aren't any animals there. The area was once used as a waste dumping ground. The poachers approach deer hunters at the lodge who, of course, haven't killed any deer and offer to sell them a trophy buck. Most of the hunters agree to this because they wish to appear successful. The poachers then poach deer from private property at night. Presumably, the poachers also approach otter-hunters with a similar scheme. Tom offers Smitty a glass of water, holding it as though he is about to crush it in his powerful grip.
December 14-19--Day 1: Smitty, still addled, tells Mark and Tom for the third time that the men beat him up when he refused to join their ring. Tom asks Mark to come along and help him arrest the men, but Mark cautions that the men will be free again in a few hours unless Tom has evidence. Rambo and his henchman have a drink, Rambo holding the glass and bottle as though he's attempting to crush them in his grip. Rambo, who has the classic Mark Trail Bad Guy broken nose and a low forehead, speculates that Smitty will have a change of heart after that beating they gave him. Henchman spots the city guy coming up to the lodge after 3 days of hunting. The hunter, Mr. Smith, complains that he hasn't seen a buck or any other animal and that now he'll have to make up some story to his friends. Mr. Smith actually resembles Mark Trail with a faint moustache. Rambo tells Smith there's still a way for him to go home with a trophy buck. Smith tells Rambo to quit beating around the bush and tell him just how much this trophy buck is going to cost. The foreground squirrel is still listening intently.
December 21-26--Day 1 to Day 2: Rambo tells Smith the trophy buck will cost $2500.00. Smith says it's a lot of money, but he can't go home empty-handed. Hunters evidently have huge egos. Rambo tells Smith he made the right decision. There is no sign of the foreground squirrel, but a rabbit is moving at top speed. It's surprising that Mr. Smith didn't notice any of these animals. Either he's blind or he was lying to Mr. Rambo. The poachers get the truck and the lights ready. That night they shine the lights on a buck and take aim with a bow and arrow. The poachers shoot the deer and load it into their truck, noting how it's almost too easy to poach an animal from a preserve. Next morning (Day 2) Doc feeds Rusty an immense stack of flapjacks, telling him Mark has gone to pick up Cherry. Rusty thinks this is "cool." At the airport Mark asks Cherry how the trip went. Cherry replies that Kelly made it "interesting." Mark, with a very poker face, asks what Kelly was doing there. Cherry says although Kelly was supposedly doing a magazine article, she was actually there because she thought Mark would be there! Cherry thinks Kelly is after Mark or after his job. Mark assures Cherry that she has nothing to worry about.
December29-January 3--Day 1 to Day 2: Cherry plays with the otters as Mark and Rusty update her. Mark searches for the magazine ad the poachers placed. He intends to be one of the hunters. Mark finds the ad, which mentions reasonable rates and great hunting. He calls the poaching lodge as Cherry listens. Rambo says he'll see Mark next week. Cherry asks Mark if he really wants to get involved in such a dangerous operation. Rambo asks henchman if he's set the traps yet. The ring can't get by on the hunting scheme alone. Mark tells Cherry he'll keep in touch, but to remember that his name is Jones, Ben Jones.
January 5-10--Day 2 to Day 5: As "next week" arrives, our timeline is indeterminate. Mark talked to Rambo by phone on Day 2, and has now arrived at the poachers lodge. In accordance with Trail Tradition, we will assume that Mark talked to Rambo on a Friday and that it is now Monday. Hence, Day 5. As Mark arrives at the poachers' lodge, Henchman sets traps on Lost Forest property; the resident otters watch. He chortles at how no animals will be missed. Rusty decides to make sandwiches for himself and Ma and Baby Otter. He instructs the Otter family to wait on the doorstep, however the Otters leave as soon as he shuts the door. Cherry, lugging a heavy basket of laundry, asks Rusty where his otters are. Rusty freaks out, his sandwich and utensils go flying. His left hand shrinks and his right hand expands as he rushes out into the empty yard, where he shouts, "They're gone!" He explains to Cherry that he was only gone a few minutes. Cherry tells him that Ma Otter's leg was obviously healed well enough for her to head home. The happy Otters arrive home, greeted by the relatives. None of the otters are aware of the death-dealing steel traps set by Henchman. Cherry tells Rusty that Mark will help him check on the otters when he returns. Meanwhile Rambo assures Jones (Mark) that the hunting will be great.
January 11-16--Day 5: Rambo tells "Mr. Jones" that Bud (Henchman) will help him with his bags and then show him around. Mr. Jones asks when he'll get a big buck in his sights and Rambo says, "Early tomorrow morning!" As Bud Henchman carries the bags he wonders to himself where he's seen Jones before. "Jones" tells Bud he sees no deer as they stroll through the forest and Foreground Squirrel watches. Bud says the hunting will be better in the morning, when the wind dies down. Meanwhile Ma and Baby Otter are still relieved to be back home with the other otters. Rusty worries that the otters will not be alright, but Doc says they are cautious critters. As Doc, Cherry, Rusty and Andy enjoy yet another meal, Rusty hopes again that Mark will return soon so they can check the otters and asks Cherry if she thinks Mark will get enough evidence to convict the poachers. Cherry hopes so. Rusty hears a car driving up! It's ranger Tom Mills! Rusty asks him to come with him to check on the otters. They drive to the area as a stiff-looking deer watches. Ranger Tom asks if they are still on Lost Forest property. Rusty thinks so. Rusty spots a man wading in the stream. The man is holding an otter!
January 18-23--Day 5 to Day 6: Ranger Tom Mills says, "He's holding a steel trap. He must be a poacher!" Rusty points out the otter. Tom gives chase, commanding the man to halt, adding that he is an officer of the law. Moments later he stops, telling Rusty twice that he'll come back later with some men and will try to track the poacher. Rusty, sobbing, asks Tom if the poacher has the otter he and Doc helped at Lost Forest. Tom doesn't know, but says he'll get rid of all the other steel traps in the stream. Rusty blames himself for leaving the otters outside while he made sandwiches. Tom tells him not to jump to conclusions; the poacher may not have trapped Rusty's otters. Tom says (for the 3rd time) how he and the other rangers will track the poacher. Rusty whines about how he'll never see the baby otter again, and in the next moment he spots a baby otter. The otter comes ashore. Rusty suggests it may be the young otter he cared for. Tom agrees. Rusty picks up the otter and greets it. Realizing that Ma Otter isn't going to show, Tom says it's time for Rusty and Baby Otter to return to Lost Forest. Meanwhile Mark, disguised as Jones, complains about his poor deer hunting luck to Rambo, who assures him he will soon get lucky. Since Mark has evidently been hunting, the morning of Day 6 has apparently come.
January 25-30--Day 5 to Day 6: Mark, disguised as Jones (luckily, Mark didn't use his usual alias of Smith, since the previous hunter's name was Smith!), worries to Rambo that his hunting trip is nearly over and he still has no trophy buck to brag about. If we conservatively estimate that the hunting trip was at least two days long, we are now at official Day 7 of this fast paced adventure. Rambo again assures "Jones" that he will soon get lucky, and asks him about his job. Mark replies that he is a developer who does a lot of city projects. Mark says he'll give the hunting one more day. Rambo asks Bud what he thinks they can get out of Mark. Bud thinks $3000.00, adding that he still can't remember something about Mark. Rambo says they'll keep him away from the storage shelter. That night Mark decides that he'll never find evidence just sitting in the bunkhouse so, despite his lack of credentials and search warrants, he gets up to snoop, deciding to check the other buildings near the lodge first. Checking the storage building, he finds it unlocked and opens the door. "Jackpot!," shouts Mark. In the building are several dead deer. Mark, still talking to himself, decides he needs to go get his camera, so as to photograph the evidence. Rambo asks Henchman Bud what he's reading with such interest. Bud, reading Woods and Wildlife magazine has discovered that Jones, BEN Jones is really Trail, MARK Trail!
February 1-6--Day 5 to Day 7: Rambo grabs a rifle and the poachers find Mark's room empty! Rambo notices that Mark's car is still parked. They notice the "refrigerated" storage building's door is ajar. Rambo knows this will be easier than they thought. He enters the building and tells Mark to keep taking pictures; they will be buried with him! Mark's head swivels around wildly, and in the next instant he hears a deafening SLAM!!!Mark is locked in the refrigerated building. Bud wants to clear out immediately, but Rambo says they have plenty of time to pack; Mark has no way of getting help. Meanwhile Mark kicks the door, talking to himself about finding a way out. Rambo says they'll get what they can out of the other customers, then pack. Mark chides himself for his carelessness and pulls at the door as he braces it shut with his foot. Ranger Tom Mills sits woodenly in a chair talking to himself. He hasn't heard from Mark yet. Unless it's the middle of the night, this is Day 7.
February 8-13--Day 7: Rambo says Trail won't last long in the cooler. They'll destroy their files, pack and then dispose of the body. Ranger Tom calls the hunting lodge pretending he wants to do some hunting. A voice on the phone shouts, "We're CLOSED!!" The line goes dead. Tom wonders what's going on and calls Lost Forest, asking for Mark. Cherry replies that he hasn't returned from the poacher's lodge yet. Tom realizes something is wrong and decides to check out the lodge. Mark spots a cleaver and decides to chop his way out. He discovers that the walls are insulated very well. Apparently this insulation is so tough that a cleaver has little effect on it. Tom reaches the lodge and sees no one about. Apparently he can't hear Mark chopping away due to all the tough insulation. Eventually he notices that someone is locked in the cooler. He shouts and Mark answers.
February 15-20--Day 7: Mark asks Tom if he can get the lock off. Foreground Squirrel watches with concern. Tom says he doesn't think so, the lock is a big one. Mark says they'll have to get the poachers to open the lock, and tells Tom to go to the lodge and demand to see Jones (Trail!). If Tom makes a big fuss, the poachers will lock him up with Mark. Tom is clearly dubious about this plan and says he hopes Mark knows what he's doing. Tom demands to see Jones and says he knows the men are poachers. Bud says that Tom knows too much and pulls a gun. The easy-going Rambo laughs and calms down Bud, adding that Tom can certainly see Trail. Cryptically, he adds that they know Trail's real name and that "that's his problem." Bud escorts Tom to the cooler, joking about how Trail will be dying to see him and may give him a cool reception. He also points out how stupid Tom was to demand to see "Jones." Tom replies, "We all make mistakes." In the cooler, Mark is lying on the floor against a wall, apparently unconscious! As Bud jokes about Mark not being good company, Mark yells, "Surprise!" and kicks Bud in the face! As Bud's hat flies off, we see him for the first time without headgear. He bears a passing resemblance to Tad Ryatt from "The Ryatts," except for that big honker of a nose.
February 22-27--Day 7: We have entered a weird time warp (see above "What time is it, anyway!?") to compare Saturday's and Monday's strips!). Bud again escorts Ranger Mills to the cooler. This time he pokes the unconscious Trail with his gun and cracks that he's too stiff to be good company. Again Mark kicks the gun out of his hand! What th'!! WHAT is going on here!!? Mark is glad his plan worked. Tom admits that he had his doubts about it. Bud gets locked in the cooler. Mark tells Rambo that he'll take the records Rambo is holding. Rambo looks mildly surprised to see Mark and reaches for a gun, but Mark knocks him out with just one punch! A law enforcement bigwig thanks Mark and Tom as the poaching ring is handcuffed and carted off. Mark returns to Lost Forest where Rusty is feeding the otter from a baby bottle. Mark tells him the otter will have to leave soon. Rusty understands that he must be with his own kind.