Hunting in the mid 1840's

YELUM

Long Time Member
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LAST EDITED ON Nov-20-09 AT 12:02PM (MST)[p]I've been reading the journals of my Great Great grandfathers, and came apon these stories. Thought I'd share with you.

Yelum
Many times when I was out with my gun I would notice that a wolf was following in my footsteps. I would watch and opportunity to get out of sight then make a jump to the right or left whichever gave me the best opportunity to hide. Then secrete myself within gunshot. The wolf would come to where I had jumped and stop to ascertain the course I had taken and I would shoot him while he was thus deliberating.


I used frequently in my rambles to run across bear and other ferocious animals. But used to pass them by never changing my course. If they was directly in my route, it was them that moved. Sometimes only getting a little out of the way and set and watch me intently until I was out of sight. I had no fear of any of them and many of them manifested no fear of me.
About this time upon one of my excursions, I was traveling in a small valley and came across a large rock or rather layer of rocks in the centre of the valley covering three or four acres of ground. In passing by I noticed that there was a small herd of mountain sheep near the top looking over at me. The rock was so perpendicular that they were nearly directly over my head and little but their heads in view. I knew that they were at pretty long range for the little gun that I carried but I could not resist the temptation of seeing if I could hit one having no other object in view. I therefore shot and was sure that I had hit one. And I then scaled the rocks, which was something of a task. Not knowing when I got on to the ledge that the sheep were on when I shot. And in making my way to the place or ledge, I came suddenly to the wounded sheep; being on a ledge above him. He was laying down. I laid down my gun and made a leap landing close enough to him to catch one of his horns as he got up. And he ran with me while I was endeavoring to get a firmer hold by which I might throw him. But before I had accomplished it we came to a jumping off place?about ten feet down on to another ledge. I was compelled to let go. He went off striking on his head and horns and made his escape as I could not find him again after getting off the rock and was not much inclined to waste time in looking for him.
 
On this particular experience it didn't say. He mentioned borrowing another mans rifle once, and on another outing where he encountered indians, he stated this. "And as I had my musket
loaded with an ounce ball and three buck shot,"

He was only 18 at the time and n ot well off.

Yelum
 
Why would you say anything negative about a simple post of a man reading his great grandfathers journal.

That reflects what kind of man you are....


Bucks and bulls may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!
 
Hunt. I have never said anything to offend you, or even engaged you in conversation. So for you to call me or my family a liar, is uncalled for. I could lower myself to your level and exchange insults that would benifit neither of us, but I'll just ask you nicely never to reply to any of my posts.

Yelum
 
Hunt, you are the pot calling the kettle black. You probably don't know what that means, so I'll explain in easy terms. You are a self admitted liar who is calling another a liar.
Yelum
 
Intersting stories.

They have seemed to find a "gene" for all human behavior. Is there a hunting gene? I am the only one in my family that seems to enjoy it. I ve always wondered why some have it and some dont.
 
YELUM,

I love the good ole days stories.

Don't let somebody like Jic bother you, we know who is legit and who is not.
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-20-09 AT 02:39PM (MST)[p]funny thing about jic is all the BS he spews out of his trap here, yet I've to seen or witness one picture of all the lies he's told.

And your granpa probably kept it in his journal cuz he was out of range for a wireless connection anywhere to upload pics.
lol..



dutch
http://coloradohuntandfish.blogspot.com
 
He didn't say where, but just pryor mention meetind a wagon train headed for Oregon, so I would guess some where in WY. He settled in the Green River area.
Yelum
 
Yellum-
Those are great stories. How lucky are you to have old family journals talking about hunting, settling, traveling etc. That is really cool and thanks for sharing them. As for hunt_chokenchicken, he's either really dumb or just plain stupid. My guess is a little of both. He's probably had his head beat in many a time with that mouth of his!!! Ute, you'd better get a leash on that little rat...
 
Thanks for sharing Yelum. I'm sure that is very special to you, as it should be.

Eel

Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.
 
Awesome Yelum. You are very fortunate to have journals of such a wild day. There isn't a guy alive today as tough as those men that pioneered the west. Thanks for sharing.
 
Yellum, Hey, don't stop now! I'd love to hear more,.. if you have some and are willing to share.

I thought that interesting how he had no fear of the predators.

Great stuff!!!

Joey
 
I started reading his journal at 11 this morning and have six pages left. There are a couple dozen stories that I found fascinating.

I think he had a dog that inspired the tv series Lassy.

Yelum

Have heard my mother relate the following. At the age when I first began my rambles there was a small dog that was my companion. Upon one occasion that we were out together I seemed to have had occasion to crawl through a pole fence and in doing so the pole above me was dislodged and falling upon me pinned me fast. I could neither retreat or advance and the dog seemed to have the sagacity to see that I was in a perilous condition and needed assistance. It, therefore, went to the house and by its antics attracted the attention of my mother who came to my relief.
She also relates that during one of my rambles I had returned to the house minus one shoe. Upon the discovery of which she proceeded to scold me. The dog out of pure sympathy went out and shortly returned with the shoe in his mouth. For which I had reason to feel grateful whether I did or not.
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-20-09 AT 07:40PM (MST)[p]Heres another one I wish every young kid in AMERICA could have experienced. Then we wouldn't be having all these trail cameras stolen.

Yelum

One other circumstance I will relate that happened about this time that proved a lasting lesson to me. There was a short time that there was a family consisting of a man and his wife occupied one portion of our house. And the cellar was used by both families. It happened at one time that I found my way into the cellar in which our neighbor had stored a fresh supply of vittles and child like I fancied that they would taste better than our own. I therefore sampled them. My mother learnt of the mischief and it was an easy matter to fasten the guilt upon me. I therefore without much hesitation confessed to my mother expecting that it would end there. But was disappointed as my mother required me to go to the woman whom I had injured, make a confession, and ask forgiveness and promise to never be guilty of the like again. That was taking entirely to serious a turn to suit me, and I would have preferred a whipping. I deferred the matter as long as it was possible to do so. But when my father was made acquainted with the facts, he sustained my mother's decision. And I was compelled to comply. But I would have suffered a long term of starvation before I would have again touched any of that woman's victuals. In fact I came to the conclusion that I would rather let other peoples property alone than to be compelled to pass through such ordeals as that.
 
Great read Yelum, keep them coming!!
Boy, we could all learn a great deal from the
old timers.

-Mtngoat

4a959c071fe51431.jpg
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-21-09 AT 07:52AM (MST)[p]Cool stories Larry. I love to read my great great grandpa's journal. He didn't write about hunting a lot and was very brief but he did mention it a few times. He would simply write things like "killed two mule deer today, should be good meat for winter" or "skinned an elk for the hide and meat". Mostly he wrote about his work, which was hard hard labor. He was a blacksmith and his entries would read "Shod 3 horses and 2 mules today. Paid 75 cents." Or "cut cord wood and cedar fenceposts today. 11 hours of work, paid $1.25".

Yeah - I give thanks for my blessings everyday.

Also Hunt_rez, you might like to know too that he recorded many of his dealings with the Utes in his area. His son, my great grandfather even more so. Neither of them ever had a negative thing to say about them. In fact, my great grandma was really worried one night one he was away because a group of Utes made camp inside her yard by her corrals. Once they figured out she was scared of them they teased her a little, kind of antagonizing her - making her think that an attack was imminent. She loaded her gun and got ready, but they only kept it up for a few minutes and then she heard their laughter and she figured she had been had in some way. She then understood they meant no harm and went to bed, though she recorded she didn't sleep much. The next morning however before they left, they gave her a fresh side of venison and told her that "Fredrick Phillip's squaw always protected". I guess my great-grandfather was honest with them and they respected him for that. From then on, she was no longer afraid and had many dealings with them.

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)
 
My grandfather used to tell a story about a couple of my great uncles here in Montana in the 1800's. One very cold Montana morning they were out riding their horses and kept hearing a faint cry for help. Through a little investigation they found a fellow trapped inside a frozen buffalo hide. Apparently the night before he had killed and skinned a buffalo. During the night he had gotten real cold, so he wrapped himself up in the hide (fur side in) and went back to sleep. When he awoke, the fresh hide had frozen solid and he was unable to get himself out. My great uncles helped him out (and had a good laugh).
Soup
 
>My grandfather used to tell a
>story about a couple of
>my great uncles here in
>Montana in the 1800's.
>One very cold Montana morning
>they were out riding their
>horses and kept hearing a
>faint cry for help.
>Through a little investigation they
>found a fellow trapped inside
>a frozen buffalo hide.
>Apparently the night before he
>had killed and skinned a
>buffalo. During the night
>he had gotten real cold,
>so he wrapped himself up
>in the hide (fur side
>in) and went back to
>sleep. When he awoke,
>the fresh hide had frozen
>solid and he was unable
>to get himself out.
>My great uncles helped him
>out (and had a good
>laugh).
>Soup


Now that soup creek is a hell of a story.
 
Thanks guys, I'm glad you are enjoying them. Heres another story. Not hunting but I thought it was funny.
Yelum

The next four or five years, I spent in school and passed through many of the vicissitudes familiar to school life. Always being careful to avoid strife or animosity but always fighting when imposed upon. And always meeting with success. Never suffering a nickname to be fastened upon me as was the general rule at that time. Each boy in school having nicknames or names abbreviated. I remember well that at the time that my father was on a visit to Texas it was considered at that time that that state was filling up with criminals. Parties fleeing from justice and consequently had a very bad name. Our largest boy in school during school hours for some reason became insulted at me and called me Texas. It was no sooner out of his mouth than he received a severe blow on the nose that set the blood to flowing freely. And as a punishment I was kept one hour after the close of school.
 
Heres another hunting story, sort of. From the notes, I think he was about 18.

Yelum

I was almost continually scouting but generally refrained from killing large game, as I could not get much of it to the trains while it was moving.
But at one time when I had been off the road for a long time and presumed that I was ahead of the train. Thinking I could not be far from the road, I shot a deer and carried it about a mile to the road and struck an Oregon emigrant train. Our train having gone by, I asked the last man in the train to take my game and he gladly done so saying that they would camp with our train that night and I would have an opportunity to recover my meet. But it mattered little to me. I did not wish to see it wasted after I had carried it so far. Never saw the train again as they [that] day or the next took another road leading in to Oregon.
 
Great stories Yellum.

I read a book years ago written by a man that had settled part of the West in the late 1800's. I'd post the title but I'm being selfish, it might give up my honey hole. Thanks for sharing. I'd read more if you have it.

Jim
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-21-09 AT 10:13PM (MST)[p]love all the stories thanks for sharing i love reading about all that stuff makes me imagine what it would be like.imn ot fortunate enough to have journals like that i sure hope you cherish those journals would be neat to have!id have to say im a bit jealous. haha thanks again!

?It takes a genius to whine appealingly.?
Mr.Whiny
 
Very nice thanks for posting those stories.


"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
 

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