Aspen Carvings

[4orMore]

I've seen a few names carved into aspen trunks from the early 1900s but never 1899 or before. Has anyone seen anything from the 1800s? Got any pictures? It's pretty cool to think how ancient and untouched some of these forests are and that these guys were wandering around over 100 years ago doing the same thing I'm doing. Lots of history recorded in those aspen groves...

 

[dleonard4]

this year up on dutton i found a couple that dated 1908 and 1909 pretty cool to imagine them tough old cowboys logging those forests with buck wagons and hand saws.

 

[mtnrunner260]

There was a story in National Geographic about carvings several months ago. I remember it listed a website for a lady that was doing a masters thesis on them or something.
I will post a link if I can find it later.

 

[goofyelk]

Here's the oldest tree carving EVER!

 

[sageadvice]

Interesting thread. While elk hunting SW Colo in the late 80's i found a isolated natural pond that had a nice aspen grove for cover above and about 80-100yds away. The first time i walk up on this little pond, i jumped 3-4 raghorns and a good bunch of cows that had just watered... lots of sign! Anyway, noticing all the markings in those aspens, i found one in particular that really was like no other i'd ever seen or come across.

On it was carved "DURANGO" in total circumference with either JB, BJ, something like that marked in beneath that. Then there was a long list of years below that. The list started around 1912 and continued into the 1950's with two years early on not listed, simply marked in with the word "WAR".

I figure that some ol boy that had served his country had him a good spot. I never ran into anybody else while i occasionally sat that small pond but if i had, i always figured to ask them if they knew the guy that had made that neat story line on that aspen tree.

Joey

 

[MsDestiny]

My Father used to take me up on the Skyline up Fairview canyon hunting as a little girl and I would often see my Great Great Grandfathers name carved high up in the Aspens.. mostly 1890's. But I was always taught when you shoot an animal in the Aspens to leave a note on an aspen tree... since I grew up in a long line of Hunters... I run across the "Family" name all over creation... it's nice to vandalize the forest to piss off the tree huggers... let's em know they are not the first in the woods and they won't be the last.

Destiny

 

[4orMore]

Nice Destiny! What's the family name? I'll have to keep an eye out for it. That's been my families stomping ground since my great grandfather migrated to Fairview from Scotland at the turn of the century.

This year on the Archery Elk Hunt I came across a name from the year 1900 even. I'd seen a 1901 before. I should have taken a picture.

 

[dh9815]

Think this one is authentic?

 

[1911]

This is an interesting subject. For me new carvings are about enhancing to the landscape as someones garbage they leave behind. That said, there is a certain interest that comes of them once they hit a certain age where they seemingly transform from a sort of graffiti into a piece of history. I prefer the leave no trace course of action when it comes to public lands.

 

[Roy]

Yeah 1911 I tend to agree with you - a few years ago I saw some rather "fresh" aspen carvings in some trees pretty close to SLC. There were a few that said: "TCG" and also some that said "BKC" and some others that said "LVL" and "SUR" with the number 13 all over, some of them carved over the top of the "TCG" and "BKC" carvings. There were also some that said "sXe" and "QVO" and a lot of the letter "M" with the number "187" right below it. What do you think those mean?


UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

 

[ELKOHOLIC]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-31-10 AT 09:22AM (MST)[p]Roy, It sounds like the local gang bangers are even participating now. They are taking over up there.

dh, Where was that tree at? I have seen on the East Desert where he burned his name into sandstone with gun powder. This was under a small over hang where the weather doesn't get to it. A lot of people claim that it's authentic even though he spelled his last name with two a's. After reading his books it don't seem like school was of much importance though.

ps. And no I don't think that it was him that wrote it. I think it's possible, but looking at it I would say no.

 

[mevertsen]

Roy - I agree, most of those are gang oriented. 13 for sure is gang related, SUR probably relatates to Sureno's - a few others not familiar with, but if they are in the same spot, I imagine they are all gang related somehow.

Later,

Marcial

 

[hornsoup]

While hunting deer around the soldier summit area, me and my dad found this old cabbin,(this was on a CWMU) so we start looking around. My dad finds T Bundy in this tree. That makes you wonder what happened there? He took several of them girls up the canyons!

 

[rugarm77]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-31-10 AT 10:58AM (MST)[p]>Yeah 1911 I tend to agree
>with you - a few
>years ago I saw some
>rather "fresh" aspen carvings in
>some trees pretty close to
>SLC. There were a few
>that said: "TCG" and also
>some that said "BKC" and
>some others that said "LVL"
>and "SUR" with the number
>13 all over, some of
>them carved over the top
>of the "TCG" and "BKC"
>carvings. There were also some
>that said "sXe" and "QVO"
>and a lot of the
>letter "M" with the number
>"187" right below it. What
>do you think those mean?
>
>
>
>UTROY
>Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)



"TCG" - Tongan Crip Gang.

"QVO" - East Side gang that dresses in red and rivals the Surenos

"SUR" - Sureno hispanic gang. The numer 13 is an identifier as is 14 with Nortenoes gang members.

Gangs will cross out letters or numbers of rivals as a sign of disrespect.

 

[AndymanSavage]

Anyone who has hunted the south end of the Monroe has seen the "Henry" name carved in trees. My family started hunting the Monroe with the henry family for deer in the mid 1950's and hunted there until the last 10 years when the deer disappeared.....There are a few stands of aspens where every single tree carries the mark "les henry". In one of those there is a tree in the middle of the others with the following in very large letters ; "Les is a turd"...kind of funny. There is also a tree that has a carving commemorating the 10 year wedding anniversary of Les and his wife...it's kind of cool to see all of these carvings from my grandpa's buddies back in the day.


-----------------------------------------------
http://andymansavage.blogspot.com/

 

[Castnshoot]

My Mom's family were the first pioneer family to settle way up the Weber Canyon in Utah. You can find there markings all over that country going way back. My Grand Dad showed me how to make the best tool for carving Aspen.

You just take the top that has been cut out of a tin can and fold it in half. Works way better than a knife.