bear attack and death in yellow stone

Dave - while you are preparing to come to bear country, if you have the time, get a copy of Osborne Russell's "Journal of a Trapper." It's a good read and tells about his experiences as a young trapper in the 1830s and 1840s. He and a fellow trapper were wounded (arrows) by the Blackfeet by the northern shore of Yellowstone Lake. They were bathing at the time and lost horses, gear, and all their clothes. Luckily. they had their rifles and" possibles" sacks. Other than that they were stark naked, and yet managed to hike out of the park to present day Fort Hall in Idaho. Those were some tough hombres.

In his journal Russell describes some of the flora and fauna of the mountain areas. He mentions the grizzly and leaves the reader with a memorable statement, "A wounded grizzly is nothing to trifle with."

Am heading back to the marina tomorrow. Life is good. Retirement can be described thus: everyday is Friday afternoon. Or as a late friend Dr. Schwidde use to say on canoe trips on the lake when toasting our party with his awful home made wine, " Ah, there is so much to drink and such little time to do it."

See you in August. Drive safe.

John
 
John,
I'll head up to the libary this afternoon for the book. If anyone needs anything from the east coast let me know. My wife wants to know if bears will swim out to our boat and climb on it and eat us if we were anchored out. I told ther the bears only eat people that stay at the marinas because they have better food and taste better. She's mostly afraid of snakes. We are both is looking forward to meeting all you nice folks. She might be asking you people quite a few questions. :shock: She's also freaked out about alligators. :roll: I told her no worries the indians killed all of them a few years back. Once we get started I'll do a daily log on this site to inform you of our progress so you people will have time to go hide somewhere and make up stories why you have to leave before we actually get there.
Dave / Ginny and Lucy (the dog our bear bait)
 
Thanks guys, I really enjoy the history! Since I love American history, I am heading for the library to get a couple of those books, too! Very interesting. I've noticed that the Lewis and Clark history is really big around Bozeman! Missouri River and all...
 
Dave, if you have a 22, be sure to bring it to Montana with you. Jackalopes continue to be abundant and since they are a nuisance animal the hunting of them is greatly encouraged.
 
DaveS":axt6mpoa said:
Dave, if you have a 22, be sure to bring it to Montana with you. Jackalopes continue to be abundant and since they are a nuisance animal the hunting of them is greatly encouraged.

The biggest problem with jackalopes is the damage their antlers do to your tires if/when you run over them. Since they are in such abundance in the western Dakotas and Montana, the likelihood of the above occurring is great. Drive careful!
 
Great jackalope photo. Lived in Wyoming a few years, and they were abundant there also. Wouldn't drive some farm roads at night - they'd freeze in the headlights and those horns could not only puncture a tire, they'd even spear a gas tank.
 
My wife wants to know if bears will swim out to our boat and climb on it and eat us if we were anchored out.


Dave,
You'll want to mention to your wife that before going to bed a night, it's ALWAYS a good idea to verify that the swim step ladder is UP, to prevent such an occurence.

Enjoy your trip!
Casey
 
The Western Jackalope (Lepus Tempermentalus)



•Size: Males to 24", Females to 20"
•Weight: Avg. 6 to 8 lbs. Binge up to 12 lbs.
•Horns: Up to 12 inches across; 2 to 3 points common
•Coat: Tawny-brown, lighter on chest and underside
•Disposition: Secretive, easily agitated
•Habitat: Grasslands and KOA Campgrounds
•Range: Western North America into Canada
•Diet: Grasses, beenie weenies, smores

•Mating Ritual: Only during intense lightning strikes
•Population: Less than 10,000 (2000 Census)
•Predators: Taxidermists and tourists
•Status: Endangered to threatened
•Traits: Sure footed and agile; nocturnal; opportunistic; crude ability to mimic campground chatter; fondness for whiskey and Harley Davidson oil lines; will attack if cornered or provoked
Reportedly, jackalopes are extremely shy unless approached. If you encounter a jackalope, quickly fall to the ground, and remain calm and still while humming the Roy Rogers song, "Happy Trails to You."

Source, and for more, please see
http://www.jackalope.com/legend.htm
 
Boy, the last time I heard the Jackalope thing I kicked the slats out of my cradle. :lol: Besides I could not eat anything as cute as a rabbit even if it had horns. Never the less I'll avoid driving at night. I thinking about putting bear trap on the swim platform,maybe some barbed wire around the cockpit area. How about sasquatch (sic) are they he / her still roaming around out there? I have seen pictures on the papers at the super market check out. Anybody know anything about that species hanging out in the Yellowstone area? Are they still running around naked or have they started shopping for all their clothes at the local Walmart?

D.D.
 
starcrafttom":2ume6986 said:
so whos up for snipe hunting??????

Remember that well. We used to conduct snipe hunting trips at night time in the desert of Joshua Tree National Park. The sound of the whistler was audible for quite a distance in the still of the desert night. Depending upon how good of a whistler the hunter was, he could fill a gunny sack with them on a good night.
 
A snipe hunt,
a form of wild-goose chase that is also known as a fool's errand, is a type of practical joke that involves experienced people making fun of credulous newcomers by giving them an impossible or imaginary task. The origin of the term is a practical joke where inexperienced campers are told about a bird or animal called the snipe as well as a usually preposterous method of catching it, such as running around the woods carrying a bag or making strange noises such as banging rocks together. Incidentally, the snipe (a family of shorebirds) is difficult to catch for experienced hunters, so much so that the word "sniper" is derived from it to refer to anyone skilled enough to shoot one.[1]
Good thing I google these questionable posts. I was not exactly sure about the jackolope either We are not city kids, not to say we are not a couple tacos short of the full combination plate but my wife is blonde. Obviously tall tales/tails are in season. I'll be on the look out for the samsquanch (sic) dressed in Walmart attire. You folks are too funny :smile
D.D.
 
Perhaps we should also warn your wife about the hoop snakes of the desert west and the hodags of the northwoods. You should be armed against both animals during your travels.
 
Rodger,
Thanks for the tips, but it is highly unlikely and I can't over emphasize this enough highly unlikely baby girl will be either in the northwoods or the desert. No make matters worse she does not like guns. Annie Oakley she is not. We will have to depend on Lucy who is also known as Boo Boo our english bulldog who is afraid of everything except food to defend us against the perils of the west. We're screwed!
D.D
 
This is all well and good, funny too. The danger of making light of the boogeyman is that real threats can be marginalized.
I wish like hell I had taken warnings about wampus cats seriously. After the close call I had I am uncomfortable around all cats, even kittens, to this day.
 
Afraid of cats? Here is a true :roll: story for you
A widow who had lost her husband a few years prior was laying out on a beach near her home. She in her early 60's but still pretty well put together. After a while this fellow throws down his towel near by and starts reading a book. After a bit the widow gets up the courage to ask him a question in the effort to start some small talk, she says,"do you come here often?" He says this is the first time since my wife died three years ago. She then goes on to say isn't this a beautiful day? He says yes it's a real beauty or something like that. Then she asks do you like pussy cats? The guy jumps on her and makes wild passinate love to her. After the dust settled she said how did you know that is what I wanted? He said how did you know my name was Katz?

D.D.
 
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