Soapweed
Well-known member
1971 Journal by Steve Moreland
JULY 25, 1971 – SUNDAY – Went to church [Methodist Church in Merriman, NE] and had dinner at home. Napped awhile—then Dad, Uncle Al, and I went up to Lacreek to see Ray Gardiner's Faulhaber Hereford cows and his Middlesworth bull.
JULY 26, 1971 – MONDAY – Stacking crew in green hay, so Dad and I went down to the Leach Place [our summer range] and moved a couple bulls around. Couldn't bring home a bull as his horns were too big [to fit up the narrow loading chute to fit into stock rack on pickup]. Put up six stacks of hay in afternoon.
JULY 27, 1971 – TUESDAY – One stack before dinner, nine in the afternoon, total: 119. Coldest day on record for July 27th. Cool, windy, hazy—jackets order of day. Ellen [Ellen Anderson, Mom's niece] and Hank [my sister, Nancy Jean] put on "show" after supper.
JULY 28, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Bobby Weimer and his new bride came out to visit and stayed for dinner. Very cold day for July. We hayed in our winter clothes in afternoon.
[My job that summer was to run a pitch fork up on top of the haystack as it was being built. I recall wearing my winter coat, heavy vest, and chaps that afternoon as I "stacked" hay.
My mom's brother "Uncle Al" (age 47) mowed for us that summer. He and his wife, Lois, and their daughter Ellen stayed as house guests for the three or four weeks it took to put up hay. Uncle Al drove a 1968 John Deere 4020, with a mounted double bar Kosch mower. The front bar was seven feet, and the back bar was nine feet. It could mow a lot of hay.
My sister Sandra (age 15) drove the rake outfit. This was a 1958 IHC Super C tractor pulling a 30' Valley rake. The rake was three 10' sections wide with one wheel between each section. When going through gates, the outside two sections lifted into the air with hydraulic cylinders. Then the outfit could get through a gate sixteen to eighteen feet wide. This "dump rake" raked the hay into windrows, "dumping" the hay when the rake was full.
Dad (age 48) ran the "sweep," which was a reversed IHC Super C tractor with a hay head about twelve feet wide. This rig, which some folks call a "buck rake" would push the windrows until a sweep bunch was formed. These sweep bunches were pushed to the base of a "beaver slide" stacker, and then pushed onto the "stacker head."
My sister, Sybil (age 12) drove the stacker tractor. It was a 1948 IHC Model M. She pulled the loads up and let the empty head back down, by use of a cable arrangement with the tractor running back and forth at a right angle to the stacker. The beaver slide stacker had 30' arms that set a little steeper than a 45 degree angle. It was mainly made of wood, with steel runners that slid on the ground when traveling. The arms also had steel on top for reinforcement and which allowed less friction for the hay head rollers.
With all the dignified tractor jobs being taken up by others, the stacking job of manning a pitchfork fell to me (age 19). I rode the stack from bottom to the top, and shoved the hay into the corners, tromping as I went. Each stack would weigh about seven tons when completed. The first three sweep loads were shoved in from the back at ground level. Then the "backstop" was secured with contraptions almost like gate levers that hooked to the backstop chain. The first load on the stacker head would be pulled up rather fast, with brakes quickly applied to place this load as far back as possible. The next load would be in the front, and sometimes a load would be put in the middle. All of this was at the discretion and direction of the man with the pitchfork, depending on where the hay needed to be to more perfectly form the stack.
A lot of hay through the years was put up by similar means. It was a system that worked quite well, providing winter feed for livestock.
JULY 29, 1971 – THURSDAY – Dad and I went down to the Leach and Fuchser Places [our summer range]. Moved one bunch of cattle at F. Place. Hauled cow with hardware disease to Gordon sale. Hayed in afternoon. Total now 133 stacks.
JULY 30, 1971 – FRIDAY – Sold to Otto Buechle from Valentine: Spot ($100), Ilo Belsky mare ($50), Brownie ($100), Toodles ($75). Broke tie-rod on four-wheeler [1963 Ford pickup]—made nearly a mile walk. Seven stacks of hay in south part of Home Meadow.
JULY 31, 1971 – SATURDAY – Sybil fainted in the hay field today (a bucket of oil spilled in her face in the process). Ken Moreland came out and drove the stacker tractor this afternoon. Put up seven stacks of slow going swamp hay.
AUGUST 1, 1971 – SUNDAY – Didn't make it to church today. Dad, Sybil, and I put up four stacks of swamp hay in north and west meadows. Four more stacks near branding corral in afternoon. Uncle Al's went to Stan Moreland's JO Ranch for dinner.
AUGUST 2, 1971 – MONDAY – Doc Johnson from Gordon was out this morning to doctor a bull with quick pneumonia. Girls and I put up stack of rushes. Dad and I went down south to check pastures. Moved cattle at Fuchser Place.
AUGUST 3, 1971 – TUESDAY – Rain last night, so no haying this morning. Took pickup in to get safety inspected. Did some packing for going to Wyoming. Put up 5 stacks of swamp hay this afternoon. Total now 162.
AUGUST 4, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Put up four stacks. Windrowed some south of meadow. Uncle Stan's came out to borrow sprayer [for spraying cattle for flies].
HEADING FOR WYOMING
AUGUST 5, 1971 – THURSDAY – Arose at 5:00. Left home at 6:00. Ate dinner at Powder River. Arrived at Moose Head Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at 4:00 p.m. (540 miles). Met new members of crew, looked over the remuda, etc.
AUGUST 6, 1971 – FRIDAY – Took three wild little girls out on morning ride. Three oldsters on slow ride in afternoon. Johnny Smith and I drove to Two Ocean Lake country after supper. Went to river party from 9:30 to 11:00.
AUGUST 7, 1971 – SATURDAY – Gary Kuys and I took all day ride to old bug corral. Governor of Florida [Reuben Askew] pulled in to spend a week at Moose Head Ranch. Drove team and wagon down to Snake River after supper. Went to town (Jackson) and saw part of rodeo. Arrived home at 11:30.
AUGUST 8, 1971 – SUNDAY – Ranch about full of guests now. Took morning ride to Swan Pond. Helped start afternoon ride, then drove over to Frome's Base Camp at Turpin Meadows. Cook-out back at Moose Head Ranch this evening.
AUGUST 9, 1971 – MONDAY – Took elderly couple on slow ride this morning. New bunch (McGinley family from New Jersey) came in this afternoon. Dogie Weaver and I took them to the Snake River for a ride. Wrote some postcards tonight.
AUGUST 10, 1971 – TUESDAY – Breakfast at 7:00. Wrangled on the mare Matilda. Gary and I took four girls and a boy from Florida on a morning ride. Charlie and I took the same bunch plus another couple little girls on afternoon ride.
AUGUST 11, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – All day ride with Mariani and Eckerd girls. Went east of dam on Spread Creek, then by the Elk Ranch Reservoir and home. Went to Jackson Lake Lodge in the evening to watch square dancers.
AUGUST 12, 1971 – THURSDAY – Gary and I took the Childs and Angela Askew (the Florida Governor's daughter) on morning ride. Kevin Askew fell off his horse on Dogie's ride. Gary and I cleared a trail in afternoon. Went square dancing at Jackson Lake Lodge in evening. Much fun.
AUGUST 13, 1971 – FRIDAY – Gary and I took the three Childs girls on morning ride along the river. Kim, the handyman, went riding this afternoon and got us all in trouble.
AUGUST 14, 1971 – SATURDAY – Gary and I took the Childs girls on all-day ride. Butch met us with the Governor's kids. Charlie brought dinner. Dave Bressler and I went to the movie "Mad, Mad World" in Jackson.
AUGUST 15, 1971 – SUNDAY – Worked around corrals in morning. Mettlers gave the whole crew the afternoon off. Gary, Rusty, Kim, Sue, Gail, Cheryl, Jan, and I went floating from the dam to the Moose Head (12 miles). Rusty and I drove to the BC Bar Ranch in the evening.
AUGUST 16, 1971 – MONDAY – My day off. Went to Jackson. Got pickup fixed. Went to wax museum. Looked up Al and May Kleeman, met Eva Topping [the previous owner of Moose Head Ranch. She and her husband Fred were early homesteaders in the valley. They branded the F Lazy T]. Visited Victor Wells and his wife [Chick Nero's sister, but I can't think of her name]. Later, Johnny Smith and I drove to the 3 Bar R, the Elk Ranch, and Jackson Lake Lodge.
AUGUST 17, 1971 – TUESDAY – Took the Bridges family from Georgia on morning and afternoon rides. Practiced roping on stray Triangle X mule that was in with our horses. Load of small bales of hay came in at 7:00 p.m. Helped unload it. Then Johnny and I drove around over in the Kelly country.
AUGUST 18, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Took the Bridges family again on both morning and afternoon rides. President Nixon arrived in Jackson Hole today. Square dancing tonight at Jackson Lake Lodge.
AUGUST 19, 1971 – THURSDAY – Took Alan Levine and his dad on morning ride. Hard pair to keep track of. Same two and a girl this afternoon. President Nixon in a helicopter flew right over our heads. Square dancing at recreation hall at Jackson Lake Lodge.
AUGUST 20, 1971 – FRIDAY – Made a long morning ride with the Bridges family. Load of hay came in at noon that we had to unload. Took Mrs. Belvin and Tammy Teague for slow afternoon ride. Johnny Smith and his wife, Ina, and I visited at Vic Wells'. Looked at slides.
AUGUST 21, 1971 – SATURDAY – Morning ride to river with Bridges and Addisons. Mr. Addison got dumped on his head by Molly. Leavines, Lochrane Grant, Bill Bridges, and I rode to Elk Reservoir in afternoon. Johnny and I went to Jackson evening rodeo.
AUGUST 22, 1971 – SUNDAY – Johnny Smith got bucked off Magpie this morning. I received a five dollar tip from Bridges [nothing to be sneezed at when you were making $150 per month plus room and board]. Left Moose Head Ranch at 5:00 p.m. and went to Frome's Base Camp at Turpin Meadows. Supper at Togwotee Lodge.
AUGUST 23, 1971 – MONDAY – Arose at 4:30, breakfast, and head for South Entrance of Yellowstone in truck. Catch horses, pack, head 15 miles up trail to camp at Basin Creek. Kitchen already set up. 20 dudes, 9 crew, 29 riding horses, 30 pack horses, five spare horses. Start of 12-day pack trip.
AUGUST 24, 1971 – TUESDAY – Lay over day. Dude, Jon Jon Montgomery and I ride about 12 miles or so in search of elk. Saw one elk and two mule deer. Arrived back at camp at 5:00. Bathed in hot springs after supper. Nice!
AUGUST 25, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Froze hard again last night. Got up at 5:30 to begin catching horses. Moved 15 miles to Fox Park along Snake River. Big forest fire in progress to the south. Set up tent tonight.
[Must not have kept a diary for a while, of lost it, or something.]
SEPTEMBER 5, 1971 – SUNDAY – Arose at 4:00 a.m. Had breakfast, then saddled and packed 24 head of horses. Mr. and Mrs. Merritt Egan, Ron Ewing, Eddie Lessoon, and I make up the party. Take off at 12:00 noon. Leaving base camp at the mouth of Box Creek on Turpin Meadows headed for Hawk's Rest about 28 miles away. Nonstop, eating our lunches while in the saddle, we arrive at 7:30. After a hasty supper, we three single fellows prepare our beds under the stars. Egans get the one tent.
SEPTEMBER 6, 1971 – MONDAY – Get up at 7:00, pack up, and depart at 12:30 for the camp on Pass Creek, 25 miles on up the trail by way of Bridger Lake and the Thorofare. Arrive at 7:00 to find the hunting camp a mess, due to bears, a flood, and thoughtless previous campers. Supper under the stars, and sleep under the same. Rained a little towards morning.
SEPTEMBER 7, 1971 – TUESDAY – Day of hard work setting up camp. Erect seven tents, fix corral, chop wood, etc.
SEPTEMBER 8, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – More of same but without Eddie's help. He went back to the Roost to help set up camp there. Took seven head of horses and mules. I cleaned trail in the morning, and chopped wood in the afternoon.
SEPTEMBER 9, 1971 – THURSDAY – Do few more finishing touches in camp. First hunters arrive in early afternoon—8 paying hunters altogether, along with Jon Montgomery (packer), and guides Bob Robinson and Leo Putman. One fellow got saddle sore and walked in the last few miles. He was later to be named "Sore Butt." Mrs. Egan is a good cook, and she prepared an outstanding supper.
SEPTEMBER 10, 1971 – FRIDAY – First day of elk hunting season. Got up at 4:00, breakfast, and saddle hunter horses. Guide for every two hunters. Jon and I stay in camp to work on dwindling wood pile. Snake logs into camp with old mare Bell, broke to harness. Hunters bring down 3 elk, all 3-pointers. Jon and I pack them in. The one I packed was about four miles from camp in high country. Use two pack horses. Hunter has trouble finding elk that he downed.
SEPTEMBER 11, 1971 – SATURDAY – Merritt Egan (the head guide) sent me to the Roost with six pack mules, one pack horse, and a hunter that wanted to go out early as he was filled with his elk. One hunter got bucked off his horse (it later turned out that the horse had only been ridden twice before, and was normally just a pack horse). Pulled into the Roost after six hours and 25 miles of travel. Bruce Johnson wanted me to go moose hunting with him and Doc Smith, so I saddled a fresh horse and did. We optimistically took along four pack horses, and they shot a moose just at dark. We packed it all in, including the guts for bear bait. I rode at least 45 miles today on horseback. Went to bed at 11:30.
SEPTEMBER 12, 1971 – SUNDAY – Arose at 3:30. Headed for Turpin Meadows with pack string, dude hunter, and Sharon Myers (gal from Florida that stayed a few days after the last 12-day trail ride/pack trip that ended September 2nd). Arrived in base came at 5:00, after seven hours of travel. The three of us went to Jackson. Got kicked out of Wort Hotel dining room for our grubby appearance. Left Bing Harris (the hunter) in Jackson, then headed back to base camp to spend the night.
SEPTEMBER 13, 1971 – MONDAY – Two nights before last, a fellow rode into the Roost at 1:00 a.m. and wondered if there was a doctor in camp. Eddie Lessoon and Dr. Smith rode over to a resident hunter camp at Bridger Lake, and gave some medicine to a fellow in bad shape. I took six head in pack string to the Roost. Little Ed got away from me. [He was the last mule in the string, which is like the last kid in the game "crack the whip." He hesitated momentarily at a creek, and the snap on his halter rope broke. He was very hard to catch again. Never after that did I use a halter rope that had a snap. They would break too easily.]
SEPTEMBER 14, 1971 – TUESDAY – 7 head plus saddle horse to Pass Creek. 8 and a half hours. Little Red got out of his pack twice on the trip.
SEPTEMBER 15, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Chopped wood in morning. Rode over into Silvertip on Arch, took along Clyde and Misty with pack saddles, but the hunters didn't get any elk.
SEPTEMBER 16, 1971 – THURSDAY – Pass Creek hunters left at 8:00 with Bob. Leo rode 55 miles to the road to go to National Guard camp. Jon and I took pack strings to the Roost. Snowed all the way.
SEPTEMBER 17, 1971 – FRIDAY – Headed for the road. John Hanson and I had supper in Jackson and showered at Moose Head Ranch.
SEPTEMBER 18, 1971 – SATURDAY – Two hunters arrived early so L.D. told me to take them to Pass Creek. Three other hunters went to the Roost. John led hunters, and I took in pack string. Took wrong short cut across Yellowstone Meadow. [And got into some terrible bogs.]
SEPTEMBER 19, 1971 – SUNDAY – Delivered hunters to Pass Creek. Took nap rest of afternoon.
SEPTEMBER 20, 1971 – MONDAY – Sawed wood by myself in morning. New hunters arrived at 2:30. 7 hunters in all at Pass Creek; 9 hunters at Roost. 5 guides, 2 cooks, 1 packer at Roost. 4 guides, 2 packers (counting me), and 1 cook at Pass Creek.
SEPTEMBER 21, 1971 – TUESDAY – Jon Montgomery and I sawed wood most of the day and got a good pile built up. [This was in the Teton Wilderness Area, where no chain saws were allowed. We sawed it all up by hand.] We shod horses in the late afternoon. I put 2 shoes on Nancy. Had to tie up a hind leg.
SEPTEMBER 22, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Rode to the Roost [from Frome's hunting camp at Pass Creek, near the Ishawa Cone to the Hawk's Rest camp] on buckskin mare, Doll, and led the mule Sweat Pea loaded with my bed. Cleared trail all the way down. Took ten hours to make the usual five hour trip.
SEPTEMBER 23, 1971 – THURSDAY – Packed in three elk at the Roost. Covered 20 miles or so. Rode and packed new Bagley mares. Didn't take lunch, so had dinner at 4:30.
SEPTEMBER 24, 1971 – FRIDAY – Eddie and I took eight head to the road, packed out elk. Found a nice pair of Bausch and Lomb binoculars laying on the trail. [A sticker said Paul Nelson, Martin, but no state. I suspected it might be South Dakota.] Shower at Moose Head Ranch and called home.
SEPTEMBER 25, 1971 – SATURDAY – I brought back 6 head to Roost loaded with grain cubes.
SEPTEMBER 26, 1971 – SUNDAY – Kip Robinson and I took 9 head to road loaded with 4 elk and our beds. Supper in Jackson. Spent the night at Base Camp.
SEPTEMBER 27, 1971 – MONDAY – Headed back for Roost with 10 head loaded with grain cubes. I got on a horse that had never been ridden, only packed. Stopped at Dody's camp to deliver binoculars to Dave Harrington, from Martin, SD. [Dave was in the mountains hunting, and had borrowed these binoculars from his friend Paul Nelson. When Paul found out I had given the lost binoculars back, he was quite pleased, as they were a fairly expensive investment. Paul owned the movie theater in Martin, South Dakota back then. When I got back home to the Sandhills, he gave me free movie privileges for quite some time.] Pass Creek hunters arrived at Roost on their way out.
SEPTEMBER 28, 1971 – TUESDAY – Helped Pass Creek outfit get packed. Spent day at Roost snaking in logs and sawing wood.
SEPTEMBER 29, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – The Roost bunch headed for the road today, me included. I rode Penny, a new Bagley mare—nice horse. Kind of a snowy miserable day. One 300 pound fellow was having trouble with leg cramps, so Dean Humphrey came in slow with him. I tied Dean's pack string on behind mine. I went from North Fork meadow to the road leading 8 head with 3 coming along loose. Bought John Hanson's supper at Togwotee Lodge, as he bought mine in Jackson a while back. I went to Moose Head for a shower and spent the night there with Johnny and Ina Smith.
SEPTEMBER 30, 1971 – THURSDAY – John Smith and I took two pickups to Jackson, as he needed some work done on one of the Moose Head outfits. Snowed hard all day—at least six inches down in the valley, more in the higher country. I had to buy some long handles, gloves, etc. and had to fill out a draft board questionnaire. John and I killed time while his pickup was being fixed, and had dinner in town. We had planned to brand three Moose Head colts, but the weather was no good. Went back to Moose Head and rigged up a new wood stove for Mettler's cabin. Then I took John and his wife, Ina, to supper at the Wort Hotel. They have been real nice to me by letting me have showers there, and they keep my mail for me.
OCTOBER 1, 1971 – FRIDAY – New bunch of hunters arrived. Cold, nasty snowy day for the 28 mile ride into the Roost. Pass Creek hunters went in yesterday. Two new guides for this hunt—Frank Calkins, an author from Jackson who wrote ROCKY MOUNTAIN WARDEN, and "Jeet," a native from India. Arrived at the Roost about 6:00 to a very welcome cozy fire in the cook tent.
OCTOBER 2, 1971 – SATURDAY – Bruce Johnson had two early hunters in and had killed a moose and an elk, so I spent most of the day packing them in from the Thorofare country. Took five head of pack horses for the job.
OCTOBER 3, 1971 – SUNDAY – A deer was killed yesterday, so I took a pack horse to near "Speedy's" camp (previously Spiedelburg from Cody, now Robertson) and two extra mules "just in case." Sure enough, after I got over there, two elk had been killed, so we were still short two pack animals. Got the deer down from its near timberline resting place and stopped a while to eat our lunch (Frank Calkins and I). Picked up one elk on the way back. (Before anyone had a chance to get the other one, a bear ate both hindquarters.) Arrived back in camp a little before dark. Good day for the hunters—five elk in all. Jon Jon Montgomery arrived from Pass Creek with six head of pack mules (3 elk) and reported that there were still two elk and a deer yet to pack out of there.
OCTOBER 4, 1971 – MONDAY – At one time today, there were 42 loads of meat on the ground from these two camps. Eddie Lessoon and I took 14 pack animals and his Copper horse empty to the road. We turned them loose the other side of Atlantic Creek and made good time. (This practice is illegal in the Teton Wilderness Area, however.) [We didn't get caught for doing this. Eddie had a "don't give a darn" attitude, but he was my superior so I let him call the shots.] I had supper at Togwotee Lodge and called home. Spent the night in the cold bus at base camp.
OCTOBER 5, 1971 – TUESDAY – Old Jim Romero [a cool old ex-sheepherder, he was ¾ Swede and ¼ Mexican] and I had 13 pack horses caught and 6 loaded by 9:30 when Eddie pulled in. We packed the rest of them and left about noon. Just before reaching North Fork Meadow, we met Bruce and Kip. Kip and I traded, and I led his pack string on back to Base Camp. I had to stop and repack Rusty, and Bruce went ahead with the other five. There were four loose pack horses following him. Repacking Rusty took a bit of time, so Bruce got quite a ways ahead. When I arrived at Base Camp, it was discovered that the horse Flax had escaped us. He had been following Bruce, so Bruce naturally thought the horse had stayed back with my string. I had to ride almost back to North Fork Meadow (a 15-mile round trip) after dark to get the horse and the half of an elk that was his cargo. Fortunately there was a full moon to light my way.
OCTOBER 6, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Slept until 7:30. Packed five head and took off for the Roost at 11:00. Arrived at 6:30 due to a slow leading pack string and a slower saddle horse (Scotty). Real nice weather the last three days—65 to 70 degrees.
OCTOBER 7, 1971 – THURSDAY – Nice quiet day in camp. Roost hunters pulled out along with all the crew but EiLene Johnson, Nyla Whitmore, and I. I took a bath in a big galvanized oval tub, and shaved. Bruce pulled in at noon with a pack string. Naps in the afternoon and the usual bull session in the kitchen. A photographer feller was a grub-line supper guest. Jeet and his hunter got a bull. Frank didn't have any luck with his hunter. Both were originally Pass Creek hunters that didn't get filled.
OCTOBER 8, 1971 – FRIDAY – Slept late. Bruce, EiLene, Jeet, and Smokey (Johnson's Norwegion Elkhound dog) went to Castle Creek to pack in the elk. Nyla and I took four pack horses to the photographer's camp to pack out his stuff (contracted at $10 per head). Pass Creek pulled into our camp at about 3:30. Two rangers also stopped by on a "friendly" visit.
OCTOBER 9, 1971 – SATURDAY – Spent most of the morning hunting horses on top of the Roost. Pass Creek had to borrow some of ours to get to the road on, as theirs were hiding. Jeet, Nyla, and I are now holding down the fort. Snaked in some logs this afternoon on Big Red, the mule. At 4:30 one of the pack horses that started out loose this morning came strolling into camp. Bet the Pass Creek packers are mad. Jeet fried elk steak for supper. It was good. One old feller shot a bull (3 points on one side, 4 on the other). He just wanted the head and the antlers and gave me all the meat.
OCTOBER 10, 1971 – SUNDAY –Slept until 7:30. Jeet and I sawed wood until Nyla got up, then Jeet made French toast for breakfast. It is entertaining for me because Nyla and Jeet don't hit it off worth sour apples. About 9:00 a plane buzzed us, and it turned out to be L.D. Frome looking for the Black 67 horse. He dropped a note reading: "Did Black 67 horse come in with pack? Put throw cover in meadow if YES." L.D.
I ran out into the meadow a ways with a yellow throw cover and let them know we had him. Another note then flew down from the heavens: "Steve, get five duffels from Black 67 horse on a pack horse and get it to base camp today. We will pick it up tonight to get to hunters. Forget about photographer's packs unless Jeet wants to pack it tomorrow. Bring Nyla if she wants. Wave throw cover if you read me and will comply. L.D.
I waved the throw cover and Nyla and I were at the road six hours later. The usual 7 hour trip took 5 hours and 5 minutes. Went to Jackson, had supper, and called home. Hauled a couple fellows back to base camp to get their car and duffel. Their car keys had been on the Black 67 horse.
OCTOBER 11, 1971 – MONDAY – Bruce and EiLene pulled into base camp at 3:00 a.m., so I got up and helped them pack. We headed for Hawk's Rest at 6:00. Pretty cold between 7:00 and 9:00, so I walked a little and led my horse. Arrived at the Roost at 1:00 and napped until Pass Creek arrived (they were headed north). Helped them unpack, had supper, and hit the sack. My old Clyde mule from Nebraska (they call him Omaha here in Wyoming) about went under in a bog on the way in. Only his neck was sticking out. He was mud from head to foot.
OCTOBER 12, 1971 –TUESDAY – Eddie Lessoon and I went on a 50-mile horse hunting trip today. We were looking for two horses and a mule that we had been short for nearly a month. We each led a spare horse, as we knew we'd be covering a lot of miles. We went up Woodard Canyon and didn't see sunlight until 11:00 a.m. We climbed to 10,500 feet. Found the horses about 1:00 p.m. in a foot of snow on the level. Rested our horses and had dinner. We left Crater Lake at 2:30. Eddie was in charge, and he chose to ride to Base Camp instead of back to the Roost. I was along for the ride. As we rode towards Turpin Meadow, another rider was heading for civilization. It was Cark Oksanen, who I knew from the previous summer when he worked at the Triangle X and I worked at the Moose Head Ranch. He was the champion bull rider of the 1970 rodeo season in Jackson. This fall he was working for the Heart 6 Ranch, but had got into a discrepancy with another hunting guide. Poor Carl was packing a couple black eyes and a broken jaw, along with all his personal belongings, as he rode painfully down the trail with pack horse in tow. I rode home with Eddie to his Sagebrush Ranch near Afton. I enjoyed a hot bath and a good night's sleep in a bed—the first time sleeping in a bed for several weeks. I had ridden 140 miles horseback in the last 4 days, averaging seven hours a day in the saddle.
OCTOBER 13, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Slept until 7:00. Breakfast, then loaded some barrels and headed for Turnpin Meadows 120 miles away, on the other side of Jackson. Helped Ken Clark unload some hay bales there and packed the three head of renegades. The mule made the trip alright, but the two out-of-shape horses were tired before we were half way. Had to put their packs on our spare saddle horses. Made the trip in 5 hours and 45 minutes anyway. Arrived at the Roost just as it got dark. New batch of hunters there, as of yesterday night.
OCTOBER 14, 1971 – THURSDAY – Nice last night but it rained half an inch and snowed two inches during the night. Most of the hunters stayed in camp but a few went out. I took seven pack horses to the Thorofare (eight mile away) to load three elk and a deer. Mont Harmon met me there to help. I helped chop wood when I got back to camp. Fixed our water hose which was plugged up. Caught 14 head of horses for use tomorrow and called it a day. Mont's hunter got a 4-point bull just at dark over by Falcon Creek.
OCTOBER 15, 1971 – FRIDAY – Don't think I even rode a horse this day. Eddie packed in the only elk to be had. I helped Mont and some of the hunters chop up some available small wood. Snowed off and on all day.
OCTOBER 16, 1971 – SATURDAY – Eddie and I took 13 head of pack horses and mules to the road. We were going to be good boys and lead them all the way, but got discouraged just south of Two Ocean Pass. Kicked them loose and made good time for a while. The critters were strung out for half a mile going through a timbered spot. Beth hid out on us, and we were a couple miles down the trail before we noticed. I rode back and found her. Arrived at base camp before dark. I hauled a fellow who works at Turpin Meadow Ranch to town. I called home and had supper at Colonel Sander's Kentucky Fried Chicken.
OCTOBER 17, 1971 – SUNDAY – Eddie was late, so I had all the horses saddled and three packed when he arrived. We left at noon, and arrived at Hawk's Rest just at dark. I rode Princess (the Bagley bay). Eddie's Copper horse was lame, so he rode Ginger, my usual horse.
OCTOBER 18, 1971 – MONDAY – Rode over to the Castle Creek meadow with Mont to pack an elk. Cold snowy miserable day. Loaded six head with hay and pellets, and headed for Pass Creek at 1:00. Would have "froze to death" but the wind was at my back. Arrived at dark. Hot chocolate and the cozy fire was very welcome.
OCTOBER 19, 1971 – TUESDAY – Saw the Pass Creek guides and hunters off, then Jon Jon and I set about tearing down the camp. Took all day to take down the tents, cache supplies in barrels up in the trees, etc.
OCTOBER 20, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Arose at 2:00 a.m. with intentions of packing our string of 12 and going all the way to the road. We were packed up by daybreak and bid our farewells to the empty camp. We were ready to cross the bridge over the Yellowstone River at 1:00 p.m., when we saw a note that was hung there. Mont indicated on the paper that there was no need in going the other 25 miles to the road, so we went on to the Hawk's Rest camp and slept the rest of the afternoon.
OCTOBER 21, 1971 – THURSDAY – John, Eddie, and I packed 18 head and took off for the road. Four hunters also rode with us. Skipped supper but went to Moose Head and took a shower. Called home from the KOA Campground. Talked to Mom. Guess Uncle Al's are there for a few days. The folks trailed cattle home from summer pasture last Sunday and Monday. I slept in the cold bus at base camp.
OCTOBER 22, 1971 – FRIDAY – Nice day. New batch of hunters went in to Hawk's Rest for the last hunt. Kip Robinson, Frank Calkins, Mont Harmon, and I took pack strings in. Arrived at the Roost at dark.
OCTOBER 23, 1971 – SATURDAY – Arose at 4:30 to help saddle horses for the hunters and to have breakfast. Slept again from 6:00 to 9:00. Sat around the kitchen some of the day and sawed some wood.
OCTOBER 24, 1971 – SUNDAY –Nyla, a hunter, and I took four pack animals to Bridger Lake and after 30 minutes of searching found a cow elk that Bruce had shot for himself. We loaded it on two horses, and Nyla headed for camp with it. The hunter and I took a rough route through downed timber around Bridger Lake into Yellowstone Park for a ways, and found his elk about 500 feet above the Thorofare River on a hill. We packed it on the other two horses and headed for camp.
OCTOBER 25, 1971 – MONDAY – Took six head of pack horses to the Thorofare country. We loaded an elk on two and sent Nyla back with them. Tied two horses to trees to load deer later, and took the other two to Hidden Creek (15 miles) to load two deer. We got back to camp at 9:00 p.m.
OCTOBER 26, 1971 – TUESDAY – Eddie and I took 14 pack horses and mules to the road. Snowed all day. We had trouble finding all the horses, so didn't leave Hawk's Rest until 1:30. Turned loose at Atlantic Creek. Three packs fell, and the rest of the horses headed for the timber, so we had problems for a while. We got lined out again at 4:00 p.m. and still had 20 miles to go. Trotted right along though, and pulled in to Base Camp at 8:00. I hauled a couple hunters to town, and got a nice steak supper out of the deal, a night in a motel room, and five dollar tip.
OCTOBER 27, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Arose at 5:00 and had breakfast at the Patio Café. Called home at 6:00, the drove to base camp. Packed five head and ……………… the diary stalls out and comes to a complete halt.
[I spent the next four days in the mountains. Eddie and I took down the Hawk's Rest Camp on October 30th, and packed out of the high country for the last time on October 31st. We came out with 12 pack animals and 5 loose horses, besides the two horses we were riding. We made the 28 miles out on that last day in 4 hours and 15 minutes, which may be an all-time record for a pack string on that trip. Eddie was in charge. He was sick of being a packer, and was ready to start a new life. He had been doing this for the past 14 years, and was tired of the hard work and the rough life. His thought was that if any of the critters got a bit cinch sore, they had all winter to heal up and recover. I was just along for the ride.
That night, I went home with Eddie, and stayed with him and his wife Joene at their Sagebrush Ranch. The next day, I headed back for the Sandhills of Nebraska. Going through Kemmerer, Wyoming that morning, the thermometer on the bank read 14 below zero. The night of the 1st of November, 1971, I stayed with my cousin John Fairhead at his fraternity house, where he was going to college in Laramie. The roads were snow-packed and icy, and there were a lot of cars in the ditch. A new song was on the radio, and it was Cher singing "Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves." It is a nifty song that I have liked very well ever since.
All in all, I really enjoyed my Wyoming experience. Working for the "Frome Empire" was hard work but lots of fun. Being completely dependent on horses and mules for transportation, and sawing wood by hand because no motors were allowed, was like taking a page from the history books and reliving it. Our camps were located in the area farthest from any roads in the 48 continental United States. I had always thought I'd been born a hundred years too late, and this hunting camp experience gave me the chance to relive the past. It also gave me a whole new appreciation for the pioneers who settled the west.
JULY 25, 1971 – SUNDAY – Went to church [Methodist Church in Merriman, NE] and had dinner at home. Napped awhile—then Dad, Uncle Al, and I went up to Lacreek to see Ray Gardiner's Faulhaber Hereford cows and his Middlesworth bull.
JULY 26, 1971 – MONDAY – Stacking crew in green hay, so Dad and I went down to the Leach Place [our summer range] and moved a couple bulls around. Couldn't bring home a bull as his horns were too big [to fit up the narrow loading chute to fit into stock rack on pickup]. Put up six stacks of hay in afternoon.
JULY 27, 1971 – TUESDAY – One stack before dinner, nine in the afternoon, total: 119. Coldest day on record for July 27th. Cool, windy, hazy—jackets order of day. Ellen [Ellen Anderson, Mom's niece] and Hank [my sister, Nancy Jean] put on "show" after supper.
JULY 28, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Bobby Weimer and his new bride came out to visit and stayed for dinner. Very cold day for July. We hayed in our winter clothes in afternoon.
[My job that summer was to run a pitch fork up on top of the haystack as it was being built. I recall wearing my winter coat, heavy vest, and chaps that afternoon as I "stacked" hay.
My mom's brother "Uncle Al" (age 47) mowed for us that summer. He and his wife, Lois, and their daughter Ellen stayed as house guests for the three or four weeks it took to put up hay. Uncle Al drove a 1968 John Deere 4020, with a mounted double bar Kosch mower. The front bar was seven feet, and the back bar was nine feet. It could mow a lot of hay.
My sister Sandra (age 15) drove the rake outfit. This was a 1958 IHC Super C tractor pulling a 30' Valley rake. The rake was three 10' sections wide with one wheel between each section. When going through gates, the outside two sections lifted into the air with hydraulic cylinders. Then the outfit could get through a gate sixteen to eighteen feet wide. This "dump rake" raked the hay into windrows, "dumping" the hay when the rake was full.
Dad (age 48) ran the "sweep," which was a reversed IHC Super C tractor with a hay head about twelve feet wide. This rig, which some folks call a "buck rake" would push the windrows until a sweep bunch was formed. These sweep bunches were pushed to the base of a "beaver slide" stacker, and then pushed onto the "stacker head."
My sister, Sybil (age 12) drove the stacker tractor. It was a 1948 IHC Model M. She pulled the loads up and let the empty head back down, by use of a cable arrangement with the tractor running back and forth at a right angle to the stacker. The beaver slide stacker had 30' arms that set a little steeper than a 45 degree angle. It was mainly made of wood, with steel runners that slid on the ground when traveling. The arms also had steel on top for reinforcement and which allowed less friction for the hay head rollers.
With all the dignified tractor jobs being taken up by others, the stacking job of manning a pitchfork fell to me (age 19). I rode the stack from bottom to the top, and shoved the hay into the corners, tromping as I went. Each stack would weigh about seven tons when completed. The first three sweep loads were shoved in from the back at ground level. Then the "backstop" was secured with contraptions almost like gate levers that hooked to the backstop chain. The first load on the stacker head would be pulled up rather fast, with brakes quickly applied to place this load as far back as possible. The next load would be in the front, and sometimes a load would be put in the middle. All of this was at the discretion and direction of the man with the pitchfork, depending on where the hay needed to be to more perfectly form the stack.
A lot of hay through the years was put up by similar means. It was a system that worked quite well, providing winter feed for livestock.
JULY 29, 1971 – THURSDAY – Dad and I went down to the Leach and Fuchser Places [our summer range]. Moved one bunch of cattle at F. Place. Hauled cow with hardware disease to Gordon sale. Hayed in afternoon. Total now 133 stacks.
JULY 30, 1971 – FRIDAY – Sold to Otto Buechle from Valentine: Spot ($100), Ilo Belsky mare ($50), Brownie ($100), Toodles ($75). Broke tie-rod on four-wheeler [1963 Ford pickup]—made nearly a mile walk. Seven stacks of hay in south part of Home Meadow.
JULY 31, 1971 – SATURDAY – Sybil fainted in the hay field today (a bucket of oil spilled in her face in the process). Ken Moreland came out and drove the stacker tractor this afternoon. Put up seven stacks of slow going swamp hay.
AUGUST 1, 1971 – SUNDAY – Didn't make it to church today. Dad, Sybil, and I put up four stacks of swamp hay in north and west meadows. Four more stacks near branding corral in afternoon. Uncle Al's went to Stan Moreland's JO Ranch for dinner.
AUGUST 2, 1971 – MONDAY – Doc Johnson from Gordon was out this morning to doctor a bull with quick pneumonia. Girls and I put up stack of rushes. Dad and I went down south to check pastures. Moved cattle at Fuchser Place.
AUGUST 3, 1971 – TUESDAY – Rain last night, so no haying this morning. Took pickup in to get safety inspected. Did some packing for going to Wyoming. Put up 5 stacks of swamp hay this afternoon. Total now 162.
AUGUST 4, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Put up four stacks. Windrowed some south of meadow. Uncle Stan's came out to borrow sprayer [for spraying cattle for flies].
HEADING FOR WYOMING
AUGUST 5, 1971 – THURSDAY – Arose at 5:00. Left home at 6:00. Ate dinner at Powder River. Arrived at Moose Head Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at 4:00 p.m. (540 miles). Met new members of crew, looked over the remuda, etc.
AUGUST 6, 1971 – FRIDAY – Took three wild little girls out on morning ride. Three oldsters on slow ride in afternoon. Johnny Smith and I drove to Two Ocean Lake country after supper. Went to river party from 9:30 to 11:00.
AUGUST 7, 1971 – SATURDAY – Gary Kuys and I took all day ride to old bug corral. Governor of Florida [Reuben Askew] pulled in to spend a week at Moose Head Ranch. Drove team and wagon down to Snake River after supper. Went to town (Jackson) and saw part of rodeo. Arrived home at 11:30.
AUGUST 8, 1971 – SUNDAY – Ranch about full of guests now. Took morning ride to Swan Pond. Helped start afternoon ride, then drove over to Frome's Base Camp at Turpin Meadows. Cook-out back at Moose Head Ranch this evening.
AUGUST 9, 1971 – MONDAY – Took elderly couple on slow ride this morning. New bunch (McGinley family from New Jersey) came in this afternoon. Dogie Weaver and I took them to the Snake River for a ride. Wrote some postcards tonight.
AUGUST 10, 1971 – TUESDAY – Breakfast at 7:00. Wrangled on the mare Matilda. Gary and I took four girls and a boy from Florida on a morning ride. Charlie and I took the same bunch plus another couple little girls on afternoon ride.
AUGUST 11, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – All day ride with Mariani and Eckerd girls. Went east of dam on Spread Creek, then by the Elk Ranch Reservoir and home. Went to Jackson Lake Lodge in the evening to watch square dancers.
AUGUST 12, 1971 – THURSDAY – Gary and I took the Childs and Angela Askew (the Florida Governor's daughter) on morning ride. Kevin Askew fell off his horse on Dogie's ride. Gary and I cleared a trail in afternoon. Went square dancing at Jackson Lake Lodge in evening. Much fun.
AUGUST 13, 1971 – FRIDAY – Gary and I took the three Childs girls on morning ride along the river. Kim, the handyman, went riding this afternoon and got us all in trouble.
AUGUST 14, 1971 – SATURDAY – Gary and I took the Childs girls on all-day ride. Butch met us with the Governor's kids. Charlie brought dinner. Dave Bressler and I went to the movie "Mad, Mad World" in Jackson.
AUGUST 15, 1971 – SUNDAY – Worked around corrals in morning. Mettlers gave the whole crew the afternoon off. Gary, Rusty, Kim, Sue, Gail, Cheryl, Jan, and I went floating from the dam to the Moose Head (12 miles). Rusty and I drove to the BC Bar Ranch in the evening.
AUGUST 16, 1971 – MONDAY – My day off. Went to Jackson. Got pickup fixed. Went to wax museum. Looked up Al and May Kleeman, met Eva Topping [the previous owner of Moose Head Ranch. She and her husband Fred were early homesteaders in the valley. They branded the F Lazy T]. Visited Victor Wells and his wife [Chick Nero's sister, but I can't think of her name]. Later, Johnny Smith and I drove to the 3 Bar R, the Elk Ranch, and Jackson Lake Lodge.
AUGUST 17, 1971 – TUESDAY – Took the Bridges family from Georgia on morning and afternoon rides. Practiced roping on stray Triangle X mule that was in with our horses. Load of small bales of hay came in at 7:00 p.m. Helped unload it. Then Johnny and I drove around over in the Kelly country.
AUGUST 18, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Took the Bridges family again on both morning and afternoon rides. President Nixon arrived in Jackson Hole today. Square dancing tonight at Jackson Lake Lodge.
AUGUST 19, 1971 – THURSDAY – Took Alan Levine and his dad on morning ride. Hard pair to keep track of. Same two and a girl this afternoon. President Nixon in a helicopter flew right over our heads. Square dancing at recreation hall at Jackson Lake Lodge.
AUGUST 20, 1971 – FRIDAY – Made a long morning ride with the Bridges family. Load of hay came in at noon that we had to unload. Took Mrs. Belvin and Tammy Teague for slow afternoon ride. Johnny Smith and his wife, Ina, and I visited at Vic Wells'. Looked at slides.
AUGUST 21, 1971 – SATURDAY – Morning ride to river with Bridges and Addisons. Mr. Addison got dumped on his head by Molly. Leavines, Lochrane Grant, Bill Bridges, and I rode to Elk Reservoir in afternoon. Johnny and I went to Jackson evening rodeo.
AUGUST 22, 1971 – SUNDAY – Johnny Smith got bucked off Magpie this morning. I received a five dollar tip from Bridges [nothing to be sneezed at when you were making $150 per month plus room and board]. Left Moose Head Ranch at 5:00 p.m. and went to Frome's Base Camp at Turpin Meadows. Supper at Togwotee Lodge.
AUGUST 23, 1971 – MONDAY – Arose at 4:30, breakfast, and head for South Entrance of Yellowstone in truck. Catch horses, pack, head 15 miles up trail to camp at Basin Creek. Kitchen already set up. 20 dudes, 9 crew, 29 riding horses, 30 pack horses, five spare horses. Start of 12-day pack trip.
AUGUST 24, 1971 – TUESDAY – Lay over day. Dude, Jon Jon Montgomery and I ride about 12 miles or so in search of elk. Saw one elk and two mule deer. Arrived back at camp at 5:00. Bathed in hot springs after supper. Nice!
AUGUST 25, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Froze hard again last night. Got up at 5:30 to begin catching horses. Moved 15 miles to Fox Park along Snake River. Big forest fire in progress to the south. Set up tent tonight.
[Must not have kept a diary for a while, of lost it, or something.]
SEPTEMBER 5, 1971 – SUNDAY – Arose at 4:00 a.m. Had breakfast, then saddled and packed 24 head of horses. Mr. and Mrs. Merritt Egan, Ron Ewing, Eddie Lessoon, and I make up the party. Take off at 12:00 noon. Leaving base camp at the mouth of Box Creek on Turpin Meadows headed for Hawk's Rest about 28 miles away. Nonstop, eating our lunches while in the saddle, we arrive at 7:30. After a hasty supper, we three single fellows prepare our beds under the stars. Egans get the one tent.
SEPTEMBER 6, 1971 – MONDAY – Get up at 7:00, pack up, and depart at 12:30 for the camp on Pass Creek, 25 miles on up the trail by way of Bridger Lake and the Thorofare. Arrive at 7:00 to find the hunting camp a mess, due to bears, a flood, and thoughtless previous campers. Supper under the stars, and sleep under the same. Rained a little towards morning.
SEPTEMBER 7, 1971 – TUESDAY – Day of hard work setting up camp. Erect seven tents, fix corral, chop wood, etc.
SEPTEMBER 8, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – More of same but without Eddie's help. He went back to the Roost to help set up camp there. Took seven head of horses and mules. I cleaned trail in the morning, and chopped wood in the afternoon.
SEPTEMBER 9, 1971 – THURSDAY – Do few more finishing touches in camp. First hunters arrive in early afternoon—8 paying hunters altogether, along with Jon Montgomery (packer), and guides Bob Robinson and Leo Putman. One fellow got saddle sore and walked in the last few miles. He was later to be named "Sore Butt." Mrs. Egan is a good cook, and she prepared an outstanding supper.
SEPTEMBER 10, 1971 – FRIDAY – First day of elk hunting season. Got up at 4:00, breakfast, and saddle hunter horses. Guide for every two hunters. Jon and I stay in camp to work on dwindling wood pile. Snake logs into camp with old mare Bell, broke to harness. Hunters bring down 3 elk, all 3-pointers. Jon and I pack them in. The one I packed was about four miles from camp in high country. Use two pack horses. Hunter has trouble finding elk that he downed.
SEPTEMBER 11, 1971 – SATURDAY – Merritt Egan (the head guide) sent me to the Roost with six pack mules, one pack horse, and a hunter that wanted to go out early as he was filled with his elk. One hunter got bucked off his horse (it later turned out that the horse had only been ridden twice before, and was normally just a pack horse). Pulled into the Roost after six hours and 25 miles of travel. Bruce Johnson wanted me to go moose hunting with him and Doc Smith, so I saddled a fresh horse and did. We optimistically took along four pack horses, and they shot a moose just at dark. We packed it all in, including the guts for bear bait. I rode at least 45 miles today on horseback. Went to bed at 11:30.
SEPTEMBER 12, 1971 – SUNDAY – Arose at 3:30. Headed for Turpin Meadows with pack string, dude hunter, and Sharon Myers (gal from Florida that stayed a few days after the last 12-day trail ride/pack trip that ended September 2nd). Arrived in base came at 5:00, after seven hours of travel. The three of us went to Jackson. Got kicked out of Wort Hotel dining room for our grubby appearance. Left Bing Harris (the hunter) in Jackson, then headed back to base camp to spend the night.
SEPTEMBER 13, 1971 – MONDAY – Two nights before last, a fellow rode into the Roost at 1:00 a.m. and wondered if there was a doctor in camp. Eddie Lessoon and Dr. Smith rode over to a resident hunter camp at Bridger Lake, and gave some medicine to a fellow in bad shape. I took six head in pack string to the Roost. Little Ed got away from me. [He was the last mule in the string, which is like the last kid in the game "crack the whip." He hesitated momentarily at a creek, and the snap on his halter rope broke. He was very hard to catch again. Never after that did I use a halter rope that had a snap. They would break too easily.]
SEPTEMBER 14, 1971 – TUESDAY – 7 head plus saddle horse to Pass Creek. 8 and a half hours. Little Red got out of his pack twice on the trip.
SEPTEMBER 15, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Chopped wood in morning. Rode over into Silvertip on Arch, took along Clyde and Misty with pack saddles, but the hunters didn't get any elk.
SEPTEMBER 16, 1971 – THURSDAY – Pass Creek hunters left at 8:00 with Bob. Leo rode 55 miles to the road to go to National Guard camp. Jon and I took pack strings to the Roost. Snowed all the way.
SEPTEMBER 17, 1971 – FRIDAY – Headed for the road. John Hanson and I had supper in Jackson and showered at Moose Head Ranch.
SEPTEMBER 18, 1971 – SATURDAY – Two hunters arrived early so L.D. told me to take them to Pass Creek. Three other hunters went to the Roost. John led hunters, and I took in pack string. Took wrong short cut across Yellowstone Meadow. [And got into some terrible bogs.]
SEPTEMBER 19, 1971 – SUNDAY – Delivered hunters to Pass Creek. Took nap rest of afternoon.
SEPTEMBER 20, 1971 – MONDAY – Sawed wood by myself in morning. New hunters arrived at 2:30. 7 hunters in all at Pass Creek; 9 hunters at Roost. 5 guides, 2 cooks, 1 packer at Roost. 4 guides, 2 packers (counting me), and 1 cook at Pass Creek.
SEPTEMBER 21, 1971 – TUESDAY – Jon Montgomery and I sawed wood most of the day and got a good pile built up. [This was in the Teton Wilderness Area, where no chain saws were allowed. We sawed it all up by hand.] We shod horses in the late afternoon. I put 2 shoes on Nancy. Had to tie up a hind leg.
SEPTEMBER 22, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Rode to the Roost [from Frome's hunting camp at Pass Creek, near the Ishawa Cone to the Hawk's Rest camp] on buckskin mare, Doll, and led the mule Sweat Pea loaded with my bed. Cleared trail all the way down. Took ten hours to make the usual five hour trip.
SEPTEMBER 23, 1971 – THURSDAY – Packed in three elk at the Roost. Covered 20 miles or so. Rode and packed new Bagley mares. Didn't take lunch, so had dinner at 4:30.
SEPTEMBER 24, 1971 – FRIDAY – Eddie and I took eight head to the road, packed out elk. Found a nice pair of Bausch and Lomb binoculars laying on the trail. [A sticker said Paul Nelson, Martin, but no state. I suspected it might be South Dakota.] Shower at Moose Head Ranch and called home.
SEPTEMBER 25, 1971 – SATURDAY – I brought back 6 head to Roost loaded with grain cubes.
SEPTEMBER 26, 1971 – SUNDAY – Kip Robinson and I took 9 head to road loaded with 4 elk and our beds. Supper in Jackson. Spent the night at Base Camp.
SEPTEMBER 27, 1971 – MONDAY – Headed back for Roost with 10 head loaded with grain cubes. I got on a horse that had never been ridden, only packed. Stopped at Dody's camp to deliver binoculars to Dave Harrington, from Martin, SD. [Dave was in the mountains hunting, and had borrowed these binoculars from his friend Paul Nelson. When Paul found out I had given the lost binoculars back, he was quite pleased, as they were a fairly expensive investment. Paul owned the movie theater in Martin, South Dakota back then. When I got back home to the Sandhills, he gave me free movie privileges for quite some time.] Pass Creek hunters arrived at Roost on their way out.
SEPTEMBER 28, 1971 – TUESDAY – Helped Pass Creek outfit get packed. Spent day at Roost snaking in logs and sawing wood.
SEPTEMBER 29, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – The Roost bunch headed for the road today, me included. I rode Penny, a new Bagley mare—nice horse. Kind of a snowy miserable day. One 300 pound fellow was having trouble with leg cramps, so Dean Humphrey came in slow with him. I tied Dean's pack string on behind mine. I went from North Fork meadow to the road leading 8 head with 3 coming along loose. Bought John Hanson's supper at Togwotee Lodge, as he bought mine in Jackson a while back. I went to Moose Head for a shower and spent the night there with Johnny and Ina Smith.
SEPTEMBER 30, 1971 – THURSDAY – John Smith and I took two pickups to Jackson, as he needed some work done on one of the Moose Head outfits. Snowed hard all day—at least six inches down in the valley, more in the higher country. I had to buy some long handles, gloves, etc. and had to fill out a draft board questionnaire. John and I killed time while his pickup was being fixed, and had dinner in town. We had planned to brand three Moose Head colts, but the weather was no good. Went back to Moose Head and rigged up a new wood stove for Mettler's cabin. Then I took John and his wife, Ina, to supper at the Wort Hotel. They have been real nice to me by letting me have showers there, and they keep my mail for me.
OCTOBER 1, 1971 – FRIDAY – New bunch of hunters arrived. Cold, nasty snowy day for the 28 mile ride into the Roost. Pass Creek hunters went in yesterday. Two new guides for this hunt—Frank Calkins, an author from Jackson who wrote ROCKY MOUNTAIN WARDEN, and "Jeet," a native from India. Arrived at the Roost about 6:00 to a very welcome cozy fire in the cook tent.
OCTOBER 2, 1971 – SATURDAY – Bruce Johnson had two early hunters in and had killed a moose and an elk, so I spent most of the day packing them in from the Thorofare country. Took five head of pack horses for the job.
OCTOBER 3, 1971 – SUNDAY – A deer was killed yesterday, so I took a pack horse to near "Speedy's" camp (previously Spiedelburg from Cody, now Robertson) and two extra mules "just in case." Sure enough, after I got over there, two elk had been killed, so we were still short two pack animals. Got the deer down from its near timberline resting place and stopped a while to eat our lunch (Frank Calkins and I). Picked up one elk on the way back. (Before anyone had a chance to get the other one, a bear ate both hindquarters.) Arrived back in camp a little before dark. Good day for the hunters—five elk in all. Jon Jon Montgomery arrived from Pass Creek with six head of pack mules (3 elk) and reported that there were still two elk and a deer yet to pack out of there.
OCTOBER 4, 1971 – MONDAY – At one time today, there were 42 loads of meat on the ground from these two camps. Eddie Lessoon and I took 14 pack animals and his Copper horse empty to the road. We turned them loose the other side of Atlantic Creek and made good time. (This practice is illegal in the Teton Wilderness Area, however.) [We didn't get caught for doing this. Eddie had a "don't give a darn" attitude, but he was my superior so I let him call the shots.] I had supper at Togwotee Lodge and called home. Spent the night in the cold bus at base camp.
OCTOBER 5, 1971 – TUESDAY – Old Jim Romero [a cool old ex-sheepherder, he was ¾ Swede and ¼ Mexican] and I had 13 pack horses caught and 6 loaded by 9:30 when Eddie pulled in. We packed the rest of them and left about noon. Just before reaching North Fork Meadow, we met Bruce and Kip. Kip and I traded, and I led his pack string on back to Base Camp. I had to stop and repack Rusty, and Bruce went ahead with the other five. There were four loose pack horses following him. Repacking Rusty took a bit of time, so Bruce got quite a ways ahead. When I arrived at Base Camp, it was discovered that the horse Flax had escaped us. He had been following Bruce, so Bruce naturally thought the horse had stayed back with my string. I had to ride almost back to North Fork Meadow (a 15-mile round trip) after dark to get the horse and the half of an elk that was his cargo. Fortunately there was a full moon to light my way.
OCTOBER 6, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Slept until 7:30. Packed five head and took off for the Roost at 11:00. Arrived at 6:30 due to a slow leading pack string and a slower saddle horse (Scotty). Real nice weather the last three days—65 to 70 degrees.
OCTOBER 7, 1971 – THURSDAY – Nice quiet day in camp. Roost hunters pulled out along with all the crew but EiLene Johnson, Nyla Whitmore, and I. I took a bath in a big galvanized oval tub, and shaved. Bruce pulled in at noon with a pack string. Naps in the afternoon and the usual bull session in the kitchen. A photographer feller was a grub-line supper guest. Jeet and his hunter got a bull. Frank didn't have any luck with his hunter. Both were originally Pass Creek hunters that didn't get filled.
OCTOBER 8, 1971 – FRIDAY – Slept late. Bruce, EiLene, Jeet, and Smokey (Johnson's Norwegion Elkhound dog) went to Castle Creek to pack in the elk. Nyla and I took four pack horses to the photographer's camp to pack out his stuff (contracted at $10 per head). Pass Creek pulled into our camp at about 3:30. Two rangers also stopped by on a "friendly" visit.
OCTOBER 9, 1971 – SATURDAY – Spent most of the morning hunting horses on top of the Roost. Pass Creek had to borrow some of ours to get to the road on, as theirs were hiding. Jeet, Nyla, and I are now holding down the fort. Snaked in some logs this afternoon on Big Red, the mule. At 4:30 one of the pack horses that started out loose this morning came strolling into camp. Bet the Pass Creek packers are mad. Jeet fried elk steak for supper. It was good. One old feller shot a bull (3 points on one side, 4 on the other). He just wanted the head and the antlers and gave me all the meat.
OCTOBER 10, 1971 – SUNDAY –Slept until 7:30. Jeet and I sawed wood until Nyla got up, then Jeet made French toast for breakfast. It is entertaining for me because Nyla and Jeet don't hit it off worth sour apples. About 9:00 a plane buzzed us, and it turned out to be L.D. Frome looking for the Black 67 horse. He dropped a note reading: "Did Black 67 horse come in with pack? Put throw cover in meadow if YES." L.D.
I ran out into the meadow a ways with a yellow throw cover and let them know we had him. Another note then flew down from the heavens: "Steve, get five duffels from Black 67 horse on a pack horse and get it to base camp today. We will pick it up tonight to get to hunters. Forget about photographer's packs unless Jeet wants to pack it tomorrow. Bring Nyla if she wants. Wave throw cover if you read me and will comply. L.D.
I waved the throw cover and Nyla and I were at the road six hours later. The usual 7 hour trip took 5 hours and 5 minutes. Went to Jackson, had supper, and called home. Hauled a couple fellows back to base camp to get their car and duffel. Their car keys had been on the Black 67 horse.
OCTOBER 11, 1971 – MONDAY – Bruce and EiLene pulled into base camp at 3:00 a.m., so I got up and helped them pack. We headed for Hawk's Rest at 6:00. Pretty cold between 7:00 and 9:00, so I walked a little and led my horse. Arrived at the Roost at 1:00 and napped until Pass Creek arrived (they were headed north). Helped them unpack, had supper, and hit the sack. My old Clyde mule from Nebraska (they call him Omaha here in Wyoming) about went under in a bog on the way in. Only his neck was sticking out. He was mud from head to foot.
OCTOBER 12, 1971 –TUESDAY – Eddie Lessoon and I went on a 50-mile horse hunting trip today. We were looking for two horses and a mule that we had been short for nearly a month. We each led a spare horse, as we knew we'd be covering a lot of miles. We went up Woodard Canyon and didn't see sunlight until 11:00 a.m. We climbed to 10,500 feet. Found the horses about 1:00 p.m. in a foot of snow on the level. Rested our horses and had dinner. We left Crater Lake at 2:30. Eddie was in charge, and he chose to ride to Base Camp instead of back to the Roost. I was along for the ride. As we rode towards Turpin Meadow, another rider was heading for civilization. It was Cark Oksanen, who I knew from the previous summer when he worked at the Triangle X and I worked at the Moose Head Ranch. He was the champion bull rider of the 1970 rodeo season in Jackson. This fall he was working for the Heart 6 Ranch, but had got into a discrepancy with another hunting guide. Poor Carl was packing a couple black eyes and a broken jaw, along with all his personal belongings, as he rode painfully down the trail with pack horse in tow. I rode home with Eddie to his Sagebrush Ranch near Afton. I enjoyed a hot bath and a good night's sleep in a bed—the first time sleeping in a bed for several weeks. I had ridden 140 miles horseback in the last 4 days, averaging seven hours a day in the saddle.
OCTOBER 13, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Slept until 7:00. Breakfast, then loaded some barrels and headed for Turnpin Meadows 120 miles away, on the other side of Jackson. Helped Ken Clark unload some hay bales there and packed the three head of renegades. The mule made the trip alright, but the two out-of-shape horses were tired before we were half way. Had to put their packs on our spare saddle horses. Made the trip in 5 hours and 45 minutes anyway. Arrived at the Roost just as it got dark. New batch of hunters there, as of yesterday night.
OCTOBER 14, 1971 – THURSDAY – Nice last night but it rained half an inch and snowed two inches during the night. Most of the hunters stayed in camp but a few went out. I took seven pack horses to the Thorofare (eight mile away) to load three elk and a deer. Mont Harmon met me there to help. I helped chop wood when I got back to camp. Fixed our water hose which was plugged up. Caught 14 head of horses for use tomorrow and called it a day. Mont's hunter got a 4-point bull just at dark over by Falcon Creek.
OCTOBER 15, 1971 – FRIDAY – Don't think I even rode a horse this day. Eddie packed in the only elk to be had. I helped Mont and some of the hunters chop up some available small wood. Snowed off and on all day.
OCTOBER 16, 1971 – SATURDAY – Eddie and I took 13 head of pack horses and mules to the road. We were going to be good boys and lead them all the way, but got discouraged just south of Two Ocean Pass. Kicked them loose and made good time for a while. The critters were strung out for half a mile going through a timbered spot. Beth hid out on us, and we were a couple miles down the trail before we noticed. I rode back and found her. Arrived at base camp before dark. I hauled a fellow who works at Turpin Meadow Ranch to town. I called home and had supper at Colonel Sander's Kentucky Fried Chicken.
OCTOBER 17, 1971 – SUNDAY – Eddie was late, so I had all the horses saddled and three packed when he arrived. We left at noon, and arrived at Hawk's Rest just at dark. I rode Princess (the Bagley bay). Eddie's Copper horse was lame, so he rode Ginger, my usual horse.
OCTOBER 18, 1971 – MONDAY – Rode over to the Castle Creek meadow with Mont to pack an elk. Cold snowy miserable day. Loaded six head with hay and pellets, and headed for Pass Creek at 1:00. Would have "froze to death" but the wind was at my back. Arrived at dark. Hot chocolate and the cozy fire was very welcome.
OCTOBER 19, 1971 – TUESDAY – Saw the Pass Creek guides and hunters off, then Jon Jon and I set about tearing down the camp. Took all day to take down the tents, cache supplies in barrels up in the trees, etc.
OCTOBER 20, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Arose at 2:00 a.m. with intentions of packing our string of 12 and going all the way to the road. We were packed up by daybreak and bid our farewells to the empty camp. We were ready to cross the bridge over the Yellowstone River at 1:00 p.m., when we saw a note that was hung there. Mont indicated on the paper that there was no need in going the other 25 miles to the road, so we went on to the Hawk's Rest camp and slept the rest of the afternoon.
OCTOBER 21, 1971 – THURSDAY – John, Eddie, and I packed 18 head and took off for the road. Four hunters also rode with us. Skipped supper but went to Moose Head and took a shower. Called home from the KOA Campground. Talked to Mom. Guess Uncle Al's are there for a few days. The folks trailed cattle home from summer pasture last Sunday and Monday. I slept in the cold bus at base camp.
OCTOBER 22, 1971 – FRIDAY – Nice day. New batch of hunters went in to Hawk's Rest for the last hunt. Kip Robinson, Frank Calkins, Mont Harmon, and I took pack strings in. Arrived at the Roost at dark.
OCTOBER 23, 1971 – SATURDAY – Arose at 4:30 to help saddle horses for the hunters and to have breakfast. Slept again from 6:00 to 9:00. Sat around the kitchen some of the day and sawed some wood.
OCTOBER 24, 1971 – SUNDAY –Nyla, a hunter, and I took four pack animals to Bridger Lake and after 30 minutes of searching found a cow elk that Bruce had shot for himself. We loaded it on two horses, and Nyla headed for camp with it. The hunter and I took a rough route through downed timber around Bridger Lake into Yellowstone Park for a ways, and found his elk about 500 feet above the Thorofare River on a hill. We packed it on the other two horses and headed for camp.
OCTOBER 25, 1971 – MONDAY – Took six head of pack horses to the Thorofare country. We loaded an elk on two and sent Nyla back with them. Tied two horses to trees to load deer later, and took the other two to Hidden Creek (15 miles) to load two deer. We got back to camp at 9:00 p.m.
OCTOBER 26, 1971 – TUESDAY – Eddie and I took 14 pack horses and mules to the road. Snowed all day. We had trouble finding all the horses, so didn't leave Hawk's Rest until 1:30. Turned loose at Atlantic Creek. Three packs fell, and the rest of the horses headed for the timber, so we had problems for a while. We got lined out again at 4:00 p.m. and still had 20 miles to go. Trotted right along though, and pulled in to Base Camp at 8:00. I hauled a couple hunters to town, and got a nice steak supper out of the deal, a night in a motel room, and five dollar tip.
OCTOBER 27, 1971 – WEDNESDAY – Arose at 5:00 and had breakfast at the Patio Café. Called home at 6:00, the drove to base camp. Packed five head and ……………… the diary stalls out and comes to a complete halt.
[I spent the next four days in the mountains. Eddie and I took down the Hawk's Rest Camp on October 30th, and packed out of the high country for the last time on October 31st. We came out with 12 pack animals and 5 loose horses, besides the two horses we were riding. We made the 28 miles out on that last day in 4 hours and 15 minutes, which may be an all-time record for a pack string on that trip. Eddie was in charge. He was sick of being a packer, and was ready to start a new life. He had been doing this for the past 14 years, and was tired of the hard work and the rough life. His thought was that if any of the critters got a bit cinch sore, they had all winter to heal up and recover. I was just along for the ride.
That night, I went home with Eddie, and stayed with him and his wife Joene at their Sagebrush Ranch. The next day, I headed back for the Sandhills of Nebraska. Going through Kemmerer, Wyoming that morning, the thermometer on the bank read 14 below zero. The night of the 1st of November, 1971, I stayed with my cousin John Fairhead at his fraternity house, where he was going to college in Laramie. The roads were snow-packed and icy, and there were a lot of cars in the ditch. A new song was on the radio, and it was Cher singing "Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves." It is a nifty song that I have liked very well ever since.
All in all, I really enjoyed my Wyoming experience. Working for the "Frome Empire" was hard work but lots of fun. Being completely dependent on horses and mules for transportation, and sawing wood by hand because no motors were allowed, was like taking a page from the history books and reliving it. Our camps were located in the area farthest from any roads in the 48 continental United States. I had always thought I'd been born a hundred years too late, and this hunting camp experience gave me the chance to relive the past. It also gave me a whole new appreciation for the pioneers who settled the west.