Caldron Linn 2018

So sorry it's been so long since I've posted but life has got me pretty busy. The only camp I've got to make so far this year is one that I booshwayed this Spring at Caldron Linn along the Snake River.
Here is my journal entry and a few sketches.

04-28-18
Caldron Linn. I set up a camp with the intention of gathering a few men at this location. 8 or 9 men arrived. My family came the first night and moved on the next day. I will meet them tomorrow. Good relaxing camp with music around the fire at night Jim Hardee came through and told us of a party led by Wilson Price Hunt who came through here and lost a man and a canoe to the river.

Setting a Trap.

This afternoon I made my way into the mountains to do a little demonstration on trapping. This was for the purpose of filling an AMM requirement. 6. Must be able to demonstrate trapping ability using steel traps, snares, and traps made from natural materials found in the area. As many states do not allow the use of some, or any, of these traps, the actual taking of game is not required, although it is suggested where possible and legal.
I didn't have time to make an actual camp before the end of the year so I merely did a demo. Hopefully next spring I'll be able to get out and lay some traps for real. Due to the lack of funds I could not purchase a hand forged trap so I used a #5 Bridger.
Thanks to my wife for taking the pictures.

 I started out by cutting a willow for a stake and pealing the bark off.

 Then I set the trap.

 Placed it

 Hammered in my stake.

 Then dipped a stick with bait.

 Might be some Blackfeet nearby.

  Adios.

Aux Aliments Du Pays On the South Idaho Desert

Over the past weekend I headed down toward the Idaho/Nevada  border country to do a little hunting. I decided to use this time for getting some AMM requirements under my belt, or should I say sash. Here is my journal entries from the trip.

10-13-17
Three Creek. I find myself with no food. I hunted this evening and found nothing. It is snowing! My camp is under a willow with a couple of canveses wove into the branches. It's only been a couple of hours since I ate  yet my stomach is already growling. Hope I find meat tomorrow.
10-14-17
Woke this morning to a couple of inches of snow. Left camp at dawn in search of food. Spent all morning hunting and no meat. I did find a deer hide left by someone. Will have to use it for clothing. Started a fire this afternoon and thawed out my feet. My canvas was dripping from the melting snow and I fought that until it dried off. Sat and read Acts, the first chapter. I agian went out in search of food for the majority of the afternoon. No meat but I found some juniper berries. I ate a few but was forced to quit due to their strong flavor.
When I reached camp I rekindled the fire and dried my half frozen feet. With a warm fire and a puff on my pipe I am not feeling as tired and weak as earlier.
10-15-17
Very cold night last might. I kept feeding the fire until morning. I raised camp and it took me to trips to get my gear out of the canyon due to my weak conditions. Did not find any meat on the way out.

Adios!

Fort Bridger

This weekend the family and I packed up our gear and traveled to Fort Bridger. I was scheduled to give a talk on music and instruments of the mountain man era. It was a very comfortable and relaxing camp with a lot of music, feasting and friends. It was good to meet mountaineers I have never met and to see old compadres. I hope our trails will cross again in the future.
Adios

Goose Creek Scout

August 4'th-6'th The Family and I headed for the high country. The purpose of this trip was to scout for beaver for a potential spot to trap this Fall.
The morning of the 4'th found us throwing packs on the horse and striking out on the trail. I had packed on my back our two year old boy and my wife was packed with our three and a half month old son. Yes this was his first period camp!
We packed in about a mile, remember we were packing to little boys and didn't want to be to far from our truck. Our camp was made near some large beaver ponds which made this trip a success as it answered my question about beaver on Goose Creek.
It was quite hot out that afternoon so I took a swim in one of the ponds and whooo!!! that water cooled you down quite quick.
We ate a supper of smoked salmon and then played a game of dominos. We made our bed in the meadow by the creek which turned out to be a mistake as it was very moist.
The 5'th we had oatmeal for breakfast and then we packed further up the canyon to the end of the trail but there was no place to set up a good camp so we packed back to the first nights camp. That afternoon I leveled a spot on the hill next to the creek so that we didn't have to sleep in that meadow again.  That night we ate a hearty meal of fried potatoes and summer sausage.
The 6'th we had oatmeal again for breakfast but this time we put a chunk of chocolate in with it and let it melt which made the oatmeal quite tasty.
Packing Jughead, the horse, we hiked back out of Goose Creek and back to the flatlands.
It was a good time and like every trip I make, I learned something new.
Adios

See you down the trail.