Im not a cowboy --I just found the hat!

By: cariboucreek Mood: Neutral Date: 07/29/2007 09:08:45 Music: None

As we grow up in life .From the day were born to day we die . We find that all things come back to full circle .

In my youth things were hard .My parents couldnt afford to keep me at home. My fathers income was short and jobs were few .I was sent to live with my uncle and aunt.

Uncle had a ranch in arizona,He raised appalossa horses and cattle .I worked hard from sun up to sun down .We worked cattle in lower arizona ,Bisbee ,Douglas ,Tomestone Oh yes !we would run the border .Chaseing cattle back home . Picking up a few donkeys alone the way .Even today in arizona you can see the wild burros watering with mule deer and javalinas .The ranch has been sold for many years .This was place of my roots and topic of this story .

I moved to alaska very young 16 years old. My dad had found a job in anchorage. He worked there till he retired. Even though i now could live at home .I found myself working in spring with construction and outfitting in fall .I lived remote in the bush .Building a life for myself . Horses and building homes was all i knew .I taught myself to trap in the winter .This kept the wolf away from my door .

My string of horses stayed with me for years .Giving me good service for all my duties .I would pack in supplies to miners ,guides .Mostly guides .I  would work my horses all fall packing.

I had 23 horses .2 jenny mules . Each horse know his job .My mare would lead out the string .All would follow .What a life i had ! Free and easy .

This one time i had packed my horses with 2 hunters for a guide freind .Into an area that was horse back only for caribou moose and sheep .The wood river .Deep in the heart of the alaska range . Late fall is the best time to be in this area penty of moose and caribou .

We rode in to camp area ,set up camp.long day for all .Includeing the horses. I hobbled the horses and turned out my mules. Knowing they would stay close.They do make lots of noise when bears come around .

My one jenny was in heat .I didnt think any thing of it. Most my horses were gelded .The first morning i was up early.Looking out the wall tent .There stood a bull moose .He fell i love with my mule . Hey guys ! Get up who wants this moose ? Easy hunt for this hunter ,Easy load to the meat pole. After we finished this chore we hunted the late afternoon.A few nice moose .None very big as the one in camp .

Camp fire meal ,Good stories were told .Horses were tied out for the nite . Alaska in the fall can be beautiful .Clear skies ,Northern lights ,Sounds of a distance wolf howling.Day is done .

Next morning up with the sun out the wall tent to see another bull moose with my mule they were just a bit futher away this time .Maybe a little gun shy?  My judus mule had another boy freind . The other hunter was up and shot his moose.Another long morning .We would hunt for caribou now to fill both the tags .Boy ! I'am thinking, This hunt is easy .I could be home early for another set of hunters.Outfitting isnt good money .You work as many hunts as you can. Money can be short and winters long ! 

We hunted the next day to fill both tags .I had left a few horses in camp along with my mules .As we rode back into camp that nite my mule was gone .I walked out to find her ,There she was another boy friend .She couldnt be caught even with grain .Look at it this way .Your daughter brings home a boy freind .Each time she does. He gets shot .She wouldnt bring any more home after that .

We packed up and trailed out to the road ,My mule was still out there .She wouldnt follow the rest of the horses.At the road was an old sourdough living in a cabin .I gave him some meat and left over supplies .Asking him to watch for my mule and call me to pick her up .

The fall season was a good one .Plenty of work .Horses were tired and were due for winter pastures .I loaded up 3 good horses .I drove back to wood river to find my mule .I trailed in to old camp site and looked around ,The writing was on the wall for my mule .I found what was left .The wolves had cleaned up the remains .It was a sad day .I would miss her .I never bought another mule to replace her .

Time moved on . I left for service .leaving my horses in good care .I was discharged early .I came home to the same way of life. Only this time i would have some aviation experince and a pilots license .I worked winters as airplane mechanic and fall i still outfitted .I  got married and family was started .In my packing days ,I had found a piece of land i could homestead . 160 acres under homestead act of alaska {this is another story to be wrote }

One day i was watching my horses feed in the fields .These horses are in better shape .They were cared for better than my family .So i sold them all and moved to town .Horse days were over ...It was a good life. Some time like now. I look back into the past .I can see me packing the horses over a mountain pass. Fresh snow fall on the ground ,Horses packed with supplies .Headed for hunt camp on Caribou Creek ...Iam older now ,My youth is gone .My spirit is stronger in my old age  ,Weather beaten hands rough from a days hard work ,Skin baked from the sun. I wear a slicker, This old hat --Iam not a cowboy --I just found the hat ! 

Sorry the pictures i posted are not clear .Their pictures of pictures.Very long time ago .Enjoy these as much as i do    

     &nb sp;