Rendezvous calling all mountain men!
 

Several subjects have led back to "Rendezvous", or fur trade, mountainmen, reenactors of all types.
Just though I would start a thread dealing with everyone experiences.

Have been doing this for a lot of years, but bascially it comes down to camping, cooking, shooting, trading, crafts, shills from the 1820-1830 era.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...eSweetHome.jpg


So how about it, pretty cold out to go do it, unless you are one of those "frozen butt" campers, so lets swap lies.

I enjoyed those kinds of activities about 20-30 years ago. Now my wife & I enjoy our comforts. I still like to shoot my black powder firearms & I hunt with them, but I don't enjoy sleeping on the ground anymore. I guess I'm a former mountain man! :shrug:

Rendezvous
 

Great thread Hunter63 we used do the blackpowder thing then the Lord changed the cards we were dealt.We sure enjoyed going to the Western
rendezvous in Montana and Idaho had a great time and met some wonderful people. But that was 25-30 years ago. I wonder do they still have those rendezvous? Now with homesteading retirement they would be a great get away. BarW

I've been to a few Rendezvous' over the past 30 years, but only as a "tourist". My "loner" nature prohibits my taking part in group activities, so I suppose I have more in common with the Jerimiah Johnson types. (I belong to the Masons and the Scottish Rite, but I never attend their meetings either; I just pay my yearly dues.)

I have done quite a bit of "reenacting" but I was always alone doing it, and I haven't been without a blackpowder rifle in more than three decades; for much of that time they were my only arms. I suppose I've read just about everything written back then. I was so caught up in it for a while that I wore only my own home tanned and homemade moccasins for two years, and even built our homestead fires with flint and steel (I hammered out and tempered the "steels" from old files, and found the flints here and there). I have had an autograghed copy of the sketch "The Mountain Man" by David Wright (I bought it from him at Rendezvous) hanging over my living room chair for nearly 20 years, on the other side of my chair is a painting of a Scotch thistle done by Ann Anderson of Ireland (it is a custom painting ordered by my brother and given to me).

I would love to go to Rendezvous as a participant, but the nature the good Lord gave me just won't permit it.

Rendezvouses are everywhere in the US and even in Germany now. There's a Black Powder magazine that has listings of all the events going on for 1 year in advance. They tend to shut down in the summertime in Texas due to the heat...not sure about Kansas...where I've moved to. Am kind of wanting to go back into it! :rolleyes:

It's kinda that I'm sorta in the same boat, been slowed down, buy new job, getting old and stiff, but still like to go when ever I can.

The skills, like fire making, out door cooking, different firearms, leather crafts, tanning are yours forever, and the subject of Rendezvous seems to come up from time to time.
So here is the place.

Trading; I found and old bear hide at a rummage sale once (used to get a lot of my antiques at rummage sales). Bought it for about $10 bucks. Took it to rendezvous.

At rendezvous a lady "skinner" comes up to me and wants to know "How Much for the Grizzly hide", told her I didn't want to sell, so for two days she kept upping the ante.

Finally she offered me All her homemade bead and bone jewelry, 'bout 30/35 pieces.
I couldn't say no, so I was (and still am) in the jewelry business.

Sold a few pieces over the years, got way more than my $10 bucks back and gave a lot of it away to children, mostly to "flat landers" that tell their kids put it back, too much at $15 bucks.
So I gave most of it away. Just to see the look on their faces.

Still wonder to this day if that was really a Grizzley hide?

www.nrlhf.org/event.htm go look and drool all ye old 'skinners!
an event a lil closer to me but worth the look see..very well run and attended www.friendsoffortfrederick.org/MarketFair.aspx

I'd luv to get into re-enactment, but I haven't found the way to work it into my life yet. I figure the way I "progress" I'll be a living antique just in time to retire. OK I remain very jealous Hunter, great thread!

I would eat all that stuff up, but this forum is about as close to folks as i want to get. I guess i am ornery that way. dont get me wrong, i love people, i just dont want to be around too many at once

Well, a few years back there was enough interest to actually hold an event right here in the city, had about 60 camps in a city park, with a demonstration shoot, hawk, and knife throw, fire making, tanning, cooking, bark canoes, pit saw, and generally a demonstration for the public.
Mayor even came out to the camp after it closed down to the "flatlanders", to give us a welcome, and to let us know how many "city" ordinances that we were breaking!
It has grown to be included in a "tall ship and rendezvous down at the harbor that used to be a Indian summer camp, and trading area.
Haven't camped there since if got moved, not really into the "demonstration" part my self.
So I still pick my spots and try to still get out, once in a while.

I'll go to one nearby as a tourist also. I have the interest but haven't had the money or time to really get into it. Also, as someone mentioned above about being a Jeramiah Johnson, that would be me as I can't get my wife interested enough to do such things. If it doesn't involve a t.v., then she doesn't share much interest in it.

They was having one annually about 10 miles from me for a while but the guy who cordinated it died and no one stepped up and took over the responsiblities. Now I have no ideal of where they have one close to me.

[QUOTE=r.h. in okla.]Also, as someone mentioned above about being a Jeramiah Johnson, that would be me... QUOTE]

There are several movies that have been out a while, and among them is a movie called "The Mountainmen" (featuring actual modern day mountainmen, a group of reenactors) and in the movie there was a character played by Charlton Heston who tended to avoid Rendezvous, and another played by Brian Keith who loved the Rendezvous and more especially the whisky. In the movie "Jerimiah Johnson", Robert Redford played a loner type mountain man, as was the real Jerimiah Johnson, and Will Gear (at least I think it was Will Gear) played "Bear Claw" Chris Lap, another loner type mountain man; and who could forget Del Gue or "Hatchet" Jack? All loner mountainmen.

I live that way in my real life; if I need something from town I make a list, wait until I can't wait longer, then dash in and dash out. If I could get what I need delivered, I would pay more to avoid town and its people. And of course, there are people who love to be in the thick of every gathering; it's the same, people's natures that is, today as it was 200 years back. I do love the attitudes of the mountainman lifestyle, and how it shapes a fellow inside if he studies what true freedom really was, and what it meant to be nearly free of laws. Of course, even the lowly mountain man was tied to the market for his powder, lead, and other possibles; them being paid for in beaver.

There are two passages in Osborn Russell's presonal diary, "Journal of a Trapper", that lay out the largest change that comes over a man when he takes it on himself, to protect himself in the wilds, and to become a free man, a free trapper.

The first was when he first entered the mountains and hunting his supper for the first time, wounded, then pursued the wounded grizzly;
"On the 20th of August we started again to hunt meat: we left the Fort and travelled abot 6 miles when we discovered a Grizzly Bear digging and eating roots in a piece of marshy ground near a large bunch of willows. The Mullattoe approached within 100 yards and shot him thro. the left shoulder he gave a hideous growl and sprang into the thicket. The Mullattoe then said "let him go he is a dangerous varmint" but not being acquainted with the nature of these animals I determined on making another trial, and persuaded the Mullatto to assist me we walked round the bunch of willows where where the Bear lay keeping close together, with our Rifles ready cocked and presented towards the bushes untill near the place where he had entered, when we heard a sullen growl about 10 ft from us, which was instantly followed by a spring of the Bear toward us; his enormous jaws extended and eyes flashing fire. Oh Heavens! was ever anything so hideous? We could not retain sufficient presence of mind to shoot at him but took to our heels separating as we ran the Bear taking after me, finding I could out run him he left and turned to the other who wheeled about and discharged his Rifle covering the Bear with smoke and fire the ball however missing him he turned and bounding toward me - I could go no further without jumping into a large quagmire which hemmed me on three sides, I was obliged to turn about and face him he came within about 10 paces of me then suddenly stopped and raised his ponderous body erect, his mouth wide open, gazing at me with a beastly laugh at this moment I pulled trigger and I knew not what else to do and hardly knew that I did this but it accidentally happened that my Rifle was pointed towards the Bear when I pulled and the ball piercing his heart, he gave one bound from me uttered a deathly howl and fell dead: but I trembled as if I had an ague fit for half an hour after, we butchered him as he was very fat packed the meat and skin on our horses and returned to the Fort with the trophies of our bravery, but I secretly determined in my own mind never to molest another wounded Grizzly Bear in a marsh or thicket.

The second passage was after he had spent 9 years "on his own crook.";
"On the 15th of Novr I started up a high mountain in search of sheep after hunting and scrambling over the rocks for half the day without seeing any traces of them I sat down upon a rock which overlooked the country below me at length casting a glance along the South side of the Mountain I discovered a large Grizzly bear sitting at the mouth of its den I approached within about 180 paces shot and missed it. he looked round and crept slowly into his den I reloaded my rifle went up to the hole and threw down a stone weighing 5 or 6 lbs which soon rattled to the bottom and I heard no more I then rolled a stone weighing 3 or 400 lbs into the den stepped back two or three steps and prepared myself for the out come. The Stone had scarcely reached the bottom when the Bear came rushing out with his mouth wide open and was on the point of making a spring at me when I pulled trigger and Shot him thro. the left shoulder which sent him rolling down the Mountain It being near night I butchered him and left the Meat lying and returned to Camp."

I'd say that a pretty big change in the amount of grit in Russell's craw.

Part of the whole experiance for me/ us (as DW tends to like to attend rendezvous also) is learning and trying the skills that our forefathers used in everyday life.

When you can make fire with mostly found materials, learn what you can eat, what you can't, make your own clothes, shelter, it puts you in a state of mind like the loners of the past, "getting by your own crook".

Although there is nothing wrong with a bio-diesel powered 4 X 4 loaded down with all the BOB's, Mre's, battery powered radio, lights, your new Bushmaster etc.
it's sorta like the old mountain saying, "The more you know the less you have to carry.

I'm a Prepper, but I also like the feeling that I don't "really" need all that stuff to get by if I have to, but do admit it sure is nice knowing you have "your stuff with you."

I actually was digging a fire pit, dug up a piece of flint, used it to start the days cooking fire.

It has been a hobby, life style and pretty much defines my life, self reliance.
Beside it's fun.

off topic but origins of old sayings are a hobby of mine..don't know for sure but I'd bet "getting by your own crook" comes from England(as does"by hook or crook") and comes from the laws whereby the forests belonged to the rich and the serfs could not cut trees but might have all the dead wood they could pull down "by hook or crook" ie sheep herding crooks...later heard this was actually encouraged by the lords so that they could pass through their wooded lands mounted.....one of my favorites is rooted in our blackpowder past"lock,stock and barrel" as in the whole thing(in this case the 3 parts of the whole gun...well I've had my fun today and spring is comming so maybe I can get to the local "icebreaker".....bee

Yes your right, guns were sold in parts, in the "green"( parts not finished), so you could buy the lock, stock and barrel separately, if you were short on "bucks", at one point a deer hide was worth a "buck", then do the rest your self.

A lot of the "old sayings" were nothing more than a flash in the pan, they were used a few years and forgotten.

Hey Hunter63, you ever been to a rendevouz in Minnesota, specifically Aitkin, MN? Your wife and you look familiar to us.

Was up to the Midwest up by the big lake, in the 80's?
But you know what they say all us old bearded guys look the same, you kinda look familier your self.

We took the kids along and they would take off in camp, only to come back when they were hungry, or tired, having a son and daughter that could shoot, throw knives and hawks, make fire cook and sleep pretty much where ever they were makes me feel a lot better.

Funny story, daughter had brought a friend, must have been 14/15 at the time, and were all dressed up in skins, hanging around camp, when a friend of mine shows up with a pile of hides and blankets.
Dressed as a Voyageur, complete with all the ear and nose rings, the whole get up.
He says, " you have white women in your camp, 10 hides, 5 blankets, 2 rifles, 2 horses.
I said back, no 20 hides, 10 blankets, 4 rifles, 4 horses and some whiskey, 2 jugs.

Daughter's friend says "what going on"?, with wide eyes, when my daughter pipes up and tells her, "dad gonna sell us".

We all had a good laugh, but they did go home with us, but her friend still likes to tell the story.
(For anyone that thinks this is terrible, it was a joke from the start)

I never offered to trade any of my 4 daughters for fooferah, but after they became teenagers I could see why many Indian fathers did.

I had a good "mountainman" experience back about 25 years or so, when I was still wearing my homemade moccasins and living as close as I could to the old ways, I would go hunting alone in the mountains sometimes for a few days to a week; sometimes 2 weeks at a stretch. On one of these ventures I was hunting in the Red River Gorge of the Daniel Boone National Forest, and I had been out a while. On the day I was to be picked up by an uncle I walked out to the road, and just as I stepped into the road a big shiny Winnebago loaded with blue haired little old ladies from Cadiz, Kentucky came ‘round a curve, right on top of me.

Now I can’t imagine what they must have thought, it being way back of beyond and a wilderness at that, and me with a red/black beard that hadn’t been trimmed in years, hair down to my waste, a slouch hat, buckskin coat, moccasins on my feet, carrying a full stock Kentucky long rifle, with a “possible-pouch” thrown over my shoulder, and of course a horn of powder. The fact that I was whip thin and had 9 gray squirrels strung up by their heels on a hickory switch probably added to the over all look, but undaunted, those little ladies came sliding out of that motor home, wanting to touch everything, and they took about a hundred pictures of “the real live mountain man”.

Uncle didn’t get there until long after they had left, but it was and yet is a good story.

Fellas. pardon me fer chimin' in but I have a story too! the group I helped to found(The Wills Mtn Renegades)were doing what I fondly call "color" for an International Whitewater race event and I was there with my set-up dressed "period" doing the living history for all the locals and tourists; got up this one morning and fried out a ration of bacon over the fire and had just hunkered down lifting a piece to my mouth when I looked straight in front of me and here is this oriental group of tourists complete with video cameras and one of their members is hunkered down panning on that bite going into my mouth! Somewhere in Japan is a tape of my tonsils and I would love the translation that goes with it! I used to throw a pretty mean 'hawk and if I heard "Boy am I glad I'm not married to her; you think skillets is bad!" once then I have heard it a hunnert times...was pretty funny to watch grown men flinch..heheheh Oh, lordy the memories! Had a friend used to love putting on a show with, he had a bunch of hawks and we used to take turns placing all of em in the butt without takeing any out..chipped a few blades and splintered a few handles but for the most part was awesome the crowd reaction when placed the last one clean from an underhand throw....YUP; me a skinner don't need no fire nor jug to spin tales!

That's a good'en, gonna pass that one along to my daughter, she will appreciate that story.
We had our share of japanese tourists also, lots of T.V. crews for some reason?

We were at rendezvous at Prairie du Chien, WI, at the park, next to the Villa Louis mansion. pretty big, about 700 lodges, held on Fathers Day every year.
This is right on the banks of the Mississippi river, so we were down in the river (hot) with our skins on, sorta scrubbing so of the dirt off the skins with sand, when one of the japanese T.V. crews started filming.
So, of course one of the shinners started telling the crew that we came down here once a year, to wash-up, stock up, have a shinning time, then go back up to the mountains for the rest of the year.
So, Bee, your not the only one on japanese T.V.

Hear tell of a contract one of the traders at rendezvous, for 300 tanned elk hides supposed to go to Japan to build a 30 ft tipi for some exhibit, can't say it's true.............