Rocky Mountain Outfit — American Mountain Men (AMM) party of Colorado

My AMM Requirements

This is the documentation for the requirements that I have done to advance to a Bossloper member of the AMM. I officially became a Bossloper in April 2013. My number is #2051.

Gabe, July 2012
Must have a full set of hand-cut and -sewn clothing and handmade accoutrements. These must be researched for authenticity of the 1800-40 period and be of a type which would have been seen on men in, or moving to, the Rocky Mountains. Period weapons, saddles, traps, blankets, and other accoutrements that would normally have required the work of a specialized craftsman need not be handmade, but must be as authentic as can be purchased today.
I normally wear cloth trousers or pantaloons with braintan leggings over them. I have hand-made brain tan pucker toe moccasins as well as side seam moccasins. I wear a cotton shirt with a tailored blue cloth coat such as Miller shows on the camp cook. I usually wear a wide brim felt hat with a coyote tail and bird feathers in the band. I have hand-made bullet pouches of the styles depicted in the Mountain Man sketchbook. I carry a Henry made New English pattern rifle and J. Nowill & Sons knives. I have a trapper style saddle with a leather bridle and other gear for my horse. I use blankets of the "Ingenious" pattern for my bedroll.
Must have spent at least two days and one night in a primitive camp during each season of the year.
This is a subset of the camps I completed during my year as a Pilgrim.

Winter: January 20 – 22, 2012
I attended Steve's winter camp on Kannah Creek near Whitewater, Colorado. Present were Steve Chin, Bill Gantic, Tom Chalmers, Vic Barkin, Darko & myself. Tom Karnuta joined us on Saturday midday. Friday and Sunday were sunny weather, while Saturday was cloudy, drizzly and snowy. A couple of us went for a short hunt, while most stayed in camp nursing their sore heads from too much rum the night before. I hauled my gear in on travois pulled by my dogs.
View sketches from this camp.

Spring: April 14 – 21, 2012
Western Territorials near Canton, Kansas. There were many more people in attendances than I can name. I met Neighbor, Missouri Jim, Joe Silhan, Kevin Heibert, Denny Leonard, Larry, Joe Varanahan, Bob Lawrence, Jake Lawrence, Mike Bednar, Jim Ewerts, John Miller, Ty Roberts, Jim Hannon, Gabe Henson, and a bunch of Texans including Jim, Cuz, Kraig Falwell and Randy. We had some storms and tornados around us but most all of it missed us completely. We butchered a buffalo cow and I attended colleges on signs, packing, and prairie botany. We had a couple of shooting matches, I took a hike, Mike Bednar and I went to the local schools to teach about the Mountain men and we worked with a National Geographic photographer.

Summer: July 13 – 15, 2012
Rocky Mountain Outfit summer camp. We camped at the south end of Union Park in Colorado. Present were Nathan Blanchard, Tom Karnuta & myself. Brad Bailey made a cameo appearance. The weather was typical summer in the mountains; sunny in the morning and clouding up and thunder storms in the afternoon. The heavy gully washers went around us on both sides. We only got a sprinkle. Tom & Nathan went for a huge hike on Saturday. We caught a mess of trout and cooked them for dinner. I hauled my gear in on travois pulled by my dogs and a pack on my back.
View sketches from this camp.

Fall: October 5 – 7, 2012
Hanratty's Hunting Camp in East Castle Rock gulch, southeast of Buena Vista, CO. Present were Bill Gantic and myself, with dogs Jessie, Cole and Molly. The fall mountain weather was beautiful. The nights were chilly with temps in the teens. We spent most of our time hunting and saw several rabbits. I got one and a pine squirrel. Back in camp we worked on sign, and talked fur trade. Good vittles with no waste as the camp's dogs cleaned it up, Molly ate our chunk of cheese too. I hauled my gear in on travois pulled by my dogs and a pack on my back.
View sketches from this camp.
Must have spent an accumulative time of two or more weeks in the wilderness under primitive conditions in the company of no more than one other member. Each stay must be at least three full days and two full nights.
1) May 5 – 7, 2012, Solo camp in East Castle Rock gulch, southeast of Buena Vista, CO. Saturday & Sunday they weather was typical spring windy & sunny. Sunday night it snowed and I woke up Monday morning to 2" of snow on my canvas and 1" on the ground. I cooked a meal of meat on the fire with only a knife and natural materials. I hauled my gear in on travois pulled by my dogs and a pack on my back. (3 days/ 2 nights)
View sketches from this camp.

2) Oct 5 – 7, 2012 Hanratty's Hunting Camp. Present were Bill Gantic and myself, with dogs Jessie, Cole and Molly. The fall mountain weather was beautiful. The nights were chilly with temps in the teens. We spent most of our time hunting and saw several rabbits. I got one and a pine squirrel. Back in camp we worked on sign, and talked fur trade. Good vittles with no waste as the camp’s dogs cleaned it up, Molly ate our chunk of cheese too. I hauled my gear in on travois pulled by my dogs and a pack on my back. (3 days/ 2 nights)

3) October 20 – 28, 2012 Deer Camp. I set up camp on Limestone Ridge, Co for my deer hunt. I hunted Limestone ridge and surrounding areas from Oct 20 through Sunday Oct 28. I like to hunt alone and so most years I hunt the area south of the Buffalo peaks solo. I saw a nice buck on Saturday 10/20, but he wouldn’t give me a chance at him. There are a lot of does in this area but, of course I have a buck tag. On Wednesday, 10/24, I killed a large mule deer buck. After I got my deer, I traded my rifle for my fusil and spent the next couple of days hunting small game. Overall, it was a very enjoyable outing! A little cool at times; makes me rethink some of my cold weather gear! (8 days/ 7 nights)

4) November 30 – December 5, 2012, I went Antelope hunting near Kit Carson, Colorado. The hunting party consisted of myself and Aaron Griggs. We experienced some mild winter weather and a tremendous dust storm. Although we didn’t harvest any Antelope, we did get a scaled quail and live trapped a raccoon. (6 days/5 nights)

Total: 20days / 16 nights
Must have spent at least one full week in a primitive encampment in the company of other members at the Territorial AMM Rendezvous (Eastern or Western) or the National (Rocky Mountain) AMM Rendezvous.
April 14-21, 2012, I spent 8 days and 7 nights at the Western Territorial Rendezvous near Canton, KS.
Must be able to demonstrate the skills needed for primitive survival in the wilderness of his area and must be willing to teach said skills to other members when requested by a Party Booshway or Director of this Association.
1) During the Western Territorials in 2012, Mike Bednar and I taught fur trade history and primitive survival skills to 4 grades in three classes of school students at the Canton and Galva/Canton schools. Mike told me I had fulfilled this requirement. Of course, I am always willing to teach any member any skills I know and to help in any way possible. After our prairie walk with the botanist, Jim Ewerts remarked that I had a lot of knowledge about the prairie flora, demonstrating primitive survival skills relating to edible plants and medicinal uses of wild plants.

2) On May 19th, 2012, I demonstrated the skills needed for primitive survival in the wilderness to Nathan Blanchard in the form of Trapping, Tracking and Packing for requirements 6, 7 & 8.

3) June 1-3, 2012, I demonstrated to the public blacksmithing, primitive carpentry and gunsmithing at Bent's Old Fort.

4) June 29 & 30, 2012, I taught gun cleaning and maintenance seminars at the Kit Carson Rendezvous.
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.
On May 19, 2012, I did a demonstration of my trapping ability for Nathan Blanchard. I set traps for beaver (bank/slide and dam sets), and dry land sets for wolves, coyotes, foxes or cats. I demonstrated tree sets for martin/fisher and how to set snares on a branch and on the ground. I also demonstrated a figure 4 deadfall trap made all of natural materials.
Must be able to demonstrate ability to track man or animal under natural wilderness conditions.
On May 19, 2012, I did a demonstration of my tracking ability for Nathan Blanchard. I demonstrated to Nathan my ability to track deer, man and small game on Limestone ridge, east of Buena Vista, CO.
Dog travois, October 2011
Must be able to demonstrate the ability to properly pack a horse, canoe, bullboat, or a man for distance travel under possible adverse conditions.
On May 19, 2012, I did a demonstration of my packing ability for Nathan Blanchard. I showed Nathan how I pack a horse with pack saddle and panniers, how I pack a canoe for long distance travel, how I pack myself for foot travel and how I pack my dogs with their travois.
Must be able to properly field dress (clean and skin) a game animal under primitive conditions.
1) At the 2012 Western Territorials in Kansas, I assisted with the field dressing of a cow bison that was killed by Kevin Heibert. Kevin later told me I was a good hand to have helping him. He was impressed with my skill with a knife and how I knew how to remove the tongue from the buffalo without him having to show me.

2) October 5 & 6, 2012, I field dressed and prepared as food a squirrel and a rabbit. Bill Gantic helped me eat them.

3) October 16, 2012 – I field dressed, skinned, quartered and butchered a road-killed mule deer buck. I made him into 25 lbs. of boudins. I used my version of Charbonneau's recipe and a Cajun variety with rice and cayenne pepper.

4) October 24, 2012 – I killed, field dressed, skinned and quartered a large mule deer buck.
Must be able to start a fire in wet, as well as dry, weather using flint and steel or fire drill using tinder and wood found under natural conditions.
1) April 14 – 21, 2012, at the Western Territorials in Kansas, I started several fires with my flint and steel in one wet as well as several dry days.

2) On May 5 – 7, 2012, I started fires with my flint and steel during my 3 day and 2 night solo camp in East Castle Rock gulch, southeast of Buena Vista, CO.

Rabbit hunting, October 2012
Must be able to show ability to tan or Indian-dress hides.
Must have spent at least five days traveling on foot, snowshoe, canoe, and/or horseback. One method or a combination may be used. Bullboat may be used in place of canoe. You are expected to gain as much distance as possible. This trip must be under primitive conditions, taking nothing that would not have been available to the mountain man between 1800-1840. Period weapon with accoutrements and knife must be along.
Must be able to cook a meal of meat using only the meat, fire, a knife, and materials found in nature.
May 5, 2012, On a solo camp in East Castle Rock gulch, southeast of Buena Vista, CO. I cooked a meal of elk steaks on the fire. I used saplings to skewer the steaks and propped them over the fire. I thought about doing them Tarzan style like I had read about in Boy Scout's where you lay your steaks right on the coals to cook. I had never done that because I didn't like the idea of having to scrape the coals off the meat and eat the ashes that you couldn't get off. I couldn't find any green saplings close by so I used some dead ones and when they burned off and the steaks fell into the fire, I had Tarzan steaks after all. You know, they weren't that bad!
Must be able to converse using Plains Indians hand talk. The 200 words on page 64 of Tompkin's book "Indian Sign Language", will be used as a basis for conversation. To complete this requirement, you must demonstrate your ability to read the signs for 50 words, as well as to give the signs for 50 words.
Must have hunted for and killed at least one game or fur animal with a muzzleloading firearm or primitive bow and must have used the skin and/or meat for food, clothing and/or accoutrements. The hunt must be made from a strictly primitive camp, the hunt accomplished under primitive conditions within the limits of local game laws.
1) October 5 – 7, 2012 Hanratty's Hunting Camp. Present were Bill Gantic and myself, with dogs Jessie, Cole and Molly. We spent most of our time hunting and saw several rabbits. I got one and a pine squirrel. We ate the squirrel in a stew and the rabbit for Sunday breakfast after cooking it on the fire with a meat hook.
Must have at least three full years of membership in AMM.
Must be able to properly skin an animal and prepare the skin for market.
1) October 16, 2012 – I skinned a road-killed mule deer buck and fleshed and salted his hide to sell to the fur buyer.

2) October 24, 2012 – I killed, field dressed, skinned and quartered a large mule deer buck. I fleshed and salted his hide to sell to the fur buyer.
Must have served as a Booshway for at least two activities of the AMM.
Must spend three days and two nights totally alone under primitive conditions and aux aliments du pays ["off the nourishment of the land"].
Must have made a study of the life style of the mountain man, frontiersman or American Indian before 1840 and must submit a report of this study to the association Capitaine.

Mark "Gabe" Hanratty
February 2013

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