Monday, September 21, 2009

Bronc Riding the Old West Way

The following article was excerpted from http://www.cowboyshowcase.com


Bronc Riding the Old West WayElko, Nevada, holds a special event that recreates the old-timer's way of topping off the rough string. The Silver State Stampede Association in Elko, Nevada, sponsors a special event in conjunction with its annual PRCA rodeo held in July. This event is called Old West World Championship Bronc Riding. Beginning in 2003, twenty top bronc riders came from several western states, out of remote ranches and cows camps with names such as, State Line Camp, Kitchen Meadows, White Horse Ranch, and Devil’s Corral to ride the “bad ones”. These twenty bronc riders each put up a $400 entrance fee, with no stock charge, for a chance to ride for $8,000 in prize money and a World’s Championship buckle.
Saddle bronc riding is the classic event in professional rodeo. This Old West version of the event takes bronc riding back to its origins when the big outfits sent their top “bronco men” to town to compete against each other. At the turn of the twentieth century, there were hundreds of cowboys working on cow outfits in the Elko area. It was a practice for neighboring cowboys to get together and ride the “rough string” to see who was the best.
The Silver State Stampede is the oldest rodeo in Nevada. The tradition of an annual rodeo in Elko started in 1913, sponsored by G.S. Garcia, world famous bit, spur, and saddle maker. Garcia, who owned the G.S, Garcia Harness and Saddle Shop in Elko at that time, figured the rodeo would get northern Nevada cowboys gathered for a good time, and it would provide entertainment and income for the townspeople.
Bronc riding, at that time, had a minimum of rules. Of course, the cowboy who made the wildest and showiest ride usually took home the money. The hands in the region would plan all year to attend this rodeo and try their luck. There have been many saddle bronc riders who came out of Great Basin high desert country to go on to the big time in the professional rodeo circuit. Names like Marvel, Wines, Slagowski, Gardner, and others are well known throughout the West in bronc riding circles.
Fifty years ago, the Prunty Brothers trailed their native bucking stock over 100 miles from the Diamond A Desert, which straddles the Nevada-Idaho border near Charleston, Nevada, to put on the Silver State Stampede. Continuing this tradition, the bucking stock for the Old West Bronc Riding this year was furnished by Wally Blossom from Owyhee, Nevada. The broncs used were a mixture of big strong horses that had bucked before and some young horses that had only been bucked out of a chute once or twice before.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009




TOMBSTONE ARIZONACOMING EVENTSSee all current area events in each issue of Tombstone Times
Red Cross Tombstone Blood Drive ~ September 15, 2009 - Help Save a Life! Donate blood at the Red Cross Blood Drive on Tuesday September 15 from 1:00pm - 6:00pm at the American Legion Hall - 2nd & Allen Streets, in Tombstone. For more information call John at the Tombstone Pharmacy(520) 457-3543.
Historic Gleeson Jail Open House ~ October 3, 2009 - The "Grand Opening" of the newly restored Gleeson Jail House will take place on Saturday October 3rd from 10am until 4pm with historical photos, documents and artifacts on display. Local ranchers, residents, and area historians will be in attendance, with visitors invited to bring a picnic lunch and lawn chairs to experience a hint of times gone by. For more information visit the Gleeson Arizona Jail's webiste at: www.gleesonarizona.com
Corvettes & Ghost Riders ~ October 8, 9, 10 & 11, 2009 - Events include an Early Cowpoke Redezvous, Welcome Rustlers Corral, People's Choice NCCC Car Show, Saloon Stroll Poker Rallies, Wyatt & Doc's Cowboy Merrymaking, Tombstone History Walk and more!! For further information call "Tex" at (602) 808-9352, Denise at (480) 888-9459 or visit their website at: www.corvettesandghostriders.com
True West’s Great American Adventures ~ Wyatt Earp's Vendetta Ride ~ October 12-16, 2009 - This five-day ride takes you to the Chiricahua, Dragoon and Whetstone Mountains, through the high country around Tombstone, visiting spots where Wyatt and his posse killed Florentio Cruz, "Curly Bill" Brocius, plus Johnny Ringo's gravesite and more. Horses, tack, food, provided. For more info visit www.Great-American-Adventures.com
HELLDORADO DAYS! ~ October 16, 17 & 18, 2009 - Tombstone's Oldest Celebration. Started in 1929 as the town's 50th Anniversary celebration. Events include Reenactments, Fashion Shows, a Carnival, Live Music, Street Entertainment, Food, Beard contest and a Parade. Contact Steve Reeder at (520) 457-3291 or visit their website at: www.tombstonehelldoradodays.com
Tombstone Gun Show ~ October 17 & 18, 2009 - Guns, Knives, Jewelry & more! In the old High School Gymnasium - 6th & Allen Streets. Open at 9:00 am both days! Presented by McMann's Roadrunner. For more information, or to reserve a table, call (602) 843-5303. You can also visit McMannsRoadrunner.com for a coupon worth $1.00 off your admission.
Tombstone Western Music Festival ~ November 6, 7 & 8, 2009 - This Eighth Annual event features Three Days of Live Western Music, Vendors, Evening Concerts in historic Schieffelin Hall, Free Daytime Stages, Street Events, Cowboy Church. Headliners scheduled: Syd Masters and the Swing Riders, The Desert Sons, Jon Messenger, Call of the West, Jim Wilson, Journey West, Keeter Stuart, Trails & Rails, Katy Creek, Tom Hiatt and the Sundown Riders, Patty Clayton, Jim Jones, Doc Stovall, Mike Moutoux and Kerry Gromacher. For more information call (520) 457-2295 or visit their website at tombstonewesternmusicfestival.org.
All event information is thought to be correct at the time of publication, however typos do occur and schedules, services and prices do change. Please be sure to use the contact information prior to your visit to verify the accuracy of event schedules. If you know of an upcoming event that should be listed here, let us know at
');
// -->
info@tombstonetimes.com or (520) 457-3884

The QuailThe California Quail is a highly sociable bird and one of the daily communal activities is the taking of dust baths.


The California Quail is a highly sociable bird and one of the daily communal activities is the taking of dust baths. A family of quail will select an area where the ground has been newly turned or is soft, and using their underbellies, will burrow downward into the soil some 1-2 inches. They then wriggle about in the indentations they have created, flapping their wings and ruffling their feathers, causing dust to rise in the air. They seem to prefer sunny places in which to create these dust baths, and an ornithologist is able to detect the presence of quail in an area by spotting the circular indentations left behind in the soft dirt, some 3-6" in diameter.
One of the male Quails is designated as the family guard. He perches atop a fence post, tree branch, or even a telephone pole to keep a close watch on his clan, emitting a variety of calls to inform them of approaching dangers, or to keep in verbal contact with other Quails. Quails are members of the pheasant family.
We have noted that male quails are also often designated baby sitters, and several 'uncles' may be seen guarding baby quails on their walks. Baby Quails are able to fly just a few days after hatching, and this is vital. Because the California Quail is not the best flier - but rather spends much of its time on the ground, it is essential that it be able to fly up quickly away from danger.
These clever, sensitive and beautiful birds are excellent spouses and parents. We would like to add that we at American Bird Guide deplore the practice of viewing Quails as a food source. They belong in the wild, living in their productive family groups. Quail ornaments, quail flags, quail stamps, plush quails, and quail gifts all celebrate the special charm of this beloved bird. Your local wild bird supply store should be able to offer you quail seed, as well.



Buzzard can mean:
A vulture, particularly the American Black Vulture and Turkey Vulture, or as a general term for vultures.
In parts of the United States where they are considered pest, particularly in rural areas, a derogatory term for certain birds of prey, such as the Chickenhawk (a common colloquial name referring to both the Red-tailed Hawk and the Cooper's Hawk), or the Duck hawk (known elsewhere as the Peregrine).

[edit]

Monday, September 14, 2009

History of the Zia


.
The symbol originated with the Indians of Zia [pronounce it "tSEE-ah"]  Pueblo (Indian village) in ancient times. The symbol has sacred meaning to the Zia. Four is a sacred number which symbolizes the Circle of Life: four winds, four seasons, four directions, and four sacred obligations. The circle binds the four elements of four together.
Zia is the name of an Indian Pueblo located 35 miles northwest of Albuquerque, NM.
The Zia pueblo in NM is situated in the steep mountains slopes and canyons of the Sierra Nacimiento Mountains. The gently sloping flood plain of the Jemez River, and the large Pajarito and Jemez Plateaus establish the setting for the Zia Indian Reservation.
 
The picture also contains the famous Kokopelli fertility deity, usually depicted as a humpbacked flute player (often with a huge phallus and feathers or antenna-like protrusions on his head), who has been venerated by some Native American cultures in the Southwestern United States.


Native American Hoop Dance is a form of storytelling dance incorporating anywhere from 1 to 30 hoops as props, which are used to create both static and dynamic shapes, or formations, representing various animals and storytelling elements. It is generally performed by a solo dancer with many hoops.
During the dance, shapes are formed in storytelling ritual such as the butterfly, the eagle, the snake, and the coyote, with the hoop symbolizing the never-ending circle of life.[1] Native American Hoop dance focuses on very rapid moves, and the construction of hoop formations around and about the body. The hoops used are typically of very small diameter (1-2.5 feet). In elaborate sequences of moves, the hoops are made to interlock, and in such a way they can be extended from the body of the dancer to form appendages such as wings and tails. The hoops are often handmade by the dancers out of simple plastic piping (though some are made of wood) and wrapped in colorful tapes, similar to the construction techniques used by modern hoopdancers.
Native American Hoop Dance has been formally recognized as a cultural heritage, embodied in both documentary films and as a living tradition in formal competition. The most popular competition occurs annually at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. Up to 80 dancers have participated on any given year,[2] and the competitions have drawn as many as 10,000 spectators.

The Coyote


[edit] Character in mythology

Coyote tries to persuade Opossum to let him have some persimmons, in a Caddo story.
Main article: Coyote (mythology)
Traditional stories from many Native American nations include a deity whose name is translated into English as "Coyote". Although especially common in stories told by southwestern Native American nations, such as the Diné and Apache, stories about Coyote appear in dozens of Native American nations from Canada to Mexico.
Usually appearing as a trickster, a culture hero or both, Coyote also often appears in creation myths and etiological myths. Although usually appearing in stories as male, Coyote can also be female or a hermaphrodite, in some traditional Native American stories

Coyote vs Roadrunner


The Roadrunner





"Road Runner" redirects here. For other uses, see Roadrunner (disambiguation).
Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner

Wile E. Coyote (left) and Road Runner (right) in Adventures of the Road-Runner.
First appearance
Fast and Furry-ous (September 16, 1949)
Created by
Chuck Jones
Voiced by
Wile E. Coyote: Silent until 1952, then:Mel Blanc (1952 - 1989)Joe Alaskey (1990 - 1995)Dee Bradley Baker (Duck Dodgers)Maurice LaMarche (1990 - current)The Road Runner:Paul Julian (1949 - 1995)Mel Blanc (1969 - 1989)Dee Bradley Baker (1995 - current)
Wile E. Coyote (also known simply as "The Coyote") and The Road Runner are cartoon characters from a series of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. The characters were created by animation director Chuck Jones in 1948 for Warner Brothers, while the template for their adventures was the work of writer Michael Maltese. The characters went on to star in a long-running series of theatrical cartoon shorts (the first 16 of which were written by Maltese) and the occasional made-for-television cartoon.
What the E stands for is never indicated in the cartoons - a 1975 comic book story has it standing for 'Ethelbert' - it is a play on phonics for the phrase "Wiley Coyote". Although the coyote's last name is routinely pronounced with a long "e" as in the real-life animal (e.g. "ky-O'-tee"), in at least one case (To Hare is Human), the character himself is heard pronouncing it with a long "a" (e.g. "ky-O'-tay") in an attempt to sound refined or intellectual.
The Coyote has separately appeared as an occasional antagonist against Bugs Bunny in five shorts: Operation: Rabbit, To Hare is Human, Rabbit's Feat, Compressed Hare, and Hare-Breadth Hurry. While he is generally silent in the Coyote-Road Runner shorts, he speaks with a refined accent in these solo outings (except for Hare-Breadth Hurry), introducing himself as "Wile E. Coyote - super genius", voiced by Mel Blanc.[1] The Road Runner vocalizes only with a signature sound, "beep, beep", and an occasional tongue noise. The "beep, beep" was recorded by Paul Julian.[2]

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Arizona Game and Fish Department










Hunt Guidelines
-
Big Game Species
-
Small Game Species
-
Waterfowl Species
-
Predator Species
-
Furbearer Species
-
Where to Hunt
-
Waterfowl Hunting
-
Small Game Outlook
Fishing
Resources

Javelina

Additional Big Game Species pages
-
Antelope
-
Javelina
-
Black Bear
-
Turkey
-
Buffalo
-
Mountain Lion
-
Bighorn Sheep
-
Mule Deer
-
Elk
-
White-tailed Deer



Javelina

Habitat

Arizona Javelina

The collared peccary, or javelina, evolved in South America and migrated north, only recently arriving in Arizona. Javelina bones are not found in Arizona archaeological sites and early settlers made infrequent references to their occurrence. It's possible that the peccary spread simultaneously with the replacement of Arizona's native grasslands by scrub and cactus. The collared peccary has one of the greatest latitudinal ranges of any New World game animal, occurring from Arizona to Argentina. The range of the peccary is still expanding, primarily northwestward. In the United States, the collared peccary only occurs in Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico.Life HistoryAdult javelina generally weigh 35 to 60 lbs, the male being slightly heavier than the female. New born javelina weigh about one pound. They are tan to brownish in color with a reddish dorsal stripe. They acquire adult coloration at three months. The salt and pepper appearance of adults is due to whitish bands on the black hairs. These hairs are up to six inches long, with the mane being blackest, longest, and erectile. In the winter, the coat is very dense and dark and the "collar" is visible. In summer, the javelina sheds hair. The shorter hairs are lighter and the collar frequently is not visible.
Javelina continue to grow until they reach adult height in about 10 months. At this age, the javelina are sexually mature. Being of tropical origin, peccaries are capable of breeding throughout the year, the only wild ungulate in the western hemisphere with a year long breeding season. This long breeding season, early maturity, and the ability to have two litters in one year gives them the greatest reproductive potential of North American big game.
Breeding peaks in January, February, and March. After a 145-day gestation period, most births occur in June, July, and August. This peak corresponds with the maximum rainfall period. Two is the most common number of young. Unlike other animals, the javelina does not lick the offspring at birth, but rolls or tumbles it. The young are precocial, following their mothers shortly after birth and are usually weaned at six weeks.
While javelina have lived to 24 years in captivity, the average life span is closer to seven or eight. Predation on javelina is common from mountain lions and bobcats. Coyotes and golden eagles are effective predators of juvenile javelina.
Since javelina are found in so many habitats, its natural that their foods should vary. Javelina are opportunistic feeders eating flowers, fruits, nuts, berries, bulbs, and most succulent plants. Prickly pear cactus makes up the major portion of their diet.Hunt HistoryJavelina were not legally designated as big game until 1929, when a season from November 1 through January 31 was authorized and a bag limit of one javelina a year was imposed. Hunter interest gradually increased, particularly among non-residents, and the javelina became an important game animal in Arizona after World War II. By 1950, hunters were purchasing nearly 10,000 javelina tags and taking more than 1,000 animals a year. In 1959, an archery javelina season was initiated, and by 1971 more than 30,000 hunters were harvesting more than 6,000 javelina a year. This pressure was deemed excessive in some game management units, and permit-only firearm hunting was instituted in 1972. To further curtail hunt pressure and better distribute hunters, permit-only HAM (handgun, archery, and muzzleloader) hunts were initiated in 1974, and archery hunting was limited to permit-only hunting in 1992. In 2006, Arizona began offering javelina permits for fall seasons as well as spring seasons.BehaviorJavelina are herd animals with herd sizes averaging 8 to 9 animals. Territories are set up using droppings and the dorsal scent gland to mark these areas. Aggressive displays will be made to intruding javelina. Territory size varies with the productivity of the habitat, but averages about 750 acres.
Summary
Breeding Period: Year Round
Young Appear: Year Round
Average Number of Young: 2
Distribution: 1K-6K ft,mostly south of Mogollon Rim
Habitat: Desert, chaparral, and oak-grasslands
Food Preference: Cacti, insects, fruits, and seeds in season
Range: 4 sq. miles
Live Weight: M-65lbs.; F-50lbs.
Predators: Coyote and mountain lion
Updated April 2009

Sign up for AZGFD eNews
-
Wildlife Photo Gallery

Videos [More]

Arizona Javelina
NOTE: Video files may require the free Adobe Flash Player.

The Stagecoach in America


See also: www.old-picture.com/.../Stagecoach-Travel.htm

] Concord stagecoaches
The first Concord stagecoach was built in 1827. Abbot Downing Company employed leather strap braces under their stagecoaches which gave a swinging motion instead of the jolting up and down of a spring suspension. The company manufactured over forty different types of carriages and wagons at the wagon factory in
Concord, New Hampshire. The Concord Stagecoaches were built so solidly that it became known that they didn't break down but just wore out. The Concord stagecoach sold throughout South America, Australia, and Africa. Over 700 Concord stagecoaches were built by the original Abbot Downing Company before it disbanded in 1847. Mark Twain stated in his 1861 book Roughing It that the Concord Stagecoach was like "a cradle on wheels".
The term "stage" originally referred to the distance between stations on a route, the coach traveling the entire route in "stages," but through constant misuse it came to apply to the coach. A stagecoach could be any four wheeled vehicle pulled by horses or mules - the primary requirement being that it was used as a public conveyance, running on an established route and schedule. Vehicles included buckboards and dead axle wagons, surplus Army ambulances, celerity [or mud] coaches, and the deluxe Concord. Selection of the vehicle was made by the owner of the stage line, and he would choose the most efficient vehicle based upon the load to be carried, the road conditions, and the weather; and used a two, four or six-horse team based upon those factors and the type of car.




See also: George Chorpenning; Central Nevada Route; Pony Express; Wells Fargo; Butterfield Overland Mail
At a time when sectional tensions were tearing the United States apart, stagecoaches provided regular transportation and communication between St. Louis, Missouri, in the Midwest along the Mississippi River, and San Francisco, California, in the West. Although the Pony Express is often credited with being the first fast mail line across the North American continent from the Missouri River to the Pacific Coast, stagecoach lines operated by George Chorpenning and the Butterfield Stage predated the Pony Express by nearly three years.
Butterfield Overland Stage began rolling on September 15, 1858, when the twice-weekly mail service began. A Butterfield Overland Concord Stagecoach was started in San Francisco and another Overland Stage in Tipton, Missouri, they ran over the better roads. As the going got rougher, the passengers and mail were transferred to "celerity wagons" designed for the roughest conditions. Each run encompassed 2,812 miles and had to be completed in 25 days or less in order to qualify for the $600,000 government grant for mail service.
In March 1860, John Butterfield was forced out because of debt. The beginning of the American Civil War forced the Stage Company to stop using the ox bow route and to use the central overland road instead. The Eastern end of the central route, St. Louis to Denver, Colorado was taken over by Ben Holladay. Ben Holladay is characterized as a devoted, diligent, enterprising man who became known as the Stagecoach King. At the western end, Denver to San Francisco, the Stage Company was taken over by Wells Fargo due to large debts that Butterfield owed. Wells Fargo commandeered the monopoly over long-distance overland stage coach and mail service with a massive web of relay stations, forts, livestock, men, and stage coaches by 1866. Transcontinental stage-coaching came to an end with the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869.

This is a picture of the original Dodo as discussed in our Garden art section. It has been extinct for several centuries hence the saying, ''Dead as a Dodo".

Iguana


Reptiles: Iguana
Range: southeastern Canada to Central and South America, the Galápagos Islands, some Caribbean islands (such as Cuba, Jamaica, and the Anegadas), Fiji in the South Pacific, and Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa.Habitat: found in habitats from tropical and subtropical forests to deserts and along the seashore.
What is an iguana? Take a closer look...
The iguana family includes some of the largest lizards found in the Americas, with their whiplike tails making up about half of that length. Like other reptiles, iguanas are cold-blooded, egg-laying animals with an excellent ability to adapt to their environment. Species of iguanas vary greatly in size, color, behavior, and their endangered status in the wild. Some species, like the green iguana Iguana iguana, are quite common; other species, like the Fijian banded iguana Brachylophus fasciatus, are endangered.