Posted August 10, 2019

Timeline Note: The hunt begins on Aug. 27 and ends on Aug. 29. Have set the timeline to the beginning date.

:: Day 1 - Aug. 27, 1875 ::

The predawn temperature was cold and crisp, but that would change once the sun was fully up. Montana nights were cold even in August, and especially in the mountains. That had made preparing for a hunt that might last several days required additional camping equipment. To complicate matters, it had rained the night before. That would make picking up the bear's tracks that much more difficult.

Shade stomped his feet on the mat outside the bunkhouse's common room to remove the mud before entering. Taking off his coat and hat, he headed straight for the coffee. Mary Miller was preparing breakfast and lunches so the hunters would not have to cook their midday meal. Right now, she was dishing up thick slices of bacon, ham, scrambled eggs, biscuits, gravy, and chunks of cheese. She was going to make sure that the men were well-fed before they hit the trail.

Thornton had spent Wednesday gathering up a small hunting party to accompany him and Quentin into the mountains. Along with the men, Addy Chappel, Millegan's senior driver, would be going along to manage the pack mules and the string of horses. There was also the matter of packing extra firearms and ammunition. It had been challenging as far as logistics were concerned. Shade himself was carrying one of the ranch's 1872 Sharps rifles in .50-90 caliber. It was a buffalo gun so it should bring down a bear, even a monster like Old Satan.

He had just gotten his coffee when Mary rang the bell sharply, "Food's up, come and get it."

Posted August 15, 2019 / Adelaide Chappel

Huddled into her coat, with her hat pulled over a scarf that covered her ears and wrapped around her neck for warmth, Addy glanced at Speed as he rode beside her. They were both a bit worse for the wear...her ribs were still aching, and she knew that he was still hurting from their run-in with the huge bear. It didn't really help that they had had to leave town well before sunrise, when the air was frigid and the trail concealed in darkness.

But now, as they arrived at the ranch, Addy perked up and glanced at the man. "Ya smell that?" The delightful aromas of bacon and biscuits greeted them, and she grinned, the smile hidden behind her scarf. "Seems like we're gonna get a good meal before we all go to our execution!" A hot meal would certainly be welcome, and would be a good start to what might be a long hunt.

Posted August 15, 2019 / Aurelian Redmond

Aurelian rode on in that fresh morning, Sharp's carbine slung over his shoulder and a box of cartridges in his coat pocket. He had a revolver too but if it came down to pistol fire against the bear he would be in serious trouble. For the time being he tied his horse just outside the corral then headed for the bunkhouse and that fine aroma of breakfast. A pair of riders were just pulling up, he recognized the woman, a wagon driver (not like there were a lot of those around), as Miss Chappell. They looked like they were dressed for winter.

He smiled and waved, then teased, "Mornin! Landsakes, how are you people gonna manage come winter? This here is just plain invigorating. Last I checked it is August, right?"

Posted August 16, 2019 / Henry S. Guyer

It didn't really help that they had had to leave town well before sunrise, when the air was frigid and the trail concealed in darkness.

There are things that one never parts with, his union greatcoat of heavy wool was certainly one, as were the gauntlet that covered his hands. They didn’t stop the war for weather or season

Addy perked up and glanced at the man. "Ya smell that?" The delightful aromas of bacon and biscuits greeted them, and she grinned, the smile hidden behind her scarf. "Seems like we're gonna get a good meal before we all go to our execution!”

Speed laughed. “I don’t think so Addy, hopefully one of us’ll put ol’ Satan to rest once and for all, and there’ll be bear meat for everyone!” He had his Sharps fifty in his saddle scabbard, and a pocket full of cartridges. "In fact, I’m hoping this ordeal will be quick." Of course ol’ Satan’s likely got other plans for the day.

He saw the man ride up and hail; "Mornin! Landsakes, how are you people gonna manage come winter? This here is just plain invigorating. Last I checked it is August, right?"

Posted August 16, 2019 / Quentin Cantrell

Quentin yawned as he reined up outside the bunkhouse. He looped the reins around the post and stepped inside. He looked around and saw Shade and motioned to him.

Shade added more coffee to his cup and walked over to Quentin, "What's up?"

Quentin stood beside a buckboard as Shade walked up. "Several days ago, I took a trip to the fort. I figured we might need any advantage we can get..." He reached and flipped off a tarp and pushed the lid off the long crate under it. He reached in and lifted out a rifle. "The Commanding Officer was kind enough to allow me to buy a case of these Trapdoor rifles. There are four plus he let me buy a case of cartridges." Quentin reached under his coat and pulled a round from his bandolier and held it up. "It's .45-70. Not as powerful as some of the weapons we have for the hunt, but the Trapdoor can fire faster than some of those. It may come down to more rounds into that bear as opposed to one big one."

Shade uttered a low whistle. He leaned down and hefted one of the rifles, giving it an admiring look while he tested it for balance. He was impressed with the feel of the gun and with Quentin's effort in getting them. There was no doubt that they had probably cost a pretty penny, but in the end they were good additions to the ranch's arsenal. Shade had to admit, he wanted to be the fly on the wall when Quentin handed the receipts in to Harriet for payment. He almost grinned.

Quentin reached into the crate and tugged out a length of three sided steel. He held the spike bayonet near the end of the Trapdoor's barrel. "And if it's too close for comfort, you can always use this thing like a spear to protect yourself."

"Having seen that ornery critter, I plan on not getting that close," Shade said although the precaution made sense.

Quentin then made a sound and reached for a small bag beside the crate. "I got these made at the Gunsmith..." Quentin tugged out what looked like an oversized dueling pistol. "This is a Trapdoor conversion of an old style pistol. The system is the same and it uses the same ammunition. You lose some velocity with the shorter barrel, but it kicks harder than our revolvers ever could." Quentin handed the pistol toward Shade. "I want you to take this. You don't have to take the rifle if you want, but take the pistol..." Quentin glanced around then back to Shade. "This bear is something unusual. People might die today before it's dead, and I don't want it to be you or me...okay?"

"I don't want it to be any of us," Shade replied solemnly as he took the pistol. He lowered his voice, "Thanks for going the extra mile for us, Quentin. I will take one of the trapdoors. Need to make sure Addy has one of the Sharps or one of these." He paused and thought for a second, "Since she has the pack string, she might need one of the pistols?"

Quentin nodded. "She's welcome to one if she wants it. Might be easier to manage with the job she has."

Posted August 18, 2019 / Adelaide Chappel

"Got my own pistol," Addy commented as she and Speed walked in on the conversation. "Only good it'll do against that bear is ta put his victim outta their misery." It would take a very well placed shot with a pistol to do much damage to a bear that size. "Smells real good in here," she continued, taking off her hat and coat. "Nice rifles," she added, looking over the weapons. "That'll take down that demon, certain." Hopefully, when the time came, it would be more than one of them shooting at the beast, increasing their chances of killing it, and of surviving the encounter.

Quentin turned to the newcomers and nodded to the lady. "Not quite your typical handgun, ma'am..." He said as he opened the trapdoor action on the heavy pistol. "It fires the same round as these new rifles. A lot more kick in a package you can keep on you at all times." Quentin handed the weapon over for her to examine. "I hope no one gets that close to our bear, but if wishes were horses, no man would walk."

Posted August 18, 2019 / Aurelian Redmond

Aurelian had been kidding around and just trying to stir up a little good natured conversation but the woman and man just ignored him. Alright then. Fine! He decided to leave his Sharps on the horse, no sense dragging that inside and followed after them. He was hungry and it smelled damn good!

Entering the building he nodded toward both Shade and Quentin.

"Mornin'," he said then noticed the arsenal in front of him.

"Must say, your ranch sure is well stocked with weaponry. Those rifles are military issue, aren't they?" he went closer to examine them. Sure enough bayonet and everything. Impressive.

Quentin picked up one of the spares and handed it over for Aurelian to inspect. "I went to the Fort to look for some kind of advantage...they had these in and I was able to...persuade...the army to let me buy a case of four and ammunition. I hinted that otherwise they would have to send troops to help with the hunt...amazing what doors that opens."

Posted August 18, 2019 / Henry S. Guyer

As they dismounted, Speed slipped the rifle from the scabbard to take along, being inside would keep it warm, at least for the first little bit. Though well greased and oiled, he would do whatever to keep it warm until the sun came up.

"Got my own pistol," Addy commented as she and Speed walked in on the conversation. "Only good it'll do against that bear is ta put his victim outta their misery."

"True enough, Addy" He said opening the door of the building.

"Smells real good in here," she continued, taking off her hat and coat. "Nice rifles," she added, looking over the weapons. "That'll take down that demon, certain."

Speed half smiled at the array of heavy rifles some he'd not seen since Kansas City, some since the war. The Buffalo craze spawned newer, heavier caliber weapons to slaughter the Bison to quench the thirst for coats in the east. No wonder the plains Indians were in a rage. And a waste of meat for both Indian and white-men alike. Such was "progress." He looked about the room at the men, there were enough, perhaps, if they didn't have to fan out too far.

Quentin looked at the newcomer as he stood silently looking over the weapons. "Quentin Cantrell..." He said by way of introduction as he held out his hand. "That's a nice weapon you have there also. You hunt?" Quentin left off the part where he inquired whether it was two or four legged quarry.

"Guyer, Speed Guyer. I do hunt some as is necessary. New here from the east." He said grasping the man's hand, then looked at the rifle, "It is, actually has the power to knock down just about anything, though I'm some cautious about this Ol' Satan beast. Addy and I had a run in with him already that wasn't so pleasant."

He looked around admiring the room, eyeing the spread laid out before them, "Nice place. Yours?"

Quentin nodded and smiled with pride. "Lost Lake Ranch is the name. For the last short while it's mine and Shade and some others. His brother and my sister started it...He and I have the place now."

"Good of you boys to set up the feed before the hunt." Speed commended. "So, the beast been out this way much? The idea of where to start has me somewhat baffled."

Posted August 20, 2019

On 8/19/2019 at 6:07 PM, Henry S. Guyer II said: "Good of you boys to set up the feed before the hunt." Speed commended. "So, the beast been out this way much? The idea of where to start has me somewhat baffled."

Shade nodded and greeted everyone as they arrived. He picked up on Speed's question, "Yeah. We've lost several cows and nearly lost our ranch's business manager. He was mauled pretty bad." Shade's voice held a note of steel in it as he mentioned Ezra. The man would live, but it had been a close call. There was still doubt that he would be able to return to work.

Nodding to the meal that Mary had laid out, Shade grinned, "Tuck in. Best to start out with full bellies. If we get a good track we won't stop for a midday meal."

Posted August 21, 2019

On 8/20/2019 at 2:34 PM, Shade Thornton said:

Shade nodded and greeted everyone as they arrived. He picked up on Speed's question, "Yeah. We've lost several cows and nearly lost our ranch's business manager. He was mauled pretty bad." Shade's voice held a note of steel in it as he mentioned Ezra. The man would live, but it had been a close call. There was still doubt that he would be able to return to work.

Nodding to the meal that Mary had laid out, Shade grinned, "Tuck in. Best to start out with full bellies. If we get a good track we won't stop for a midday meal."

“Yes, that would be good, besides I’d figure most here would be use to hard tack, jerked beef and water.” He laughed lightly, not that rations in the field during the War of the Rebellion were anything to laugh about. Best get t this breakfast before it’s gone. Need to kill this beast and today’d be a good’a time as any.”