Lucky's Trekking Tips - Muzzle Blasts May 2024

Trekking by Bull Boat: When planning our Ashley’s Return journey, we tried to get as many people as we could to join us on different legs of the journey. We were surprised at the lack of interest to join in, even for a few days. One common theme was that many people were afraid of the water portions of the trip.

Since the trek I have been researching William Henry Ashley and his exploits. In this process I have read about the various modes of transportation that were required by the mountain men. They were experts in horse travel, keelboat, surviving on foot and traveling on the water by “bull boat”. Ashley used bull boats on his way in to the 1825 rendezvous and on his way out, of course. Many times, they were a field expedient way to cross a river.

Making them is not difficult if you have the right materials and a buffalo hide. The hides work with or without the hair on. The first step is collecting willow branches and soaking them in water to soften them up to bend. Tying the frame together can be done with sinew, raw hide or cordage made from local plants, like yucca in the southwest.

Once the willow is ready. Start with a circle for the bottom of the bull boat, then another for the top of the bull boat. The dimensions are determined, by estimation, based on the size of the hide. The two are then joined by vertical ‘ribs’ spaced every six inches or so with horizontal ribs forming the base as seen in the picture. While you are building the frame, soak your buffalo hide in water so that it can be stretched over the frame. Be careful to not leave it in the water to the point where it falls apart. A couple hours should do. Once it is soft, sew shut any holes.

With the frame complete, lay the hide out flat, place the frame on top and start stretching the hide over the frame and to the ‘top rail’ and tie it off. It helps to stand inside the frame to hold the hide in place if you are working alone. We used raw hide as you need strong material to hold the buffalo hide as it dries and shrinks. Continue this around the top until it is fastened tight. Do not puncture the bottom to tie it off to the bottom rail. That won’t end well. Allow the hide to dry in the sun. It will shrink and tighten onto the frame.

Finally, you will need some form of paddle to ‘steer’ the boat. Steering is relative as you won’t have much control. Traveling is more of drifting with the current. It is best to always stop early in a bull boat so you can get it to shore, turn it upside down and let it dry in the sun before the next day’s travel. Scott “Amish” Staggs really perfected traveling in “Little Runaway” on our journey.

Ashley’s men made 23 or 24 for them and the hides. In other journals by his men, from what they documented, they stopped around 3 or 4 pm to rest, eat and dry their bull boats. They lasted the entire 400 hundred miles they drifted down the Big Horn and Yellowstone Rivers to the Missouri River. If you are looking for a new adventure, give this a try. To emulate the men we read about, we should be versed in every aspect of their skills and modes of travel.

Written by Gerry "Lucky" Messmer. Reprinted with permission from the author.