ennessee nservationist MARCH APR

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The Brotherhood of the Tennessee Lon hunters located in the heart of Middle Tennessee, The Tennessee Longhunters are doing their part to recreate the history of those who walked this land before us.

2 The Brotherhood of the Tennessee Lon hunters located in the heart of Middle Tennessee, The Tennessee Longhunters are doing their part to recreate the history of those who walked this land before us. by David Wright In the mid 1700s men came from east of the Appalachian Mountains, hunting deer, trapping beaver and fighting Indians in the areas which were later to become the states of Kentucky and Tenneseee. They were called "long hunters" because of the duration of their stay in the wilderness, often as long as one or two years at a time. Men such as Daniel Boone, Simon Kenton, Abraham Bledsoe and Casper Mansker rose to be remembered in history. Today, a black powder club has been organized in Middle Tennessee and named in honor of the men who walked these same grounds more than 200 years before. They call themselves The Tennessee Longhunters. Formed in 1976 by a nucleus of 21 men who shared the same interests in shooting muzzleloading rifles and recreating the history surrounding that era, the club today has reached its maximum membership of 30 dedicated members who come from Nashville and the surrounding counties. It has a waiting list of many expectant applicants should a vacancy ever occur. There are several muzzleloading clubs in Tennessee and most are made up of folks with two interests. First, there are those who are interested primarily in shooting only; others have interests which extend beyond shooting to include the "primitive" side of muzzleloading known as "buckskinning." bu alo sku I stands silent duty on a pole in front of the Longhunters' teepee. The Longhunters' membership includes those with both interests and they get along well. Professions of the club members are varied and everyone has something to offer. Ages range from the 20s to the 60s. This past year's president, Glenn Sheppard, says, "Getting together and shooting is probably the main ingredient, but it has become much more than just shooting. I enjoy the fellowship, the camping, the sharing of skills and things I've learned from other members." When the Longhunters meet to hold a shoot it becomes very much a family affair. Held on their secluded 250 acres in the hills outside Goodlettsville, the shoots usually last Ui over a weekend with many families coming to camp. There is a creek that meanders through the property where the children happily play.. The shooting is not limited to just the men..there are matches for wives and children with some of the youngsters displaying scores that rival their teachers. And a lot of teaching goes on not in formalized classes but in quiet discussions between two or more persons in the evenings around the campfire, on the range, anytime of day. Shooting experience, gun building, leather work and the knowledge of many more skills are traded between members. Several have built their own rifles and some have built guns for others. A look at the workmanship that went into some of the flintlock and percussion rifles would make you think that the maker builds guns fulltime. Not so none hold jobs related to muzzleloading but you can tell that each gun built was a labor of love. About half the members are "buckskinners," a term applied to those interested in the historical or "primitive" side of muzzleloading. These folks usually have made their own "skins" (buckskins) which are in many cases carefully researched. These can be a work of art in themselves from the top of their hats (mostly made from fox, coon, coyote A member of the Tennessee Longhunters, Steve Laughbaum proudly displays the buckskin outfit crafted by him. The Tennessee Conservationist, Vol XLV, March/April 1979, No. 2

The early morning mist rises above more than a hundred teepees blanketing the primitive camp at the twice-yearly gathering of buckskinners at Friendship, Indiana.

4 The early morning mist rises above more than a hundred teepees blanketing the primitive camp at the twice-yearly gathering of buckskinners at Friendship, Indiana. or whatever available) down to their moccasins (whatever your preference: Assiniboine, Cree, Sioux, Flathead...). A closer look will reveal, in many cases, moccasins and buckskins adorned with beadwork done in traditional lazy stitch or applique. Here again, much research has usually gone into the preparation before work actually began. Shooting pouches, powder horns, pipe bags, all handmade, are many times things of beauty and demonstrate the different talents of the members. Most buckskinners would rather make their own clothing and accoutrements or trade for them rather than buy them. Most carry tomahawks and knives with Green River blades. (Green River, a company that was around in the days of the mountain man, is still in business today.) Ray Crabtree, buckskinner, comments, "When I became a member I really enjoyed the shooting, but I made the statement that I would never wear those funny clothes." Today at shoots, Ray can be found wearing an entire set of skins that he made himself. "The more we got together and shared thoughts, the more I began enjoying the buckskinning side of it. After awhile I found I could make things that a year before I wouldn't have thought possible. I've learned a lot from associating with the rest of the guys." The club bought their own tepee, an 18-foot Cheyenne style, which is used for club functions as well as by the individual members when they attend rendezvous throughout the country. Usually twice a year, the tepee is taken to the National Muzzleloading Matches held at Friendship, Indiana. It is pitched in the primitive area, which is set aside for tepees and lean-tos only. It is quite a sight to behold the buckskinners, dressed in period outfits, cooking, camping and trading among the more than 100 tepees and as many lean-tos. The lodge (as tepees are sometimes called) was once hauled to a rendezvous of the Tennessee Mountain Men held in Savage Gulf. The rendezvous location was so far back in the gulf that the poles finally had to be carried on backs across waist deep streams. "We camp in it all times of the year, winter included," Dan Brawner reflects. "Set up properly, it can be pretty comfortable with a fire built inside." Buffalo robes and deer skins usually cover the floor and the lodge becomes a natural gathering place for the members. During the past couple of years the Longhunters have been frequently asked to demonstrate the techniques of muzzleloading, appear at historical functions and speak at schools, detailing the part the mountain man and long hunter played in the settling of Tennessee. Bob Nipp, an occasional speaker at schools, notes, "The youngsters usually get a big kick out of seeing a mountain man show up at school dressed in buckskins and carrying a flintlock rifle. I suppose that makes studying history a little more fun." The Tennessee Longhunters work with Boy Scouts, too, attending camporees to demonstrate the shooting and safety of muzzleloading. The Longhunters cooperate with the Cumberland Valley Muzzleloaders of Adams to work with the scouts in Robertson County. Says Steve Laughbaum, "Most muzzleloaders are truly interested in teaching their sport to others." One most rewarding experience occurred in 1976 when muzzleloaders came The Tennessee Conservationist, Vol. XLV, March/April 1979, No. 2

5 from around the state to assemble at Boxwell Reservation for the Boy Scout Bicentennial Muster. "Under the direction of John Anderson of the Elk River Long Rifles of Tullahoma and with guns donated by Dixie Gun Works, we taught those boys to shoot a muzzleloading rifle," Laughbaum explains. And teach they did in two days more than 3000 boys paid 104 each (to cover the cost of powder and lead), then molded a ball, loaded and shot a muzzleloader. "Later we learned that one of the scouts liked it so well that he came back 33 times," Laughbaum continues. "It was a collective effort of many people, and I think the fact that no accidents occurred is a tribute to the thoroughness and care exhibited by these men," he adds. These actions and others like them help explain why muzzleloading has grown so much in the past few years. And The Tennessee Longhunters can take their place among those who have helped develop this interest in our cultural heritage those days when men like Mansker and Bledsoe traveled the hills and mountains of the yet-to-come state of Tennessee. Comments Longhunter Don Wright, "When the Tennessee Longhunters organized, we were a club. But it has grown to be much more than that. I would call us... a brotherhood." Buck-skin clad longhunters preserve the art of muzzleloading using black powder guns that are often handmade. Conserving the craftsmanship of yesterday is evidenced in these guns and powderhorns made by members of the Tennessee Longhunters. Top: a brass mounted Kentucky rifle by Dan Brawner; Below; an iron mounted southern mountain rifle by Glenn Shepherd, powder horn by Don Wright and small priming horn by the author. RO BE RT N IPP

Native American Cultures: The Great Plains

Native American Cultures: The Great Plains By Encyclopedia Britannica, adapted by Newsela staff on 06.15.17 Word Count 738 Level 640L Bobby Morris, 4, of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, joins hundreds of other