Spur

[Bedrock Bob 4,049]

I went out cutting wood in my favorite canyon yesterday. Had a blast! After I cut for a couple of hours and got the Land Cruiser loaded up my dog and I were taking a break. A little bear came down the hill and into the creek and walked right past us within 25 feet. My stupid dog didnt even see him!

I sat and watched for him for about 5 minutes or so. From the corner of my eye I saw him coming right up the trail toward us. I went behind the Toyota, stepped OVER the lazy dog, and was scrambling to get my camera. When I looked up the silly bear was ten feet in front of me, had his nose to the ground and was walking straight toward me. I didnt have time to take a photo. I just threw up my hands and yelled "Get out of here!" The little bugger was SHOCKED! He did a flip in mid air like a fat kitten and was into the brush like a flash of light.

I turned around and my protector dog was stitting there behind the truck. He never moved. He had no idea what was going on.

I crawled out of the creek with the little Land Cruiser loaded with wood. About 3/4 mile to the top of the ridge and 500 feet above. At the top I decided to do some shooting wiht the muzzle loader and the dog and I went to set up a target. As luck would have it, a little bull elk had decided to lay down in that particular spot and when he came out of the brush the dog went nuts! He wasnt 15 feet away when he flushed and so the dog was CLOSE. Down the canyon they went knocking over trees and jumping through brush.

I shot for an hour. No dog. I yelled for another hour. No dog. I walked another hour down the ridge. Yelling. No dog. I drove back down the canyon. No dog. It was almost twilight and I had a 45 minute crawl through rocks and down a steep mountain to my house. As I was coming back up out of the creek I stopped on the tiny trail to yell for the stupid dog. I looked down and found this.

And the back side. A little better look at the shank and lock.

About that time the dog came out of the brush, his tongue hanging out a foot and dragging his tail. He must have run 5 miles. He was a half mile from where he saw the elk and coming in from the opposite direction. He drank three quarts of water and we finally crawled back down the mountain, crossed the Pecos river and got home relatively unscathed.

The camp in that canyon was a wood cutting camp in the early 1900's. I regularly find bottles from the 40's. I am thinking this is an artifact from about 1910 or so but I have no idea. I have found several artifacts on this rough ol' road. I suppose I have probably lost an artifact or two on it as well.

[Nugget Shooter 4,616]

Quite a day Nice find as well...

[frank c 969]

Yeah I like that spur Bob.

[Capt 0]

Looks like a vaquaro spur. Most are pretty wicked.

[RANGERMG 0]

Bob

Nice story..ROFLMAO :hahaha: I think there is a moral to that story though...Time for a new Dog..LOL Just kidding I am sure you are attached to yours like I am mine and wouldn't trade it for the world...BTW Great looking find way to go.. :whoope:

Very Respectfully

RANGERMG

Tim

[Hoser John 1,240]

Color me green with envy,50+ years a detecting and NEVER found a spur yet?? One of long lost missing finds list leaders. Great story also-thanx-John

[goldncaves 0]

Hi, Looks to be Spanish colonial. Good story!

Milo

[Bedrock Bob 4,049]

Although the rowels are like the old Spanish type this is not a Spanish spur (I dont think). It is detachable from the band that went on your heel and I beleive that was relatively recent feature. This was a "clip on" spur...for those who liked to sleep in their boots. :hahaha:

I took this to a girl in Las Vegas who has a big collection of cowboy memorabilia and she says that it looks turn of the century to her. She showed me a set of steel spurs that "clipped on" that were very similar that her grandfather wore.

Of course there is no telling. Folks, especially cowboys, used gear handed down for generations. I have found forged hammers, picks and tools made by the Spanish that were used and lost by men in the early 1900's.

This spur was in the rut of the road. I have ran over it a hundred times. I ran over it three times the day that I found it. And my detector was sitting in the front seat of the Land Cruiser when I picked it up!

[Capt 0]

Good you didn't get a flat, a boot, or something more morbid.

[Nugget Shooter 4,616]

Although the rowels are like the old Spanish type this is not a Spanish spur (I dont think). It is detachable from the band that went on your heel and I beleive that was relatively recent feature. This was a "clip on" spur...for those who liked to sleep in their boots. :hahaha:

I took this to a girl in Las Vegas who has a big collection of cowboy memorabilia and she says that it looks turn of the century to her. She showed me a set of steel spurs that "clipped on" that were very similar that her grandfather wore.

Of course there is no telling. Folks, especially cowboys, used gear handed down for generations. I have found forged hammers, picks and tools made by the Spanish that were used and lost by men in the early 1900's.

This spur was in the rut of the road. I have ran over it a hundred times. I ran over it three times the day that I found it. And my detector was sitting in the front seat of the Land Cruiser when I picked it up!

So technically you did get your detector over it....

[Bedrock Bob 4,049]

TECHNICALLY...The detector had been over it a couple dozen times and never made a beep!

[Dean (N.M.) 0]

Hola Bob,

that is truly a sweet find! Congrats! It kinda makes you wonder how much treasure we walk by or swing a detector near while hunting or hiking and never even know it! I'm glad your hunting partner made it back home unscathed. Talk to you soon.

Dean