Dale Matson
Mountain Men season 8 kicked off
June 6th with a mix of old and new faces. Tom Oar and his wife have “aged
out’ of wilderness living and have moved to Florida from Montana. I believe they
have relatives (children) there. He and I are the same age and I understand. We sold our
wilderness cabin 2 years ago. His presence will be missed. He gave his apprentice a good start last season.
Jason Hawk and his
wife and children were missing. Glad to see long time trapper Marty Meierotto and Morgan
Beasley and Margaret Stern, Mike Horstman and Jake Herek. Looks like Marty will
have a helper this season also. In a past episode he had a young man help him build a new cabin. I don't know what happened to that newer snowmobile he had. The one he is using looks pretty ancient and undependable. I really think Margaret has the background, experience and grit to be a good partner for Morgan.
The segment with Jake and the mountain lions
was tense. Eustace Conway is back with a new apprentice Raleigh.
We were also
introduced to Kidd and Harry Youren. I think they are the real deal and will be
a great addition. They are excellent horsemen.
I worry that one of these days, Marty is going to get into serious trouble crossing an ice covered lake or river.
I believe this is a strong cast overall and look forward to an excellent viewing season.
In episode 2 I was surprised to see Tom Oar a part of the new season even though he is supposed to have retired and moved to Florida. Jason Hawk was also there "mining" iron ore in a cave to make his knife blades. If you are claustrophobic it was tough to watch. Good episode! Too bad such an effort was put in to fly to an area for an unsuccessful Caribou hunt. We were left hanging with Mike Horst with darkness closing in and possible Grizzly Bear involvement. Looks like Marty's daughter is going to be his new partner on the trap line.
ReplyDeleteWell, surprise surprise, Tom Oar's brother from Idaho is going to be his new neighbor in Montana. Guess Tom isn't moving to Florida anytime soon. Morgan is pushing the limits again and risking his neck to shoot a sheep for winter meat. Climbing a mountain in snow, in the dark is something only someone like Killian Jornet would do. Jason is giving us all claustrophobia looking for 50 lbs. of iron ore in a cave. Mike Horst made a bad decision shooting his second deer so close to nightfall and was lucky not to be followed and killed by a Grizzly in the darkness. While he was out getting his second deer, a bear stole his first deer that was hung back at camp. Jake Herek almost fell off a snowy cliff in the darkness attempting to catch up with his dogs who had treed a mountain lion. I can't believe the stamina that is required and the risk taking these men do so often.
ReplyDeleteSeason 8 episode 5. It is interesting to see Jason Hawk wanting to source all of the raw materials that go into his making his knives. Ford Motor Company, at one time controlled all the source materials for making their cars. The introduction of his son from a former marriage was unexpected. Morgan and Margaret make a great team taking on the water shortage problem. She handled the chainsaw quite well and provided the cribbing to shore up the walls of the deeper hand dug well that renewed their water source. I like that they showed earlier video of when Morgan first arrived at his homestead land. He has come a long way. I have melted snow for water and found it to be a hard way to get it. The narrator noted that Jake Herek is in his 20's. No wonder he has such stamina but I am impressed with his knowledge of the outdoors. He was familiar with the territory he hunted the elk in, b/c he hunts mountain lions in the same place. Mike Horst led his client on a successful bear hunt. They were in pretty thick brush. I wonder to what extent his dog helps him on those hunts. He keeps it on a leash. Marty headed back to his cabin for another season of trapping with his daughter. He decided not camera men would go with him this year. I can understand his concern for his daughter's privacy. Perhaps what seemed like a last minute decision was staged but maybe not. I think this is the strongest cast of Mountain Men the History Channel has ever assembled. I like and respect them all. I look forward to seeing more of the two brothers in a future episode.
ReplyDeleteDid Mike Horstman lead his client to kill the bear, take the hide, yet leave the meat? I surely hope that wasn't the case but sure sounded like it from the show.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure and would have to see that part again. Did Mike pack out meat and the hunter pack out the hide?
ReplyDeleteMore nail biting action with Jake Herek, having to spend the night protecting his elk meat from predators and packing out his elk the following day a considerable distance in a snow storm. HIs stamina is impressive. Morgan and Margaret seem to be struggling in their attempt to get enough food for the winter. They were unsuccessful hunting and are now trying to trap wolverine and lynx to pay for food with the fur. I think they need to spend a week learning with Marty who has "retired" from Mountain Men after 8 seasons. Kidd and Harry Youren are traveling in deep and difficult snow with their horses and pack animals to resupply men in a wilderness area. They are skilled horsemen and did a good job calming a young horse that took a tumble. Jason Hawk was unable to use his newly constructed smelter to transform the iron ore he got from the cave. Sounds like he learned a lesson and may try again. Eustace and his apprentice Raleigh were able to get a doe and Eustace showed Raleigh how to skin and butcher the doe. Eustace should write a book on living off the land. He is very resourceful. All of these men (and Margaret) are skilled, patient, robust and resourceful. Their lives are less complicated than most of us but there is always a risk factor of injury or death. What if Morgan would not have been able to start his plane? Could he have reheated the engine? Would they have had to ski the 30 miles back to the cabin?
ReplyDeleteEpisode 8. I can understand how Eustace feels about those who trespass, misuse and poach on his land. It has happened to me also. I would put up camera traps beginning with his gate area. The chain on the gate was quite small. Did he report any of this to the local authority? Morgan failed in his attempt to trap enough game so he and Margaret are back to a slim winter with little meat. Seems like he might run into some game near his homestead yet. Kidd and Harry got the supplies to the person camped in the wilderness but took a chance by leaving one horse behind. Fortunately when they returned, the horse was safe. Jake is pushing the usual suspects back up into the high country but it seems to me that the cats would return to their deer kill below as soon as Jake left the area. What is the law in Wyoming regarding mountain lion predation. If they kill cattle can a permit be issued? Does Jake also shoot any of these cats?
ReplyDeleteSeason 8 Episode 8 (My previous update was episode 7 not 8). It seems out of character for Eustace to use a track backhoe to lift his cabin logs in place. Additionally, he had never operated this machine before. It put Raleigh at risk for injury which is what happened. Jason is a determined man and was able to retrieve some steel from an abandoned set of discs on his property. I was tired just watching him haul the section of discs and his welding equipment for a mile including a brushy uphill section. Morgan flew into town with skins and antlers to barter for cash for more airplane fuel and winter food. He was wise to wait till the next day to fly back to his homestead. He was in touch with Margaret by Sat Phone and she noted that the weather on her side of the mountains was not clear. Even though they are living in primitive circumstances, they rely on modern conveniences like an airplane and Sat phone. Tom Oar and his brother limped back to Montana from Idaho and between a flat tire on his brother's rickety trailer and a loose dog they struggled to drive the last 20 miles on a snowy road. This is the first time we have seen his brother's wife and home only 3 miles from Tom. Jake discovered that the female cougar (AKA Bonnie) also had a young one with her. He is simply amazing with his stamina and ability to run up snowy hills and climb around slippery boulders to keep up with his hounds. It was good to see his injured hound back in the thick of the action again.
ReplyDeleteSeason 8 Episode 9 I knew Kidd and Harry were the real deal. I was surprised to see them take down a buffalo with a hand gun. When I saw the meat they got from the buffalo, I was amazed. The hide alone weighed 300 pounds! I can see a real bond being reestablished between Jason and his son as Jason crafted another knife. Good to see Morgan get back to his homestead safely. Small planes using visual flight are quit a risk in the mountains. Looks like Eustace has brought on more help to finish the cabin in addition to using a backhoe to lift the beams into place.
ReplyDeleteSeason 8 Episode 10 Kidd did an excellent expert river boat run through several rapids. He, Harry and their dogs were looking for new grazing land for cattle. And they found a good spot to spend the night. Tom and his helper were worried about too many coyotes so Tom used his trapping skills to capture some of the coyotes. It was interesting to note that he mixed wax with sand to keep it from freezing as a cover for the traps. They also set snares. Morgan and Margaret set off looking for fish as another food source beyond their existing trails. Morgan used a compass and Margaret used flagging tape to find their way back. No fish the first day with a planned overnight. There were bear signs. Morgan had a shotgun with bird shot (and I suppose slugs also if needed). He said Margaret had a 454 (Casull). He bagged a partridge along the way. Eustace moved things along building the anti poacher cabin. Two of Preston's sons helped him with milling cabin wall logs and helped him lift the logs in place with a backhoe. Problems arose with a broken hydraulic line. Jason Hawk was finally able to get the right ratio of charcoal to iron ore (two pounds of charcoal to one pound of iron ore) his smelter worked except for the door and he had to take out the steel from the top. He could tell by the sound of the hammer on the steel that it was good. I really appreciate how he has sourced all the material to make the " Ozark" steel.
ReplyDeleteMountain Men season 8 episode 11.
ReplyDeleteMike Horstman was piloting his boat along the Kodiak Island shoreline looking for bears that had just emerged from hibernation. Since he makes a living as a guide, he was especially interested in the large boars. As he was moving along, his twin outboards stopped. Fortunately, he realized the engines were fuel starved and was able to replace the fuel pump to get going again. He later landed and began glassing the area with binoculars.
Kidd and Harry used a game trail to climb out of the river canyon and as they were about up top, their dogs went after a black bear. The chase was on and the bear refused to tree so a handgun once again brought down big game. They were able to use the meat and the hide from the bear and believe they have located good grazing land for up to 1,000 head of cattle.
Raleigh made use of his knife making skills he learned from Preston and fashioned a knife blade from an old saw blade. He then attached a handle made from an antler while Eustace made a leather sheaf for the knife. They planned to sell or barter the knife for sheet metal for the roof of the new cabin on the edge of the new property that they are building for Raleigh to discourage trespassers.
Much of the episode for Tom Oar was skinning two coyotes that he had trapped and tanning the leather. He also boiled the skulls and will be able to sell them for $50 dollars each. Nothing goes to waste for Tom who is a master at preparing animal hides. “It takes more than brains to tan a hide. It takes elbow grease too.”
Morgan and Margaret were trying their second day fishing a new stream a distance from their homestead. While the camera followed Morgan trying and failing to catch fish, Margaret came over with a stringer of about 5 or 6 trout. Good going Margaret!
Mountain Men Season 8 Episode 12
ReplyDeleteJake and his dogs were asked to help with a mountain lion 200 miles away in Florence Montana that had been seen near a school bus stop. He was shown tracks and a photograph of a female. When he and his dogs got on the trail, it turned out that he was actually following a big “Tom”.
Eustace and Raleigh erected the 40, 20’ roof trusses for the new cabin and put the sheet metal panels over the trusses in the middle of a cold rainstorm 25’ off the ground. They then used boards to cover gaps in the cabin logs. It is a sturdy nice-looking cabin.
Jason had some difficulty with his 100% Ozark steel knife blade forge welding the three pieces of steel together. He had to reheat the blade to draw out more impurities that posed a threat that the blade would delaminate. He put a drop point on the blade and then reheated it. He then dipped it into an oil bath to harden it.
Tom and Shawn have had a good trapping season and Tom took his snow mobile on an abandoned logging road to set more traps for Martens. He set the traps with Beaver meat and scent, then covered it with tin foil to keep the birds away. After setting several traps, he discovered that the road had grown over with brush and deadfalls. He had to struggle to “muscle” his snow machine to the point he could turn it back around. On his way back, he discovered an Ermine in one of his traps. Tom said that an Ermine, while small, can kill a full-grown rabbit.
It is now Spring for Morgan and Margaret and they want to extend their growing season in Alaska by building a green house. The material will be dropped off by a cargo plane several miles away. They first have to prep the horses that will help carry the supplies. Morgan had to struggle to trim the hooves of the horses and to reacquaint them with a saddle and rider after a long layoff.
Mountain Men
ReplyDeleteSeason 8, Episode 13 (Season Finale)
Jake was tracking two different male cats before he got on the trail of the female. It was touch and go for a bit when his dogs went into an abandoned mine and he lost his GPS tracking of his dogs. His dogs finally got on the scent of the female that had been seen near the school bus stop and his dogs chased it about 12 miles from there. Jake noted that folks are getting to know about his skills and his business should improve.
Jason and his son went back to the cave where Jason first found the iron ore. He wanted to get at least 500 pounds of iron ore. “We are not trying to recreate a tradition, we are trying to start one.” They had to go deeper in the cave to find more ore. His son transferred some of the ore out of the cave while Jason mined more. There was some concern that his son might get lost in the cave. They then had to haul the ore 100 feet up a sheer cliff and his son lost control of one bag and it dropped back down just missing his dad. They got the ore on the truck and Jason noted that they had months’ worth of ore supply to work with.
Eustace and Raleigh finished the cabin and needed to do some logging and mill work to get lumber for sale to help pay off the monthly loan payment. He had trouble with one tree that had an old wedge lodged in it that he hit with his chainsaw. “You can’t cut with a saw that runs into metal. It just gets dull as dull gets.” Eustace is making good use of the track hoe to load the logs on the truck to haul to the sawmill. The lumber was loaded on the truck and got to the buyer in time for payment.
Tom Oar has had an excellent trapping season and was commissioned to build a traditional Native American “Bull Boat” for water travel. He had a friend help him collect flexible Dogwood sticks that he built into a basket form and tied with rawhide. He then covered it with an old buffalo hide. It passed the acid test with Tom launching and paddling it on water.
Morgan decided his horses were not able to haul the new greenhouse parts from the site to where they were airlifted. At one point he was not paying attention to his direction and was stopped by small trees. He couldn’t back up so he cut the trees out of the way with a chainsaw. He was able to get a snow mobile from the pilot of the plane to haul a big sled and got the parts back to the homestead in three loads.
Well, that’s it for this season. God willing, I will be following the series next year. I believe it is one of the best seasons yet.
I am currently commenting on the new series "The River Of No Return" on the Discovery Channel following "Alaska The Last Frontier" on Sunday night.
Deletehttps://midsierramusing.blogspot.com/2019/10/river-of-no-return-season-1-episode-2.html
The 9th year of mountain men kicks off tonight!
ReplyDeleteSeason 9 begins here:https://midsierramusing.blogspot.com/2020/06/mountain-men-season-9.html
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