What kind of road-kill did covered wagons yield ?

[m1469]

I am just thinking... probably stuff like snails, ants... maybe other bugs.  hmmm... wondering if maybe a few snakes would probably be part of that mix, too.  What do you think ?   

I am also curious about foot traffic road-kill.  Some people actually live on honest to goodness road-kill.  They snag it while it's fresh, and preserve it somehow, or cook it up.  I imagine it would be more difficult to live this way and find enough food if you are living on foot traffic road-kill... or even covered wagon road-kill. 

[johnny-boy]

The covered wagons ran over buffalo often. That was the time when buffalo burgers were popular at McDonald's.

Anything else you want to know about the “Old West” just ask. I’m kind of an expert on the subject.

Best, John

[m1469]

hmmm ... well, okay.  I guess I will ask a few questions then  .

Did the "Old West" have an East ?  I mean, I know there was Clint, but, he was East-wood... not really what I am wondering about... if you know what I mean.

Also, since you brought up McDonald's (you must have read my mind) I have just one little question regarding that heaven-sent place... (I know you asked me to stop posting things about McDonald's but... hey  ... we all have our flaws).  Do you suppose they used buffalo milk for their frosties back then ?

On a related note, I would think that buffalo could hear all them horses coming 'round the mountain... when she came.   Did they commit suicide ?  How did they get hit ?  I'm just askin'

Is that about the time the 'baffalo act' was initiated ?   You know... when people went around making plays about buffaloes, and acted like them. 

Me : 'Tatanka' 

You : "Tatanka ?"   

Me :  'Tatanka'   

[timothy42b]

m1469,

I have noticed roadkill varies significantly from place to place.

Living in Virginia, I would estimate the count to average about one squirrel per block per week, one deer per mile per week. 

But here in Germany, seeing roadkill at all is fairly rare.  Of course we don't have squirrels (Eichhörnchen) to speak of, but still.  The rabbits are nearly the size of Virginia deer, yet we don't see many dead on the road. 

I think I could probably have kept the chili pot full in Virginia just by getting up early, but here I'd starve. 

So your covered wagon kill rate would depend not only on the speed of the wagon but the density of wildlife, and for some species (e.g. deer) it is vastly greater today than back then.  For others (e.g. passenger pigeon) it is lesser.

[pianistimo]

i think it's more likely what kind of road kill covered wagons made for the wild west.  u always see pics of a wheel off over here and the wagon over there, and bonnets hanging in the breeze.  do u realize these people had to overcome many many fears.  the fear of coyotes and wolves, bears, buffalo when they were migrating, indians (some not all) and visa-versa, and, then, what kind of weather they would have or not have.  for instance, just circling wagons didn't mean that a severe thunderstorm wouldn't leave them all in a big pile of mud.  i can't imagine the sweat and toil and blood it took to migrate to west.  of course, in russia, u have migrations in all directions, too.  across the bering strait and into alaska and along the rivers.  when russia left alaska - many orthodox churches were left.  (just as with missions by the spanish in california).  it's really itneresting to see these places and the lives people led hunting, fishing, trapping, etc.  a much different life than those who stayed behind  - and yet, for all the risk - it was an adventurous life. 

[Bob]

If it's a covered wagon in the Old West.... there are no roads.  They went over the open plain.  Therefore, no road kill.

I would imagine at some point there must have been a herd of buffao or horses passing by a wagon train, and a few of those animals must have run straight into the side of a wagon.  In that case, the wagons themselves would be roadkill (if you use that word in that case).

I understand many travelers had to be wary of wandering buffalo gangs who would steal their wagon wheels on the open prairie.  Not many of our international friends would be aware of that fact and you won't find it in any book either.

[timothy42b]

If it's a covered wagon in the Old West.... there are no roads.  They went over the open plain.  Therefore, no road kill.

Actually, they did have roads or trails, and did follow pretty much the same track.  Wagons don't do any better across the fields than cars do.  I imagine the first people across followed the terrain and game trails, but after that everybody used their ruts.  After all, they all went in the same direction, all needed water and supplies, all needed to cross mountains through the same pass, etc. 

The Mormons may have had more flexibility.  They mostly used lighter, human powered two wheel carts rather than the heavier animal pulled covered wagons.

[m1469]

I'll bet 'em lizards get dern near runnnnnned over 

*tips hat, spits cud*

[thalbergmad]

get yer god damn scaley ass ouuta the way yer pesky varmit

[pianowolfi]

My gosh you guys teach me stranger how to speak slang, indeed *shakes head in total confusion* but I admit, it sounds VERY funny

[Bob]

Aw, shucks.  :p


I still wonder about covered wagon road kill.  Thanks for bringing the topic back up pianowolfi.



I think this posting ranks right up there among my finest...

I would imagine at some point there must have been a herd of buffao or horses passing by a wagon train, and a few of those animals must have run straight into the side of a wagon.

[pianowolfi]

Thanks for bringing the topic back up pianowolfi.

lol that wasn't me, that was m1469 herself

[Bob]

Ah, yes.  I must have gotten hit by a random buffalo.

I'll bet 'em lizards get dern near runnnnnned over 

*tips hat, spits cud*

Cud?  Cud?  I don't think pioneers chewed cud.   Tabacco.  I think.... Well, I'm pretty sure what animal chews cud.  :p  But I'm not going to say it.  (leaves quickly)

[Bob]

My mistake.  I checked.  Cud counts for chewing tabacco.  I'm not up on my cowboy/frontier etiquette (or spelling).  I've only heard of cows chewing their cud, so...  that line looked a little unusual and humorous.

[rach n bach]

*finally found something bob didn't know...*

[Bob]

I don't know lots of things.