One of the great attractions about hunting or fishing is that things can turn around in seconds. One minute you’re bored and frustrated, seconds later a big buck steps out. Last September while fishing in the Wisconsin River, my grandson, son-in-law and I were catching 1-2 pound drum on worms. Seconds later I was onto a seven foot sturgeon and a nearly a two hour battle. One never knows when river fishing.

Unfortunately, this knife cuts both ways. In August 2020, Oregon hunter, Mark Davis, arrowed a bull elk in the evening. It grew too dark to track down the wounded bull, and he chose to find or finish off his bull the following morning. When he attempted a follow-up shot in the morning, the 5X5 bull charged and gored him to death. What might he have done differently?

A very talented classroom teacher, football coach, and friend, the late Russ Morrell was one of the finest human beings I’ve ever known. He once encouraged me to write a South Dakota history book, but I never followed up on his idea until now.

I am currently working on a book about our intrepid SD homesteaders, particularly the ones who homesteaded the Standing Rock Reservation beginning in 1909, and I’m hoping the new book will find its way into every South Dakota school. One of my primary resources is Rose Tomac Tidball’s Taming the Plains. In the introduction to her book, Rose gives us some history pertaining to the area including a copy of the Northwest Express Line’s rules governing passenger conduct. I know you’ll enjoy these rules.

I’m familiar with the area. For the past 51 years, I’ve hunted on a Corson County ranch that was founded by homesteaders, and I came to know them and their neighbors personally. The ranch was crossed by the Bismarck-Deadwood Trail and traveled by the Northwest Express stage, and I’ve found wheel hubs, etc. along that deeply rutted trail. Let’s take a look at the passenger rules.

1.Abstinence from liquor is requested, but if you must drink, share the bottle. To do otherwise makes you appear selfish and unneighborly.

2.If ladies are present, Gentlemen are urged to forego smoking cigars and pipes as the odor of same is repugnant to the Gentle Sex. Chewing of tobacco is permitted, but spit with the wind, not against it.

2. Gentlemen must refrain from the use of rough language in the presence of Ladies and Children.

3.Buffalo robes are provided for your comfort during cold weather. Hogging robes will not be tolerated and the offender will be made to ride with the Driver.

4.Don’t snore loudly while sleeping or use your fellow passenger’s shoulder for a pillow; he (or she) may not understand and friction may result.

5.Firearms may be kept on your person for use in emergencies. Do not fire them for pleasure or shoot at wild animals as the sound riles the horses.

6.In the event of runaway horses, remain calm. Leaping from the coach in panic will leave you injured, at the mercy of the elements, hostile Indians and hungry coyotes.

7.Forbidden topics of discussion are Stagecoach robberies and Indian uprisings.

8.Gents guilty of unchivalrou behavior toward Lady Passengers will be put off the stage. It’s a long walk back. A word to the Wise is sufficient.

A refined lady on this trip might have found herself uncomfortable with her fellow passengers passing a bottle, spitting, smoking, using offensive language, and taking pot shots at coyotes or buffalo from the stage windows.

I got to thinking about the rigors of stagecoach travel, especially for women, until an interesting thought occurred to me. What sort of woman would want to travel to 1876 Deadwood in the first place? What might be her line of work? Hmmm.

Three towns on the Missouri River became starting points for travel to Deadwood. These were Bismarck, Fort Pierre, and Yankton. The Northwestern Express started their stage service from Bismarck to Deadwood with three coaches a week making a round trip. Daily service began May 9, 1876, and the original route took 36 hours at a cost of $23 for 211 miles.

A while back I hinted at a possible ice fishing trip to the Webster area. I should have gone. Yesterday a friend showed me photos of his catch on Clark County’s Dry Lake. Limits of walleye and huge perch came easily. As the wise proverb says, “He who hesitates is lost.”

See you next week.