Circa 1910—Deer Hunter and Farmer Minneral (Minnie) Millinder Spence (b. 2 FEB 1869 in Tennessee) with 1899 Model 99 Savage deer rifle. Spence lived in Boliver in Poinsett County in 1910 with his wife, Lillie, and his seven children. More info on the Savage: https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/review-savage-model-99/357148. Source: Ancestry.com
Tag Archives: #arkansaswildlifehistory
Early Arkansas: Enslaved Hunters and Gunners
(Andrew Jackson Bounds—Beaver Dam Ducks Club– Ho’ace) In a July 1854 Arkansas Supreme Court case, testimony indicated that several slaves belonging to Benton County resident Sarah Ridge “frequently carried guns.” One of the men, Wagoola, used a “large rifle.” Bondsman Quinn had several accidental encounters with bears where he was forced to climb a treeContinue reading “Early Arkansas: Enslaved Hunters and Gunners”
Early Arkansas Hunters: 1910 Faulkner County
Circa 1910. Seventeen-year-old Luther Hampton Sims (b. 25 JUN 1893) near Greenbrier in Faulkner County with his hunting dog and a single-shot shotgun. Let us hope it isn’t loaded since his hand is over the end of the barrel. He might have a shell or two in his coat pockets. Source: Ancestry.com
Early Arkansas Hunter: 1908 McNab
Circa 1908 Duck hunter and farmer Charles W. McNab (b. 30 JAN 1884- d. 28 Aug 1962) near McNab, (Hempstead County) Arkansas. McNab has a large string of mallards. He has a shell vest made from leather and canvas. He carries a 1908 Remington Pump 12 gauge shotgun. Source: Ancestry.com #shotgun #remington #arkansas #arkansashunting #arkansasoutdoors #duckhunting #ducks #mallardsContinue reading “Early Arkansas Hunter: 1908 McNab”
Early Arkansas Hunters: Circa 1900 Washington County
Circa 1900 (Left to Right) Robert C Burson (b. 26 JUL 1874) Henry Morris, Julius A Burson, Green Kenney, and William Henry Burson in Washington County, Arkansas. These men have powder horns, muzzleloaders, and a few hunting dogs. A split-rail fence is in the background. Burson (middle) looks like he is carrying a possibles bag. They are all wearingContinue reading “Early Arkansas Hunters: Circa 1900 Washington County”
Early Arkansas Visitor: 1810-1815
When visiting the region sometime between 1810 and 1815, an unknown Frenchman proclaimed, “This is, without a doubt, the most beautiful and agreeable part of the United States, both in point of [the] temperature of climate and fertility of [the] soil.” His comments certainly served as a positive recruiting tool after so many other observersContinue reading “Early Arkansas Visitor: 1810-1815”
Early Arkansas Hunters: Dallas County, 1905
Circa 1905, Elon H. Fielder (b. 23 AUG 1853) is on a white horse with a powder horn. His son, Claud R. Fielder (b. 13 JAN 1882), has a hunting horn around his neck (used to call the dogs). They have a pack of hounds. The pair are about to head off on a deerContinue reading “Early Arkansas Hunters: Dallas County, 1905”
Early Arkansas Fur: 1820 Arkansas Factory aka Trading Post
The United States established its line of factories, or trading posts, throughout the Mississippi River Valley to build friendly relationships with the region’s Indian Nations. Influence with the Indian Nations was so crucial to American officials that they often conducted business at cost to court friendship and create more financial control over the nations. InContinue reading “Early Arkansas Fur: 1820 Arkansas Factory aka Trading Post”
Early Arkansas Hunters: 1900 Duck Hunter with Live Decoy and Hunting Dog
Circa 1900, Old Skool Duck Hunter Ralph John Speer (B. January 18, 1875) from Fort Smith, Sebastian County, with a live decoy in his lap, with his shell vest, boot gaiters, camping tent, and his faithful retriever at his side. Source: Ancestry.com #arkansas #arkansashunting #duckhunting #duckdog #livedecoy #huntingishistory #arkansasduckhunting #duckhunting #vintagehunting #vintagehunter #mallardduck #conservation #huntingconservationContinue reading “Early Arkansas Hunters: 1900 Duck Hunter with Live Decoy and Hunting Dog”
Early Arkansas Sportsmen: Hiring African American Guides
By the end of the nineteenth century, a few African Americans worked for white sportsmen, guiding them or as porters or paddlers. Former Confederate officers enjoyed having African Americans continue to work for them in the woods and fields and at their clubs, a reminiscence of the Old South. Many visitors from places like ChicagoContinue reading “Early Arkansas Sportsmen: Hiring African American Guides”
Arkansas Wildlife History 