Bigtex Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 As far as continuing on the 3 main BF Trails already discussed, I'll have to wait for better weather. The terrain from where I left off on all 3 Trails is a steeper grade as they head into the hills, and there are no running creeks, springs, or pools for the dogs to drink from this time of year - especially during our drought, and I would have to pack in their water. I will wait for some rain or cooler weather in the Fall.......hope that's OK with you guys:) One thing that I can do is to show several of the Sub Trails that branch off in all directions from the main 3 trails already discussed and shown. Of course, there are tons of smaller low clearance game trails, which I will not concentrate on those, and will only show the ones that are larger & offer good head clearance. Here are some pictures of some Sub Trails, all on the West side of the bridge, The first one shows a nice track way on the trail.......it is pretty dry, so no clear prints to show, only the disturbances for the individual steps taken. A few more shown, and some Deer kills found along the way on these same trails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mesabe Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Hi BigTex, awesome trails! One possibility is to cache some water in strategic places, in containers that will preserve it. Just a thought. A question for you tho... In pic number 3 with your brown dog, do you think the rock placement has any signifigance? The smaller ones in front of the tree look like a circle, and then there's 4 bigger ones lined up to the right. In picture number 2 it shows them also, and maybe they were just moved out of the way in the trail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 Great question Mesabe, and was wondering the same thing. Pic #2 is a few steps before taking Pic #3, and showing the same rocks. I thought at the time it looked like a deliberate marker for the sub trail. If you look into these the woods as a whole, you won't notice the trails until you are on one, and can see the 'tunnel', so to speak. I couldn't see the sub trail in Pic #3 until I walked by and the 'tunnel' visually lined up, plus my Ridgeback was already heading down it.......something put those rocks there to mark that particular trail for whatever reason IMO, and the number of rocks is probably significant too......4 individuals went that way? Sometimes I wonder if there is a woods-language of sorts, with breaks, strange placements of rocks and other materials to leave info for others that follow to 'read'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WSA Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I'd be cautious about theories concerning trail markings though. Your confirmation of early human settlers leaves that possibility open. Trails in arid conditions last a long time, as you no doubt know. What might have been game trails (and/or BF byways) would have also been used as trails for horseback riders, and the traces would still be there. I'm not discounting your other evidence, but trails are used by all kinds of travelers, humans like yourself and all other 2 and 4 legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 The stones in question were placed there recently, as not much natural material has accumulated on them........my first thought yesterday was 4 illegals hiked through there, as I find signs of their passing through occasionally, so didn't mention in first post.....just the pictures. Also, I have never seen any illegals in this area, and with the way I creep around....the dogs or I would have. Here's another picture of a trail marker taken several years ago, limb points to the trail, and the number of rocks off to the side mark how many came through there, or did each group passing through put down more stones? Human....Bigfoot, you decide, it tells an interesting story either way. Again, NOT saying it's Bigfoot. However, I don't find human tracks on my hiking trails either, other than mine. My only comment was that it looked to be a deliberate marker of some type.......and that's the theory, didn't cry Bigfoot:) Also, in 12 years of hiking this area frequently.......I have run across zero humans. Never any trash either, including cig butts, soda/beer cans, candy wrappers.......nothing. What I do find is old stuff, like this can I found yesterday. The area was obviously more well traveled many years ago, but any markers they left are long gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) More Wolfy stuff.......did anyone see the 'Monster' show last Friday night featuring Jeff Meldrum? It wasn't about Bigfoot either, and dealt with the growing incidence of what they called a Coy-Wolf, which is a Wolf-Coyote hybrid. We see Wolves around here, and have always passed them off as Mexican Wolves. I DID NOT kill this male/female pair, found them hanging on the fence, and is an example of what we have always called a Mexican Wolf. They were bigger than Coyotes, particularly the male. Here's a picture of my wolf's teeth & feet. Edited June 5, 2014 by Bigtex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mesabe Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Thanks for the reply BigTex, and the additional photos. Always an interesting thread, and I like how you don't claim everything is BF related, but explore the other possibilities also. A lot of the times it seems like BF is the simplest solution. lol Anyway your area has a lot to see and think about. Looking at those tunnel shaped trails, they do resemble some of the trails we find up here that we use horseback riding. The branches are cleared usually on the sides of trees, and overhead. Typically each time a rider passes through, they will break them off, to prevent geting hung up on the next trip. Making the trails wider and taller. We have the coywolves up here also, and I understand they are becoming more frequent the further east you go. Bigger than coyotes, and less shy than wolves. Probably more agressive too. Another disturbing trait we have been noticing lately is feral dogs mixing in with these packs, and interbreeding. Perhaps with food plentiful, (deer population) they are less territorial, and this happens. A few yrs. ago out riding, we stumbled onto a den of coyote pups that were clearly crossed with pitbulls. I'd hate to come across them on the hunt. Once found they are generally eradicated. Open season on yotes, all yr. plus a bounty, and they just opened a season on wolves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 Most of the trails wouldn't be good for horseback riding, with low clearances, and I don't ever see any horse tracks or poop. The only livestock that roam around the area, but are rarely seen are a few 'free ranging' Longhorn's. It's always a mystery how an animal that is 5-6' feet at the shoulder, 1,500+ pounds, with horns 8' wide can move around these low woods and stay hidden, really quite remarkable. One of my buddies is coming to town, and we will do a stake-out Saturday night in the Kill Zone.......should be interesting:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WSA Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 (edited) Tex..some of those rocks look like flint nodules to me. Could be they are all limestone, but the dished concave profiles looks like flint that has been broken. Do you have such in your area, and am I correct? Raises some interesting thoughts about why they would have been placed there in a pile, if so. BTW, you've made an incredible find in that can. In the whole state of Texas I doubt you can find a single can without at least one bullet hole in it, am I right? Quick, send it to Austin! I also like the fact that can was opened with a knife, which was a skill that was considered essential in the not too distant past. Nobody carried around a "special" tool for opening cans...why would you? Edited June 6, 2014 by WSA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 LMAO WSA! Here's one that wasn't so lucky, found several years ago way out there.......yard art now. Lots of Flint, and I find some of the craziest stone tools that are beautifully designed. To me, the tools are the most fascinating over arrow, spear & axes. Here's a very nice ax head that I found a while back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WSA Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 You see?! Yep, no highway sign or coke can is safe. Sitting around a campfire one night I got the idea I would become filthy rich by designing a highway sign that gave no satisfaction to the shooter when shot at. Just have to figure out how that would work, exactly, but when I do? Forward my mail. Nice hand axe there. I've found me a couple of those in the past. The first time I stepped on a trail in WA I looked down and found a neolithic scraper. For a right-handed person. Gave me goosebumps to think about the last time it was held. Obvioulsly, the history goes back into deep time where you are. Who knows what that ground knows? This is a mysterious world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 I like to figure out which hand, and how it fits best, then just like you WSA.......I am humbled to think when the last time someone held in their hand. Most anything I find with a blade is still sharp.......the ax above is still an effective weapon now as it was when made.......the skinners I find can still skin, amazing stuff these 'primitive' folks made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NathanFooter Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Hey Tex, have you ever found anything with recent use in your area ? Also, sorry I have not been on top of your emails, been greatly swamped with things lately, everything from reports to field outings to looking for work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 Hey Nathan, good to hear from you.........were you meaning stone tools? It's hard to tell with those, because unless the location helps with the age, these tools, including arrowheads and other weapons, don't seem to show much aging. Whether dropped yesterday, the year before, a 100 or thousands of years ago, they still keep their edges and function as they did the day they were made. I'm afraid my Snap-on tools wouldn't be looking to good after just a few years in the woods. I'm a novice myself, does anyone know how to age these things? My own theory are that most are recent Indian, less than 200 years old, but some are not. There seems to be pretty good evidence of a very ancient society in this area, and I'm talking 10,000+ years and more........they were stone builders, possibly from Mexico? There's a very strange 'hill' out in the hills, is the perfect shape of a pyramid, and completely covered in vegetation, with strange large stones on top.........man, would be on my bucket list to excavate this place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NathanFooter Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Yes, stone tools or any fashioned tool you have come across, any have signs of recent ware or use ? I have recently heard some are finding sticks that seem to have been trimmed { side branches and leaves removed } and used for digging in the soil or simply stabbed into the ground up side down for some reason, another thing found that is suggestive of tool use was the NAWAC nut crusher find where they found a large stone covered in nut husks with a smaller stone resting on top that appeared to be used to crack open nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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