My buddy and I were on one of our twice annual trips
to the Rosebud Indian Reservation in south central
South Dakota to shoot some Prairie Dogs and relax.
We had spotted a big town west of Mission in Todd
County from state road 16 and we found a gate and
drove back in.
We set up on this big dog town that laid between
two Mesas that made a natural little valley.
At the bottom in the valley was thick, lush, green
grass the little rodents liked so much. The Mesas
were a couple hundred feet high making our trek up
to higher ground for set up with gear in hand a little
time consuming. When we got up high enough to
"command" the entire valley we sat back and opened
a cold one to just enjoy the view. We had found a nice
flat little area on top to call our snipers nest and we
felt good about our labored hike up the side.
Two out of shape guys, one 50 and the other 61, it was
no small feat for us and although exhausted we felt good.
As we sat there feeling like Kings in the warm July
Sun my buddy quipped that we must be the only
living souls within 20 square miles. Other than
a car or truck scooting by once every 15 minutes
or so on lonely road 16 just a quarter mile away
there was no movement, no noise, hardly even a
breeze this area was so notable for.
We glassed the dog town and there were plenty of
"targets of opportunity" scurrying around the valley
floor.
We had just got our bipods extended and set up prone
behind our rifles for some friendly spotting and shooting
as a team when we hear a voice say, Hi.
Looking up we see a small Indian man 65 to 70
years old standing there right behind us with a grin on his face.
Turns out he had a place just down the back side of the Mesa
on which we had set up on.
We sat and talked with this gentleman for hours that warm
afternoon. And although he seemed to have a real affliction
towards our Beer and my buddies Cigarettes, we didn't
mind sharing in exchange for his knowledge of the local
area and peoples.
We shot a few dogs that day but we will never forget being
surprised that day by Mr. Stanley LittleFeather.
We always look up old Stanley every time we return just
to spend a little time joking around and catching up.
And we always bring extra Beer and smokes.


Chuck

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They hold no Quarter