Huntsman:

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These were all picked from the camp on the bluff my house is on, maybe a 100 foot wide by eighth of a mile stretch of hill


That note got me to thinking of some past finds and how localized they often seem to be. Back in WVa I worked a farm where one found points on a daily basis on just a single knoll. Ground was just above a river and had a couple nice springs nearby. Cross the river or go east or west a quarter mile and there was nothing to be had.

A couple years back I was helping a buddy on a pronghorn hunt on what was new ground here in eastern Oregon. We started about a 3 mile stalk on a buck and near midway encountered a stretch where we picked up several points, drills, and flakes across about 300 yds . There was nothing on the landscape to suggest it as a potential gathering/hunting/fabrication spot, and we found nothing in the surrounding square miles.

A thousand years back, however, who knows. There's been a recent dig going on about 30 miles west of here with finds dating back 12 to 13,000 years under 6 to 8 feet of soil. Wood in the fire pits is mostly willow and one must travel about 15 miles from there to find willow today. Obviously a different climate and vegetation in those days. It's all a sea of sagebrush and some occasional juniper today.

Our most consistent sites here in eastern Oregon are the small internal basins that have no outlets. In wetter times, they may hold water for 3 or 4 months and support some waterfowl production. The edges of those temporary ponds are usually good for an item or two. Then we have miles of sage with nothing.

Have a good one,


Last edited by 1minute; 07/07/20.

1Minute