Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Arizona camp and shoot...

Sounds just like the spot in "on the Border with Crook" for sure. I love that country!! Wishful I could be there with yall!!!

Skeleton cave above Canyon lake... they left the dead in the cave, a bunch, women and kids too.

Yavapai, who no longer claim to be Apache, but they did when I was a kid growing up and went to school with them.

Kent

Was kinda suprised when I found out that my GG grandmother who was a Gatewood had a nephew who was one Charles Gatewood. Actually I think he was a great nephew.

They called him big nose... Bse Chee or something like that.

Kent

That is true!! Oldest lieutenant in the US Army. Tough being a southerner in the army in those days.

It's complicated. some of them are, and some of them aren't, and there might have been a little more understanding, or respect, granted to an "Apache" in the 1960's or 1970's.

A really good book about the Yavapais is "Surviving Conquest" by Braatz.

I THINK I remember that Mike Burns, a well know Indian scout in later years was captured as a child a few days before the massacre, and therefore survived the destruction of his family and band.

Sycamore

My grandfather and his father homesteaded a few parcels in Geronimo country. Silver City, Alma, then sell them off, all while farming cotton in Safford and sometimes working for the mines in Clifton.

My dad was born there and took us boys deer hunting there when we were old enough. We'd hunt Eagle creek and Alma mesa, he'd say,' they had some big fights around here chasing Geronimo'.

Interesting as a kid chasing muleys in the pine and juniper canyons.

Kent

Weather should be from high 30s to low 70s unless a storm comes in, last year was perfect.

I won't be there till sometime saturday morning and stay till sunday. Dennis will setup friday.

Hotels close are Tonto Basin Inn and Pumpkin Center Lodge.

Best restaurant is the Butcher Hook, really good food, has a store, gas station and bar. Owned by the local rancher family and the beef is from there.

Kent

Up to about 25 that hope to make it so far.

Kent

I should be free that weekend. I'd like to swing by and put some faces to names...

Maybe make this a sticky?

Wife, brother and I are up at apache for a couple days.

Have fun

Topping out at Tortilla flats above Canyon lake, looking back, where Skeleton cave is a few miles, but many canyons away.

OK, I scouted some spots out today. Forest Service had some of the gates locked so I couldn't get into a couple spots that I had high hopes for.

This spot is directly across S.R. 188 from Punkin Center on F.R. 409. Proceed 1.75 miles to road end (well it splits) take right fork and go .4 miles to pull out where we will camp. Kent should be along to post more info and a google earth snapshot.

Ok, Dennis scouted out different area and the best combo of camp and shoot is here. Across from Pumpkin Center on the 409 FS road.

From the north come to Payson and down to 188... from the south/east come to Globe then up 188... from the phoenix area go up 87 and come down 188.

Thanks Dennis and Kent!

For those that want to virtual camp, the coordinates are:
33� 52.369' N
111� 20.786' W
Roughly 2700' MSL

Man......have a business trip scheduled those dates. Might have to see if I can move a few things around and make this happen.

Darned good of you fellers to set this up!

Hope you can make it.

Kent