Wild Horse Rendezvous celebrates mountain man culture
Ian Wolf from Spokane fires his .45 caliber Jukar on the range while his dad, Kevin, is the spotter. The Wild Horse Rendezvous is one of their favorites to attend. Both hunt with black powder and Kevin dropped a bull elk last year with a Flintlock that he built. (Monte Turner/Mineral Independent)
Andrea Crosier from Stevensville and Beca Sue from Charlo, Montana managed registration and collected the prizes for the raffle and contest winners for the three days. (Monte Turner/Mineral Independent)
Reproduction clothing as close to the original are sold at these events. These were hand made in Council, Idaho and this merchant has attended 15 rendezvous already this year. (Monte Turner/Mineral Independent)
Musket balls, powder and everything one needs to load their muzzleloader were being sold by this young mountain man. (Monte Turner/Mineral Independent)
Kenley Zylawy, left, and Mike Tomell returned from the firing range to purchase more supplies they’ll need for the afternoon shoot. (Monte Turner/Mineral Independent)
Montana’s Largest Flea Market is in the middle of Mineral County and the Wild Horse Rendezvous at the far eastern tip of the county every Memorial Day weekend — rain or shine. They both have become legendary events to start the summer.
Mike Tomell from Frenchtown started mountain man rendezvousing 40 years ago and has overseen this one, The Wild Horse Rendezvous, for 17 years.
“It was started 42 years ago on Lynch Creek outside of Plains, and the official name of Plains is Wild Horse Plains, hence the name. After a couple of years there, it moved to just north of Stevensville on the Bitterroot River for one year. Then two years up Sweathouse Creek outside of Victor. From there I believe it moved up to Blanchard Creek near Clearwater Junction on private ground that was sold so we’ve been here since 1992.”
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