Poor mans saddle bags.

[James Hunt]

I have wandered about the shooting range at the Nationals with my CW haversack carrying my shooting "stuff" and have grown weary of rummaging thru it for that "stuff". As NCOWS people we need to be concerned about the authenticity of anything we bring to the range and I had wondered in what what direction to move, as a poor hunter fancy luggage would not define me.

We are all familiar with the "wallet" seen in "The Last of the Mohicans". Two pieces of something sewn together with a single opening in the middle for putting your stuff into has probably been around since antiquity. Rex Allen Norman describes its use by the Plains Tribes in the latest issue of Muzzleloader magazine. In fact I use one for my colonial frontier impression. Works just dandy slung over my bedroll But I thought that by the 1870's it would have lost ground to more sophisticated Victorian influence. Not so!

For those who would like to use a wallet to carry your stuff in I offer the following two referneces:

The following statements are taken from Cowboy Culture: A Saga of Five Centuries by David Drury, University Press of Kansas, Lawrence KS, 1981:

On page 137 a quote from a drover named Lee Moore: "Every man carried his grub in a wallet on behind his saddle (the writer's exact words) and his bed under his saddle.... A wallet is a sack with both ends sewed up with the mouth of the sack in the middle...."

On page 138 from one I.B. Anderson: "Each man would take an extra pony along, a lengthy stake rope made of rawhide or hair, a wallet of cornbread, some fat bacon and coffee, and plenty of salt..."

Both were circa late 1860's to early 1870's.

I thought, "Of course, why not, drovers were poor as dirt - no fancy saddle pockets there". Like wise the practical commercial hunter. I had my "saddle wallet" made from linen and it is about 18 in by 36 in. At that size it ties behind my mexican saddle and hangs nicely over each side. So..., in a few weeks you can say - "nice wallet you got there Mr. Hunt!" As I will be strutting around the range carrying my "stuff" in my new saddle wallet. If you do not own a persona of financial means, take heart you can carry your "stuff" in your saddle wallet - your wife will think that you put her pillow cases in the wash.

My saddle wallet got a bath in some walnut hulls to add a little trail experience to it.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Cool!

It's hard to tell from the picture, but it looks to be about 10" X 30" or so.  Am I close?

[James Hunt]

It is 18 x 36. I wouldn't make the length any smaller if you want it to hang over the sides of your saddle as your saddle bags do.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Thanks!  Great idea!  This is where actually HAVING a horse makes a difference!