Last month I spent three weeks in Owyhee country, mostly in Jordan Valley and surrounding country. My purpose was partly historical research and partly just to spend an extended period there getting to know the place a bit better. I also wanted to consult with rancher-historian Mike Hanley IV and visit a putative buffalo jump in Owyhee county Idaho with Tim Davis, but more about those in another posting.
One of the real joys of this stay was meeting Glenn Fretwell, owner of two of the local RV parks. Glenn was a rancher who spent twenty-three years in the Aleutians raising and selling cattle left there from when the Russians had the islands. He returned to Jordan Valley only when his mother Hazel, a sprightly 98-year old, told him it was time to come back and “play in the desert.”
Glenn is possessed of great curiosity, a wonderful sense of humor and a generous nature. He has learned the art of flint knapping and skillfully produces arrowheads that are purchased by nearby reservations for sale to tourists. Four years ago while watching television (I can’t remember whether it was the History the National Geographic channel) he discovered throwing darts with an Atlatl and now is ranked sixteenth in his class worldwide. I spent evenings watching him practice and teach a local 14-year old boy.
Glenn is now organizing a competition in Jordan Valley for August 31 to September 4. If you are an Atlatl aficionado or just happen to be planning a trip to the Owyhee Canyonlands over Labor Day weekend, you should stop by and check it out. Not only can you learn how our ancestors killed a mastodon, but you can meet some nice folks.