Be careful when you wake those leathers.

We all have our favorite clothes, a special gift shirt, a perfect fitting nice feeling pair of pants.  Us mountain folks have the same kind of deal with our skin clothes.  The difference lyes in how we treat ‘em.

Leathers, as they are called, are genrilly made of deer, elk, antelope, mountain sheep, or goat (if we can get ‘em).  The hides are tanned up, chewed mighty soft by the little woman and form fitted with many try ‘em  ons and tak ‘em  offs.

From  the  first  day  them  leathers  start  tak’en on a special personality.  After wear’en  ‘em for a year or so twinx  rondevouz, they become attached and even have an air bout them.

Back in ’87, I recall Wapiti Dung say’en he was caught up on the Salt River trappin by his self and even carried on all night talkin with his leathers.

Well there does come a time them leathers got to come off.  I was up by the Portnuf and came by some warm water springs.  It was perfect temperature fer a bath.  So I took off my leathers and jumped in.  Boy it was nice to relax in that there water.

After haven cared fer myself I thought I’d rub my leathers down with some special lye soap and soke ‘em in that same water.

Now I’d only been wear’en them fer nine months or so and when I reached fer ‘em the blame things move out!  Each time I stretched they’d move further till I was clear out of the water, buck naked!

I did finally get hold of some arm fringe and got ‘em washed.  It was a battle to the end, but we been good friends ever since.  Theres’ even  been times of late, them leathers told me of approach’en riders at my backside.  Sort of like a  extree  pair of eyes.

The only problem I got with them leathers is wak’en them in the morning.  They is so dad blame ornery.  Won’t even move afore the smell of coffee is in the air.

Bears Butt

Mar-Apr 1989