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Two of my friends and I hiked from 142A (Tule Can) to bullpen campground in west clear creek starting on 5-7-07. Somehow my friend lost his .38 revolver. He said he had been checking after each swim and it was still in his pack after white box, but was gone when we camped that night at hanging gardens. I know its not likely odds he'll ever see it again, but I told him I'd post.Thanks.

Did you guys go back and look?

That's not much ground to cover from the box to the gardens. Though it would be difficult to find in one of those wide pools, at least most are shallow.

Good thing it's out in the middle of nowhere. Wouldn't want a kid finding it.

You might want to notify the local law enforcement, this just doesn't sound good.

Sredfield wrote:You might want to notify the local law enforcement, this just doesn't sound good.

Agreed. Who knows, they may actually be able to go out there and find it too!

The authorities aren't going to take the time to go out and look for a lost gun. You should definately report it lost so that if anyone else finds it and uses it for a crime they won't trace it back and pin it on you.

drbiner wrote:The authorities aren't going to take the time to go out and look for a lost gun. You should definately report it lost so that if anyone else finds it and uses it for a crime they won't trace it back and pin it on you.

If it's not registered in your name that's not a worry. Did you fill out the paperwork on it when you bought it, or did you buy it from a private party? It wouldn't hurt to report it, though. Some people are honest enough to turn things in to the "lost and found!"

Its not my gun. But yes my friend who lost it, is the owner and it is registered. I guess what I was hoping is that if anyone was hiking through there from this forum happened to find it could contact me or turn it in to L.E.O. I understand that its very remote that is why I posted with fellow back packers. I'm not looking for a gun debate, or hypothetical negative situations, just a little honesty if you happen to trip over it on an outing. Thank you for all your replys.

Zane Gray lost a rifle from a scabbord on his horse once while racing down a trail with his son near Tonto Bridge. Both he and his cowboy guide went back and looked all over for it, but were never able to find it. I wonder if it's still out there somewhere, what a cool thing that would be to find, though I'm sure it's probably all but disintegrated by now.

Also a couple of cavalry guys were traveling through the Superstitions a long time ago going from Fort Picketpost to Fort McDowell and got attacked by Apaches. Supposedly they stashed a crate of 24 mint Colt Army Single Actions somewhere that were never recovered. Now that would be awesome to come across, especially if they were well-packed, greased and stashed in a cave or somewhere that would protect them from the elements.

Anyway, I hope your friend finds his gun. I'm sure he'll be more careful in the future, keeping track of your weapon is the only good kind of gun control there is. Even cops lose their weapons sometimes.

azsixshooter wrote:Zane Gray lost a rifle from a scabbord on his horse once while racing down a trail with his son near Tonto Bridge. Both he and his cowboy guide went back and looked all over for it, but were never able to find it. I wonder if it's still out there somewhere, what a cool thing that would be to find, though I'm sure it's probably all but disintegrated by now.

Also a couple of cavalry guys were traveling through the Superstitions a long time ago going from Fort Picketpost to Fort McDowell and got attacked by Apaches. Supposedly they stashed a crate of 24 mint Colt Army Single Actions somewhere that were never recovered. Now that would be awesome to come across, especially if they were well-packed, greased and stashed in a cave or somewhere that would protect them from the elements.

Anyway, I hope your friend finds his gun. I'm sure he'll be more careful in the future, keeping track of your weapon is the only good kind of gun control there is. Even cops lose their weapons sometimes.

Michael MaGarrity's book "Tularosa: A Kevin Kerney Novel" plays off the idea of long-lost and then recovered military weapons. Not heavy literature by any means, but a good light read--or as I do--listen on audio books.

Finding a case of weapons would be really cool.
I also doubt that they'll fall under NAGPRA since the Apaches didn't own them.
I bet even Craig Childs would keep them.

I used to like the Kevin Kerney novels. I would look forward to a new one coming into the local library every year. But then, in later books, he changed Kevin Kerney into someone I don't sympathize with: a rich police chief living in a very fancy house in Santa Fe, with a very uptight, demanding, upwardly mobile wife. I liked the Kevin character a lot better when he was just a lonely deputy living in a cabin, like in Tularosa.

Another Southwest mystery writer who did the same thing with his main character was James D. Doss with his Charlie Moon mysteries. The Charlie Moon character is a Ute tribal police officer with a crazy aunt who's a shaman who "sees" things. The shaman aunt makes the books worth reading, in fact. Enjoyable books, but now Doss's books have his main character, Charlie Moon, owning a huge ranch.

The most famous Southwest mystery writer, Tony Hillerman, on the other hand, for over 20 years kept his main characters, both of whom were Navajo Tribal policemen, humble and lovable. Sergeant Jim Chee in his ancient little travel trailer beside the San Juan river, (with the mice and the cat that comes and goes) and Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn in his little BIA house in Window Rock. I love these two characters, and Hillerman loved them, too, and respected the Navajo people enough to not create a scenario for them that is not believable and also might seem arrogant to the Navajos. Hillerman's later books were not as finely crafted as the earlier ones, as he got older, but he did keep his characters humble and somewhat believable. I was sad when he passed away. No more new Hillerman book each year to look forward to. I have read them all at least 4 times each.

MY favorite Tony Hillerman scene -- I think it was in "Sacred Clowns" -- was where the Navajo (maybe it was Hopi) were at a drive in watching a cowboy & indians movies and cheering when the cavalry got their pumpkin kicked.

kingsnake wrote:MY favorite Tony Hillerman scene -- I think it was in "Sacred Clowns" -- was where the Navajo (maybe it was Hopi) were at a drive in watching a cowboy & indians movies and cheering when the cavalry got their pumpkin kicked.

Yeah, and the other thing Hillerman pointed out was that often times in the old John Ford movies, Navajos were hired as extras to play "Sioux" or "Cheyenne" so that when they were speaking in their own language, it was supposed to sound like "Sioux." Actually they would say all kinds of crazy things in Navajo, make rude jokes, etc., so that when actual Navajos saw the movies, they would just be in stitches!

I learned two phrases from my Navajo friends, both are too true...
Trader- naalyehe ya sidahi (one who sits for merchandise). Yep that's my job!
Trading post- naalyehe ba hooghan (merchandise, it's home). How true that is, I would like to find a new home for some of this stuff....
Also their nickname for someone can be abit to the point. My wife doesn't want to know hers, mine is Too Many Teeth.

I love Hillerman, but his later novels were far too easy to figure out. You knew who the bad guy was like 25 pages in.

Rob del Desierto wrote:I love Hillerman, but his later novels were far too easy to figure out. You knew who the bad guy was like 25 pages in.

Yeah, you could almost hear his publisher, "hurry up with the next one, Tony!"

Guess it was at least good it was a civilian gun. In the military, someone loses a gun, the whole base is locked down until it is found. It is not a career-enhancing move!

kingsnake wrote:Guess it was at least good it was a civilian gun. In the military, someone loses a gun, the whole base is locked down until it is found. It is not a career-enhancing move!

We once had a butter-bar leave one in a Port-O-Let out on a range. That was one of the few times I saw a senior NCO light into an officer while all of the other officers stood by and watched...