National Congress of Old West ShootistsOur purpose is to promote "safe Western Action Shooting including the re-enactment and promotion of the historical Old West heritage of the United States in all its ethnic, social and occupational diversity" NCOWS 6820 University Ave, PMB 234 Cedar Falls IA 50613 Call 319-277-6839
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Wood River Horse ThievesThe "Wood River Horse Thieves", now an NCOWS posse has it's basis in Wyoming History. These "out-laws" roamed the area in and around Park County Wyoming in the late 1800s. Unlike most "owl-hoots" the Wood River Horse Thieves was not identified with one outlaw band. Rather, this was a nebulous name given to any gang that committed a nefarious act in this part of the country. This is assuming the public and authorities did not know who the culprits were. For example, if there was bank robbery in the vicinity it would be blamed on the "Wood River Horse Thieves". If horses were stolen, it would be blamed on them. And so on and so on. The Wood River is a river, well creek really...might be a river in the spring...anyway, Wood River is just southwest of the village of Meeteetse, Wyoming. So where is Meeteetse? South of Cody, Wyoming about 30 miles. The route from Cody to Meeteetse borders the Absaroka Mountain Range, which extends from Red Lodge, Montana to past Meeteetse. So where's Cody? Fifty-two miles east of Yellowstone National Park. One hundred twenty miles southwest of Billings, Montana. Meeteetse is near what was once a thriving community of Arland. That means it was once as big as Meeteetse is now (351). Meeteetse means "where chiefs meet" in the Indian language of Shoshone. Most enjoyable about being a part of the modern day Wood River Horse Thieves is that we are actually living in the Old West of the original horse thieves. Currently there are 10 owl-hoots riding with us. We have our own newspaper, the Wood River Ridge Runner.
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