Cowboys & Indians July 2022

More on the Dakotas They might be divided in two, but in many ways, North and South Dakota are one in culture, land, and heroes. Check out the nice long read, an expanded version of the story on page 122, by lifelong Dakotan Lance Nixon, and get the Great Plains scoop on native sons Casey Tibbs and Louis L’Amour, chislic and honey wine, and an outlaw wolf name Old Three Toes. Home Is Where Your Story Begins If you were inspired by designer Jeremiah Young in “The Handcrafted Home on the Range” (page 68), go to the Home and Ranch tab on our website to meet artisans from across the country whose handcrafted items will help you create a more personal space. Real Estate Are you looking for your next home in the West? Search…

THE POEM READS: “There is no moment of my lifewhen you are not a part of me:you hold my heart; you guard my soul;you guide my dreams so tenderly.And if my will might be done,And all I long for could come true,with perfect joy I would chooseto share eternity with you." Dear Reader, The drawing you see above is called For Now & Ever. It is completely composed of dots of ink. After writing the poem, I worked with a quill pen and placed thousands of these dots, one at a time, to create this gift. Now, I have decided to offer For Now & Ever to those who share and value its sentiment. Each litho is numbered and signed by hand and precisely captures the detail of the drawing. As a wedding, anniversary…

LANCE NIXON, writer “Horse Effigy” on page 62 and “The Dakotas” on page 122 On vacations close to home, my family and I have often enjoyed three great hikes in South Dakota — Badlands National Park, Black Elk Peak, and Bear Butte. But one of my favorite vacation memories happened once on returning to the Plains from a trip to the great states of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. We stopped to rest at a point overlooking the Niobrara River in Nebraska, and on stepping out of the car, both my wife, Ruth, and I noticed at the same moment that the air was loud with birds — something we didn’t realize we’d been missing until then. Granted, that place on the Niobrara may have been exceptionally rich in bird life.…

During his childhood in Window Rock, Arizona, noted knifemaker Atsatsa Antonio developed a profound connection to his Navajo heritage. “I grew up going to ceremonies, hearing the language, having a very deep interaction with the Navajo philosophy and the Navajo way of life,” the 27-year-old artisan says. “The fundamental way of life is a search—the active, conscious effort to stay in beauty. At every point, there’s something beautiful that you can focus on.” Our conversation at that moment was focused on Atsatsa’s talent for forging and crafting knives. I specifically wanted to know more about a piece he’d sent my way from his artisan’s brand, RedKrow by Bigknife. As we talked, I was holding “The Hunter’s Moon Field Knife,” noting the weathered quality and intricate stitchwork of the leather sheath, the…

Inspired by C&I I wanted to share with you a drawing by my husband, Jeffrey Yentz, inspired by your April cover. He really liked the cover photo of Sam Elliott and immediately went to work, recreating the image in an interesting way. The original is 14.5 inches by 18.75 inches. Hope you enjoy it. —Faye Yentz, San Antonio, Texas Sam’s Biggest Fan I received my April 2022 issue of C&I the other day in the mailbox. I read each issue cover to cover, and then pass the magazine on to our local library for others to enjoy … except when Sam Elliott is on the cover. Those, I read and put on my bookshelf. I like to keep Sam close by. Seeing Sam on the cover many years ago in a store in Gilbert,…

EAGLE PRIDE Channel bravery and strength while sporting a vintage Zuni eagle-themed bolo and buckle combo. Isabel Simplicio (Zuni) Eagle Themed Inlay Bolo and Belt Buckle set ($1,000), westerntradingpost.com VINTAGE PRINT Wear a touch of Americana and celebrate rodeo’s beginnings with a vintage print—perfect year-round. Star Spangled RodeoT-shirt ($36), 6whiskey.com HANDCRAFTED BARKEEP For cocktail hour, store bar glasses, wine, and firewater in a white oak cabinet lined in genuine ostrich. Wine and Liquor Cabinet (contact for price), chuckswoodbarn.com NAVAJO STORY Showcase everyday scenes from the Navajo reservation on your hat. Tabaha 14K on Sterling Storyteller Hatband and 1000X Beaver/Mink hat ($7,500– 8,400), montecristihats.com GUNS BLAZING Feel like a bad bandit when wearing these beetle-crushers. Hand Tooled Crossed Pistols boots (contact for price), blackjackboots.net OLD WEST ADVENTURE Become swept up in the Old West with a twist on the Hole in the…