School of the Longhunter, 2004

You may click on the photos to see a larger version, and click on the quill to go back to the main page of the photo album.

These are the COHT members that attended the School of the Longhunter this year. Back row from left to the right, Thom Stanek Jr. or Bushwacker (OH COHT), William Schneider (NY COHT and Event Staff), unknown (Alabama COHT), Fred Vanderslice (VA COHT), Rick Addis (PA COHT), unknown (GA COHT?), Ed Robey (WV COHT State Rep). Front row from the left, Russ Hammond or Preacher Mike (OH COHT), John Merrifield (WV COHT), Dave McGee (OH COHT State Rep), Brian Lakatos(WV COHT), Jimmie MacClure or Blackie (OH COHT). There was another Ohio COHT member present not available for the photo. The member from Alabama was there with out his son, who is serving our country, we wish him as well as all other COHT members and American Service Personnel a safe and speedy tour and return home. Thank you for your service. To these COHT members. thanks for coming, look forward to seeing you next year. Here ya find me at the 2004 School of the Longhunter at Prickett's Fort, Fairmont West Virginia. That's ole yeller hangin on my cabin door. This is Fred Vanderslice of the Virginia Branch of the COHT. Fred is a regular at the event, good seeing you again Fred, but where is your ole yeller? Why there is Ole Yeller! and Bushwacker (OH COHT) in front of the Ohio COHT encampment. You say your claiming squaters rights there Bushwacker? Glad you attended my freind. Man of the year is pictured here, Ed Robey (Wv State Rep COHT< as well as volunteer of the fort). Ed here was the subject of Andrew Knez's sketch that graced the event T-shirt this year as well as event print. This Dave McGee the Ohio State Rep conversing with Rick Addis a PA COHT member at the Blacksmith's shop. Some of this years photos are thanks to a freind of ours, Andrew Knez. thanks Andrew, good seeing you again. This Ed Robey the West Virginia State Rep Dave McGee the Ohio State Rep for the COHT. This year Ed and I sponsored a event in the name of the COHT, a three day compressed trek. Here we are mustering the able bodied men for the scenario. One of the many stations along the trail that the participants had to survive to and prove woodsman skills and knowledge. Just to try and survive to the next station with out loosing their hair. Here we are marching our muster of men into the wilderness to rescue the children that were taken hostage. Scenes of our COHT event along the trail, this frontiersman happens to be Joe Joplin. At certain locations they had to demonstrate woodsman skills. This is Thomas Bruce, a new freind of ours, and hopefully a new Ohio COHT member. Great meeting you Thomas. Doing a fine job on the trek here. At any moment, they are to be ambushed by actuall live Indians all along the trail. Adds a sense of realism. Here we find Fred doing Virginia COHT proud Jonathan Evans, at other points along the trail they had to demonstrate their 18th century knowledge by answering questions. Mean while watching for the ambushes that can come at any time, and from any where. Here we see a new comer to the COHT family, Brian Lakatos a West Virginia COHT member. Fine looking rifle Brian, looks familiar. I lent him my rifle so he could compete. Brian Lakatos a West Virginia COHT member. At points on the trail, they had to identify signs they either saw or did not see, it was to them to know when they passed by them as well know what they meant. At other points they had to find as well as how to handle a chance meeting of a Indian. With one he would be freindly, the next he would be hostile. how each individual handled the interaction determined if they died on the trail or continued on. The end was a successful rescue of the children and reaching the fort safely, some made it to within feet of the gate of the fort and died violently at the hands of a hostile. One of the lectures was on dugout canoes. The owner graciously lent us the use of it for some modeling work for Andrew Knez a frontier artist. So Ed Robey (WV-rep), Rick Addis (PA COHT), John Merrifield (WV COHT) and myself. took it to the water. Now here we are at work for Andrew, they are doing this at one end of the dugout. Thats John in the red, Ed in the brown, Rick doing the split I am at the other end of the dugout doing this, when Andrew wanted some work from on the water, so we decided to shove off. So the guys start pushing and it goes no where, so they decide they will give it a little lift and shove. Is the stern supposed to take on water? The second they lifted the bow, the stern went under And so did I. I can once again attest that soaked wool, and I mean soaked through and through - will keep you warm. Despite the chill of the day, the water temp and the chill of the eve, I was warm. I felt wet, but I was warm. So now I am wet, so we go play in the water. Come on guy's, lets go again! Hey! This thing works better on top of the water! Thats Rick Merrifield (WV COHT) in the bow, with my soaked rifle, Ed Robey (WV-Rep COHT) in the body, and me the Ohio Rep for the COHT in the stern. This was a experience of a life time. thanks to the owner, Andrew Knez and my freinds here, and the freinds who helped dry me out later. It was a chance of life time that we took full advantage of. It was a chilly April day, but we got a glint of sunshine here and there. Faster! Faster! We are not saying this thing rode low in the water - yes we are. Still it was a great experience, and I am glad I had it to share with such freinds, thank you. Now my Ohio COHT man died at the gate of the fort during the COHT Trek competition. But despite turning down a head start, it raining, eveything being wet, and having to start the fire twice - I took the first place in the fire starting competition. We all gathered at the fire pit in the fort, on a signal, ran (or walked in my case) across the field into the woods, and gathered material to start a fire with flint and steel. I was near last into the woods for materials, second back into the fort, first to get flame, first to catch wood on fire. I was told they wanted to see a bigger fire so I blew on it to fan the flames, it went out. I had to start over and I still took first place. Thanks for the prize Prickett's Fort! Here we have another competition, a boiler cook off. That is Fort staff member as well as New York COHT member Bill Schneider giving instructions to the competitors. At various classes, those competing are given one ingredient they are to use - one at a time. At the event they are given one last secret ingredient and may only use what they would have in thier haversack or pouch to cook with. That is Kurk kneeling down there and a Ohio COHT member getting ready to cook off. My freinds Andrew Knez and Kurk, as well as one of Three Honest Brothers, listening to the judging of the meals just cooked up. West Virginia COHT member John Merrifield also a member of the fort doing the honors of judging the Boiler Cook Off for a second year in a row. That is Ron, this years winner with his back to you. We think, well we are pretty sure that John's illness that night was in no way related to the cook off. Hope your feeling better John, thanks for judging again.

The School of the Longhunter is held every year at Prickett's Fort in Fairmont, WV. It is a great event for both the new to the trails and the trail worn veteran. It is a learning event, so there is some ease of correctness, but learning is encouraged and is the reason behind the event. Each day of the event is full of lectures geared toward the knowledge of the frontier and its trials and tribulations, while the evenings are reserved for frontier hospitality between cabins and camps. It is a great place to meet ole friends and make some new ones as well. There is always something to do and learn, and all are willing to share. There is a camp feast in the main cabin every Saturday as well as live period correct entertainment. The atmosphere of the fort and the camp fires and candles is worth the travel alone. This year Ed Robey (WV-Rep, COHT) and myself planned a COHT sponsored event. It was a 3 day compressed trek. The muster of men had to follow a given path, look and read and explain signs, demonstrate frontier skill, demonstrate frontier knowledge, produce some gear or the lack there of, all at the same time trying not to get discovered and ambushed. We have been asked to do it again next year, so I hope you can make it. We gave away a free membership to the COHT, a free membership to the Prickett's Fort Foundation, and a hand beaded haversack. The winners were Jonathan Evans, Joe Jolin, Thomas Bruce... job well done guys.
Go back to the main photo page