Bloody Beaver

What really caused the gunfight at the OK Corral? Most people chalk it up to a simple showdown between good and evil, with Wyatt Earp, his brothers, and Doc Holliday on one side and the Clantons and McLaury brothers on the other. Thirty seconds, roughly thirty shots fired at point-blank range, and three men left dead in the street. But contrary to popular belief, the violence in Tombstone didn't just materialize out of thin air. Months earlier, a botched stage robbery near Benson set off a chain reaction of rumors, arrests, and broken trust. Doc Holliday found himself accused of crimes he likely had nothing to do with. At the same time, Wyatt Earp quietly negotiated with Cochise County Cowboys who were willing to betray their own for reward money. When those secrets began to leak, threats followed. Today, we'll examine the long fuse behind the famous gunfight and how mounting tensions and fear finally erupted into the most legendary shootout in all of the American West.   Merch! https://wildwestextramerch.c

Doc Holliday arrived in Dodge City in 1878, fresh from Texas and already tied to the hip to Big Nose Kate. He advertised as a dentist, gambled heavily, and quietly built a reputation in one of the most dangerous towns in the Old West before moving on, first to Colorado, then New Mexico, and finally, Tombstone, Arizona. Join me today as we examine Doc’s road to the O.K. Corral. Also discussed are Curly Bill Brocius, Johnny Tyler, Holliday’s volatile relationship with Kate Elder, and his unflinching devotion to Wyatt Earp. Doc Holliday Part 1 - https://www.wildwestextra.com/doc-holliday-the-early-years-part-1/ This is NOT Doc Holliday - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvIDvi5NdMo Legends & Outlaws Calendar! https://wildwestcalendar.com/ Merch! https://wildwestextramerch.com/ Buy Me A Coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/ Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/ Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/ Join

Doc Holliday was a gambler, a consumptive, a deadly shootist, and an educated Southern gentleman. He was feared across the frontier, respected by some, hated by many, and remembered as one of the most complicated figures in all of the Old West history. Join me today as we explore Holliday’s early life. We’ll examine the pivotal experience that caused him to head West, his relationship with Big Nose Kate, the famous Ed Bailey stabbing, and his initial meeting with Wyatt Earp. Also discussed are Fort Griffin, Doc’s first gunfight, and Bat Masterson. Legends & Outlaws Calendar!  https://wildwestcalendar.com/   Merch! https://wildwestextramerch.com/   Buy Me A Coffee!  https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/   Join Patreon for ad-free bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra   Brothers of the Gun by Mark Lee Gardner - https://www.th

Did PTSD exist in the Old West, and if so, did it contribute to the violence of the frontier? Join me as we explore how trauma affected soldiers and civilians alike long before the condition had a name, from Civil War veterans suffering from what was once called soldiers’ heart or Da Costa’s syndrome to rising rates of alcoholism, domestic violence, and institutionalization across the United States. Using historical research, homicide statistics from frontier towns like Dodge City and San Francisco, and modern scholarship, we’ll examine whether PTSD was a driving force behind Old West violence or one factor among many. And stick around to the end for another listener Q&A! We’ll discuss Brushy Bill Roberts, Doc Scurlock, Henry Plummer, and the Montana vigilantes, along with reflections on notable Western films and books.   National Center for PTSD - https://www.ptsd.va.gov/   Legends & Outlaws Calendar!  https://wildwestcalendar.com/   Merch! https://wildwestextramerch.com/   Buy Me A Coffee!  https://

We’ve all seen Tombstone, but how much do you really know about the origins of the Clantons? Or to be more specific, how much do you know about the family patriarch, Newman “Old Man” Clanton? Is it true he was really the meanest of the Cochise County Cowboys? Join me today as we trace Old Man Clanton from Tennessee to Arizona. We’ll discuss his association with other bandits like Curly Bill Brocius and John Kinney, his alleged atrocities on the Mexican border, and finally, his untimely demise in Skull Canyon. And yes, we’ll also take a look at whether or not the Cochise County Cowboys really wore those red sashes. Make sure you stick around to the end for a little bonus Wild West Q&A. We’ll talk about everything from Billy the Kid’s lost guns to the weird story behind the Oklahoma panhandle and even the missing intro music!   Legends & Outlaws Calendar!  https://wildwestcalendar.com/   Homicide Rates in the Old West | OHIO - https://cjrc.osu.edu/research/interdisciplinary/hvd/homicide-rates-american-west

Rube Burrow began as an honest cowboy and farmer with every intention of living a simple life. Born in Alabama in 1855, he built a family and worked the land until sickness, failed crops, and tragic loss pushed him past the breaking point. From his early train robberies in Texas to long months hiding in the Alabama backwoods, this is the complete story of Burrow’s rise and fall. His robberies, escapes, disguises, and shootouts, as well as the people who helped him, the lawmen who hunted him, and the choices that led to his violent demise. Was Rube Burrow a tragic figure crushed by hardship, the Robin Hood of Alabama, or simply a dangerous outlaw?   Legends & Outlaws Calendar!  https://wildwestcalendar.com/   Merch! https://wildwestextramerch.com/   Buy Me A Coffee!  https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/   Join Patreon for ad-free bonus conte

When did the Old West truly begin, and when did it finally come to an end? Some trace the Wild West’s start to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, while others think it was much late,r as cowboys started trailing herds out of Texas. As for the end, many point to 1890, when the U.S. Census Bureau declared the frontier closed and Wounded Knee marked the last big clash between the Indigenous and the U.S. Army. But where does the true lie? Did the Old West really begin with the Lewis and Clark Expedition, or was it much earlier when the acquisition of the horse forever changed the landscape of the Great Plains? And if the Old West was over by 1890, then why did stagecoach robberies and gunfights continue well into the early 1900s? Also discussed are Apache raids from the 1930s, the Billy the Kid wannabe John Miller, Billy Dixon, Clay Allison, my favorite drink of choice, and much more! Legends & Outlaws Calendar!  https://wildwestcalendar.com/   Merch! https://wildwestextramerch.com/   Buy Me A Coffee!  https:

When most folks think about the Old West, they almost immediately envision daring lawmen and bloodthirsty outlaws. But did you know that the frontier was filled with ordinary people who also lived truly extraordinary lives? Today, we’ll shine a light on four such characters. First up is the legendary fur trapper, James Beckwourth. Born a slave, Beckwourth trapped beaver with Kit Carson and Jim Bridger, fought battles from Florida to Montana, and rose to become a leader of the Crow Nation, only to meet a mysterious end in the wilderness. Next, we’ll turn to William Bigfoot Wallace, a Texas giant who survived a Mexican prison, battled Comanche warriors, and helped shape Texas history from the Revolution all the way to the dawn of the automobile. But was Bigfoot Wallace truly a hero, or is there a darker side to his legend? I’ll also share my personal take on mixing history and politics, no holds barred. After that, we follow buffalo hunter and frontier scout, Billy Dixon. Outnumbered 20 to 1 at Adobe Walls, Dix

At just 21 years old, Dan Bogan was already facing a death sentence. After a drunken rampage in Texas ended in murder, he and his partner were found guilty and ordered to hang, but Dan wasn’t the type to go quietly. In a chaotic courtroom escape, he grabbed a guard’s pistol, fired wildly, and leapt to freedom out of a second‑story window. From there, his life turned into pure frontier legend. Using aliases like Bill Gatlin and Bill McCoy, Bogan drifted through the roughest corners of the West, cowboying, picking fights, and causing trouble from the Texas Panhandle to Wyoming. He crossed paths with Pat Garrett and the Pinkertons, dodged more than one noose, and earned a reputation for being as unpredictable as he was dangerous. But even with detectives on his trail and a thousand‑dollar bounty on his head, Dan Bogan always managed to slip through the cracks. And to this day, his fate remains a mystery.   Legends & Outlaws Calendar - https://wildwestcalendar.com/   Merch! https://wildwestextramerch.com/  

Did Bounty Hunters really exist in the Old West, or is that just another invention of Hollywood? The truth is a lot more complicated than the movies make it seem. Law enforcement in the Old West was patchwork at best, often made up of part-time sheriffs, underpaid marshals, and ramshackle jails. With courts just as unreliable, ordinary citizens and private companies like Wells Fargo began offering cash rewards for outlaws. These rewards gave rise to a system of bounties that blurred the line between justice and profit. But the iconic lone gunman chasing fugitives for money? That’s mostly fiction. In reality, bounty collection was done mostly by deputy U.S. marshals, sheriffs, or detectives from agencies like the Pinkertons and Wells Fargo. Figures such as Charlie Siringo, Bass Reeves, and Pat Garrett did collect bounties, but as part of their official duties, not as freelance bounty hunters. Even the few who did, like Jack Duncan of Texas, earned little compared to the risks they faced. Legends & Outlaws

Barney Riggs was one of the Old West’s most notorious and controversial gunfighters. Born in Arkansas in 1856, Riggs moved to Texas as a child, where violence quickly became a family tradition. At just 18, he killed a friend in what was called an accidental shooting. By his twenties, Riggs was in Arizona, working as a cowboy, stealing horses, and allegedly committing multiple murders. After being convicted of murder and sentenced to life at Yuma Prison, Riggs won a full pardon by saving the warden’s life during a bloody escape attempt. He returned to Texas, where he continued his violent ways, becoming embroiled in the infamous Frazer-Miller feud and serving as a deputy under a controversial sheriff. Repeated arrests, deadly shootouts, and family drama followed Riggs until his tragic demise in 1902.   Merch! https://wildwestextramerch.com/   Buy Me A Coffee!  https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/  

Who was the deadliest gunfighter of the Old West? Legends like Wild Bill Hickok, Billy the Kid, and Jesse James all have larger-than-life reputations, but the truth is often a lot messier. Join me as we break down the facts and attempt to separate myth from reality on the West’s most notorious shootists. We’ll talk confirmed kills, unverified stories, and the wildest rumors around names like Johnny Ringo, Butch Cassidy, Clay Allison, Jesse James, Bass Reeves, Deacon Jim Miller, Tom Horn, and John Wesley Hardin. And along the way, you’ll get a closer look at who really deserves the number one spot on this list. Got an opinion? Drop your picks in the comments. If you think someone should be added or taken off, let me know who and why. Make sure to stick around to the very end for a bonus gunfighter most folks have never heard of.   Johnny Ringo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6glLij_YCY   Billy the Kid - https://youtu.be/J3yBXIa7ZuQ?si=VTHTr-JpT30wT2Cu   Jesse James - https://youtu.be/mUK8HWd53Z8?si=Pv

On June 27th, 1874, a handful of buffalo hunters found themselves surrounded by hundreds of Comanche at a place called Adobe Walls. Outnumbered more than twenty to one, the odds of survival looked slim. Nevertheless, it was here that Billy Dixon stepped forward and made what’s become known as the “shot of the century,” dropping a mounted warrior at nearly 1,500 yards. Join me as we examine the life of Billy Dixon, from his hardscrabble childhood to his time as a buffalo hunter, scout, and Medal of Honor recipient. Also discussed are how Dixon and his companions survived the siege at Adobe Walls, what really happened in the infamous buffalo wallow fight, and how these events helped shape the final days of the Southern Plains tribes.   Merch! https://wildwestextramerch.com/   Buy Me A Coffee!  https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/   Join Patreon

What really happened to Jesse Evans, the outlaw who once rode with Billy the Kid and helped ignite the Lincoln County War? He shot up dance halls, rustled cattle, and left a bloody trail from New Mexico to Texas, only to vanish without a trace. And to this day, nobody knows his true fate. Was Jesse Evans really a childhood friend of Billy the Kid? Did he spend his final years as Joseph Hines in Florida, or die hiding out on a Texas ranch? Join me as I attempt to separate fact from fiction and explore every wild theory about Jesse’s origins, his crimes, and his legendary disappearance. Buy Me A Coffee!  https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/ Billy the Kid - https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-compilation/   Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/   Join Patreon for ad-free bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a

For generations, rumors have swirled that Old West outlaw Billy the Kid’s grave at Fort Sumner was swept away by a massive flood. But is there any truth to the legend, or does Billy still rest beneath his famous gravestone? Also discussed are fellow Lincoln County Regulators Charlie Bowdre and Tom Folliard. Chasing Billy YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@chasingbilly Billy the Kid’s Grave by David G. Thomas - https://www.abebooks.com/9781542404723/Billy-Kids-Grave-History-Wild-154240472X/plp Buy Me A Coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/ Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/ Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/ Join Patreon for ad-free bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Was José Chavez y Chavez really part Navajo? And what about Billy the Kid’s famous escape from Lincoln? Was that Young Guns 2 scene with the pistol in the outhouse true, or did he overpower his guard? Who actually killed Deputy Carlyle at White Oaks? These are just a few of the questions I discussed with historian and author James B. Mills. His book, Billy the Kid: Bandido Simpatico, is one of the most definitive biographies on William H. Bonney, and his new release, In the Days of Billy the Kid, explores the lives of Chavez y Chavez, Juan Patron, Yginio Salazar, and the underrated Martin Chavez. We cover everything from the Society of Bandits to the Battle of Lincoln, whether Billy and Jesse James ever met, John Chisum, and even the White Caps uprising. Order In the Days of Billy the Kid NOW!!! – https://www.amazon.com/Days-Billy-Kid-Ch%C3%A1vez-Salazar/dp/1574419625 Order Billy the Kid: El Bandido Simpatico NOW!!! – https://a.co/d/bpg9ocJ   Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/  

James Beckwourth lived one of the most extraordinary lives in American frontier history. Born the son of a white plantation owner and an enslaved Black woman, Beckwourth was freed by his father and set out to make his own way in the West. He trapped beaver alongside legendary mountain men like Jim Bridger and Kit Carson, fought in battles ranging from the swamps of Florida to the Pacific coast, and rose to prominence as a leader among the Crow Nation. Beckwourth, also known as Bloody Arm, became known not only for his courage and skill but also for his gift of storytelling. Some saw him as a hero, others as a braggart, and many as a man whose tales blurred the line between fact and fiction. His legacy remains controversial, from accusations of involvement in the Sand Creek Massacre to the mystery surrounding his death near the Bighorn River. Was James Beckwourth a fearless frontiersman, a dangerous opportunist, or simply a legend much too large to pin down? Historians still debate the truth, but what’s undeni

Did Pat Garrett receive the $500 bounty on Billy the Kid’s head? For years, rumors have spread that Garrett was denied payment because he failed to prove the Kid’s death. But how true are these claims? Buy Me A Coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/   Join Patreon for ad-free bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bigfoot Wallace is one of those figures who looms so large in Texas history that it can be tough to separate the facts from the tall tales. Born in Virginia and hardened by tragedy, Wallace headed to Texas with vengeance on his mind. What followed was a life filled with brutal frontier battles, narrow escapes, and enough wild stories to fill volumes. As a Texas Ranger, Wallace faced down Comanche warriors, Mexican soldiers, and all the hazards the wild country could throw at him. He was captured, imprisoned, and forced to gamble his own life in a deadly lottery. Somehow, he always managed to survive, becoming both a folk hero and a figure of controversy along the way. But who was the real Bigfoot Wallace? Was he truly the courageous defender that Texans have celebrated for generations, or was there something darker beneath the surface? How much of his legend is built on truth, and how much is the result of years spent spinning yarns on a front porch? Buy me a coffee!  https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest C

Did Pat Garrett’s widow really claim that her husband helped to fake the demise of Billy the Kid? What about Garrett’s daughter, Elizabeth? Did she really give an interview in the 1980s saying the same thing? Endless online debates and unreliable sources have fueled questions such as these. But what does the historical evidence actually say? Today, we’ll examine the affidavit of Homer Overton, the stories about Elizabeth Garrett, the primary sources, eyewitness testimony, and the coroner’s inquest records. And hopefully, once and for all, put the rumors to rest.    Buy Me A Coffee!  https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/   Join Patreon for ad-free bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices