Mountain Man Possibles Bag - Primary Sources
Browse these primary sources to learn more about mountain man possibles bags.
Nomads around the world have always faced the same problem. How do you carry everything you need when you are constantly on the move? Part of the answer is that you don’t own very many things. Instead, you trim down your equipment to the bare essentials, and you learn to live with less than most people think possible. Nomadism forces you to build your knowledge and skills, rather than buy a bunch of gear. For example, you can watch this video of a modern group of nomads called the Hadza. As you watch, one thing you might notice is how few things they seem to have.
Historically, there have been many nomadic people all around the world. In America, some groups of Native people were nomadic at the time of European contact. Geographically, the region with the most nomadic Native people was the Great Plains. Aside from the river bottoms, this arid region was incapable of agriculture. As a result, the people became hunter-gatherers. Plains tribes were the culture groups that most often hunted buffalo, lived in tipis, and became expert horsemen after the introduction of the horse. As many people know, these nomads moved with the herds of buffalo. It was a life of consistent movement.
When American trappers first traveled to the Plains, they quickly realized they were in a totally different environment than in the eastern woodlands. It didn’t take long before they realized the usual method of traveling in the East, the canoe, was impractical on the Plains. Like explorers all around the world, the trappers learned from the locals how to better survive. These American trappers came to be known as the mountain men, and they practiced a life that resembled the Native cultures of the Plains. One key similarity between the lives of mountain men and tribes like the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Crow, was that the mountain men lived nomadically on the plains and in the mountains. By necessity, the mountain men carried very little gear as they traveled from place to place.
Although nomadic people are minimalists, all groups do have certain essential tools. The specific tools depend on the cultural region. As a group, the mountain men developed a kit that contained a handful of necessary items they needed to stay alive. This kit has come to be known as the mountain man possibles bag. According to at least one source, the mountain man possibles bag can be defined as a sack for carrying equipment, usually small necessities such as fire steel and flint, balls, caps, etc.
Here is one primary source that comes from a trapper named Osborne Russell about a trapper’s gear:
“A Trappers equipments in such cases is generally one Animal upon which is placed one or two Epishemores a riding Saddle and bridle a sack containing six Beaver traps a blanket with an extra pair of Mocasins his powder horn and bullet pouch with a belt to which is attached a butcher Knife a small wooden box containing bait for Beaver a Tobacco sack with a pipe and implements for making fire with sometimes a hatchet fastened to the Pommel of his saddle his personal dress is a flannel or cotton shirt (if he is fortunate enough to obtain one, if not Antelope skin answers the purpose of over and under shirt) a pair of leather breeches with Blanket or smoked Buffaloe skin, leggings, a coat made of Blanket or Buffaloe robe a hat or Cap of wool, Buffaloe or Otter skin his hose are pieces of Blanket lapped round his feet which are covered with a pair of Moccassins made of Dressed Deer Elk or Buffaloe skins with his long hair falling loosely over his shoulders complets his uniform. He then mounts and places his rifle before him on his Saddle. Such was the dress equipage of the party my- self included now ready to start.” - Osborne Russell
If you were paying attention, you may have noticed there was no mention of a possibles bag. Instead, he mentions a bullet pouch. In actuality, there is a difference between a bullet pouch and a possibles bag. This seems to be one of those modern misunderstandings we have about mountain men. When you look at the primary sources, they reveal that mountain men actually referred to their possibles bag as a bullet pouch. Here is a good article that points out the difference between a mountain man possibles bag and a bullet pouch.
Here is another primary source referring to a pouch instead of a possibles bag. This comes from a trapper named Warren A. Ferris.
“These men remained with Glass five days, but as he did not die perhaps as they anticipated he soon must, when the company left them, they cruelly abandoned him, taking his rifle, shot-pouch, etc., with them, believing that he would soon linger out a miserable existence. Leaving him without the means of making a fire, or procuring food, the heartless wretches followed the trail of the company, reached their companions, and circulated the report that Glass had died, and that they had buried him.”
Again, you’ll see he noted “they” took Glass’ shot-pouch. This also apparently left with “without the means of making fire…”. You could, perhaps, infer that this means mountain men carried fire-making tools in the bullet pouch. However, if you compare it to the Russell source, it may have been that there was another pouch Glass carried that is not mentioned except for “etc.” But, if you compare it to more primary sources, it’s likely that Glass’ bullet pouch did contain his means of making fire.
Another example comes from Charles Larpentuer. He wrote:
“Having traveled about two hours, we perceived a party of warriors; but, fortunately for us, we saw them first, turned back a few steps, and then struck for the roughest part of the mountains to hide and select a good place for defense, in case we should be found. During this rambling I thought of a dried buffalo sinew which I had in my bullet pouch to mend moccasins.”
As you can see, Larpentuer notes carrying a bullet pouch and not a possibles bag. He also references carrying sinew to mend his moccasins. This can tell us that some trappers carried a sewing kit inside their bullet pouch.
Finally, another source comes from George Ruxton. Admittedly, George Ruxton did travel to the West outside of the “mountain man era,” but his travels were close enough in time that his writing could be used as a resource. Ruxton wrote several entries describing the bullet pouch. They include:
“Fire-making is a simple process with the mountaineers. Their bullet-pouches always contain a flint, and steel, and sundry pieces of " punk" or tinder; and pulling a handful of dry grass, which they screw into a nest, they place the lighted punk in this, and, closing the grass over it, wave it in the air, when it soon ignites, and readily kindles the dry sticks forming the foundation of the fire.”
Again, we have a reference to a bullet pouch instead of the possibles bag. Also, in this case, Ruxton explains that the fire kit was contained in the bullet pouch. As you are probably beginning to see, what we call a mountain man possibles bag, the mountain men actually called a bullet pouch.
Here are a few images showing trappers with their bullet pouches.
As you can see in the above image, one trapper has his bullet pouch over his shoulder, while the other has momentarily hung it on a limb.
Again, you can clearly see the bullet pouch the trapper is carrying.
That being said, if you read this article, you’ll understand that trappers did have a possibles bag, it just wasn’t the bag they carried on their body at all times. Instead, it was a larger bag that contained things they didn’t necessarily need to survive. The possibles bag actually carried things like their kettles, hides, and bulk ammunition supplies like extra powder and lead.
When it comes to mountain man possibles bags, if you want to speak most accurately about the topic, it’s worth being clear about the distinction between a possibles bag and a bullet pouch. If you’ve ever made the mistake of calling the bullet pouch a possibles bag, don’t worry, it’s a common misunderstanding. In some of my writings, I’ve certainly made this mistake. As a historian, I’ll do a better job of accurately referencing the two different objects as I move forward. Perhaps, this article can help you do the same.
Although the vocabulary of the subject may be important, we could let it overshadow the actual lessons of the bullet pouch. At least to me, the most important part of studying history is not seeing who can recall the most facts for a trivia game. Instead, it’s about understanding the lessons and applying them to your life. The mountain men carried bullet pouches that contained the bare essentials. It was a pouch that, if they had nothing else, they could do OK surviving with it. Many modern outdoorsmen understand this and have applied the same principles to their gear. When we travel in the outdoors, it is probably a good idea to emulate the mountain men and carry a few necessary items. Tools like lighters, knives, a compass, and communication devices are all basic items outdoorsmen seem to universally benefit from. Like all people who are on the move, the modern outdoorsman can benefit from carrying a few essential items in a compact kit. In doing so, you’ll be solving the same gear problems that nomadic people have always faced.
