Mystery 132-year-old rifle found in national park

Odd_News ^ | Jan. 14, 2015 | Ben Hooper

[Brother Cracker]

GREAT BASIN NATIONAL PARK, Nev., -- Officials at Nevada's Great Basin National Park said they are trying to determine the origins of a 132-year-old rifle found leaning against a tree.

Park officials said the rifle, identified by an engraving on its side as a Model 1873 Winchester manufactured in 1882, was found blending in with the colors of a juniper tree in the park and seems to have been there for "many years."

The officials wrote on the park's Facebook page the rifle was "exposed to sun, wind, snow, and rain" and features "a cracked wood stock, weathered to grey" and the barrel has "rusted" to brown.

The park said researchers are seeking to answer questions including: "Who left the rifle? When and why it was leaned against the tree? And, why was it never retrieved?"

The Facebook page said the park will allow the public to view the rifle before it is sent off to conservators to undergo treatment and preserve it the way it was found. The rifle will return to the park to be displayed as part of the Great Basin National Park 30th Birthday and the National Park Service Centennial celebration.

[Brother Cracker]

[Biggirl]

Could it had been that where both the rifle and tree is located, maybe in an area that is pretty much isolated?

[SoCal Pubbie]

So THAT”S where I left it. Dang!

[thackney]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/search?m=all;o=time;q=quick;s=rifle

[from occupied ga]

OR - The owner put down the rifle and was eaten by a bear.

[Darksheare]

There may have been a body or fragmentary remains somewhere within a five hundred yard distance nearby.
Someone sets rifle down to take a dumper, gets mauled by a bear.
Scavengers scatter remains.
Might be only tiny bits left.

[Biggirl]

...Or a mountain even.

[Biggirl]

Opps, a mountain lion.

[Brother Cracker]

[humblegunner]

Opps, a mountain lion.

Opps rhymes with cops.

Oops rhymes with hoops.

[Biggirl]

LOL!

[knarf]

May be BigFINGEREDgirl

/8^)

[Biggirl]

Pretty much covers just about all of Nevada.

[Biggirl]

We ALL make mistakes. No one is perfect.

[SMARTY]

More like!

They ought to look for the remains of the owner, who couldn’t have got far without it.

[Brother Cracker]

Winchester Model 1873

[Paisan]

Was it still loaded?

[Sacajaweau]

Interesting. I'm looking at the tree and rocks....and it looks like it might be on an old boundary line. Probably pretty easy to track down any owners...and where the old cabin/farmhouse was.

Pretty cool....

[Celtic Conservative]

Personally, I blame Jimmy Stewart.

CC

[Brother Cracker]