Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 76 ACES & EIGHTS Poker in the Old West was a gaming staple in saloons for much of the 19th Century. You have likely seen enough movies to picture the rough-and-tum- ble world of cowboys, "townies" and professional gamblers in bowler hats to imagine the scene at Saloon #10 on August 2nd, 1876 in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, when Wild Bill Hickock was ambushed and shot in the back of the head while holding two pair of black "aces and eights," which became for- ever known as the Dead Man's Hand. Though actually a pretty decent hand for poker, yet when those cards are dealt today they are still considered by some players as a bad luck omen. The idea of luck in the Old West has many other car- ry-overs. Some you will know, but others may surprise you. RANCH DRESSING AND THE KILLING FIELDS Ranch work is tough enough without tempting ill fortune. Superstitions of all sorts revolve around ranch-hands, and some of them involve their outfits and attire. Never lend someone your hat (unless you're planning on taking them home); and keep that hat right-side up, but never put it on a bed (more about that later). Never cross your boots when you remove them, or you might get tripped up. Never lend out your ranch gear. When you receive a knife as a gift, always give a penny for it to save yourself some cuts. Never wear a peacock feather in your hat; and definitely do not wear a dead man's boots. The deceased will haunt you and that horse you rode in on forever. And while we are on to horses, a cowboy's prize possession is his horse, which you are never to lend lest misfortune befall you. And, by the way, if you change the name of your horse you will most definitely get injured on it. If you pull the shoes from a dead horse, never re-use them. Bad luck, indeed! While riding the range, death takes on new meaning. After you've killed the coyote, hang it on your fencing. Coyotes seem to understand bad luck. When you kill a rattler, do it with ceremony: Cut off the head. Bury it, belly up (for rain). Keep those rattles for good luck. If you enjoy a fine quail hunt, kill any roadrunner you see (beep-beep!). Never use your dead dog's collar on your new dog. Look up at that buzzard, but don't let its shadow cross over you. Finally, if you bury a loved one on the ranch, keep an eye out for a red-tailed hawk nearby. If you see one, you can be sure that the departed is now with the Almighty. Just don't point at his grave or any other for that matter. Your finger will rot off. F R O M P O K E R T O H O R S E S H O E S A BRIEF LOOK AT COWBOY SUPERSTITION by BILL MUHLENFELD

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