Chuck: I think you're right about shotguns in the "old west." I don't know if they were hard to find, but I don't think they were valued nearly as much as a rifle. Roosevelt's turn-of-the-century memoirs and hunting commentary from his years spent in the high plains and northern Rockies make the same point. Teddy knew his guns and was clearly a rifleman first and foremost, but I doubt he displayed any bias when he describes the west as pure rifle country. It would appear that he shot as many prairie chickens and sharptailed grouse with a rifle as he did with a scattergun. TR was, of course, by no means a typical rancher, but I think he tried very hard to live by their rules, and I suspect his writing was an accurate reflection of local preferences and prejudices. TT
