Why would you leave your rifle and not come back?

[Robson Valley]

Much of Nevada is desert, rainshadows included. Very little annual precipitation. You can expect 100+ growth rings per inch.
The precip is so poor and so irregular that it was possible for the first dendrochronological sequences
to be established in the Arizona/Nevada region. Last I heard, 7,000 yr climate/age record.

I've got some coastal (wet zone) western red cedar which is a measured 75 rings/inch, like bone to carve.

At the same time, I agree that the rifle may have been left against the tree at any time after
its date of manufacture.

 

[Bishop]

Tis a mystery to be sure and though the skeptic in me has a rational answer
this unfinished tale of the West will give folk pause to ponder for years.

Mama put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore - Bob Dylan

 

[wandering1]

I think the most interesting thing ive ever found is a limestone block in section of oak and wrecked a chainsaw in the process
Besides that usually barbed wire coils
And once an old tin.box with a few trinkets in it

 

[santaman2000]

Much of Nevada is desert, rainshadows included. Very little annual precipitation......

I know. I lived in the Mojave area of Nevada for 5 years.

 

[allrightscud]

Here's a story about a lost/forgotton rifle which is 100% genunie. Like Zeiss I was more impressed by the scope and how it held up to the elements.

http://www.zeiss.com/sports-optics/...st-and-found--zeiss-riflescope-in-norway.html

 

[allrightscud]

The bike I'm thinking of was a ground level, somewhere in the uk, can't find the pic but it was like ths

http://m.imgur.com/Q6QXWMC

You'd think someone wouldn't re bury a Iron Age sword but they did! Unless someone comes along and admits it, like the crop circle blokes did, I guess we will neve know. Sniff, I never find stuff like that.

atb

Tom

I belive the story was a 14 year old left it against the tree when he ran off to join the army in WW1. There was a local campaign to give the tree protected status but it was rejected as it was a sycamore and not something special!

 

[Goatboy]

Hate to say it but I think the Bike photo is faked. The bike is up in the air and trunks don't grow up just out. The trunk itself is way too round where the metalwork leaves the bark, no distortion in the line of the tree ???

I'm not so sure, it looks from this angle like it'd been hung on a branch and the tree had grown round, you don't really see the branch from the other angle.

 

[santaman2000]

Here's a story about a lost/forgotton rifle which is 100% genunie. Like Zeiss I was more impressed by the scope and how it held up to the elements.

http://www.zeiss.com/sports-optics/...st-and-found--zeiss-riflescope-in-norway.html

I expect the OP is a genuine case; jsy not sure how long the rifle's been left there.

Just a thought about the OP's question as to "why." It is after all, a National Park (as opposed to a National Forest) While hunting is allowed in National Forests, it's prohibited in National Parks. I suppose it's possible the owner was a hunter (poacher) who abandoned the rifle to avoid being caught in the act? Possibly with the intention of retrieving it later, and never able to carry out those intentions.

What do you think Woodsorrel?