The Rifle Pitts

[j2digger]

During the Red River War, a regiment got stranded in what is now known as Ochiltree County in the Texas panhandle. A blizzard stranded the troops and Buffalo Bill Cody along the Palo Duroc Creek. The commander cached a supply of rifles and other supplies. As they were running low on provisions, Scout Bill Cody hunted for days for meat to feed the troops. Just as they were down to their last crumbs, he finally came across a large herd of buffalo and killed enough to save the troops. When the weather finally permitted, they left the area and cache intending on returning later to retrieve. As what happens usually, they never returned.
I have examined satellite and aerial imagery of the area. All the prime looking locales are privately owned.

 

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[sphillips]

I found Ochiltree county, and a creek called Palo Duro near Guymon, OK running south into Ochiltree. Is it along this waterway you are referring?

 

[j2digger]

Yes. As far as anyone knows, the cache has never been recovered.

 

[fireman821]

I live in the area around the Rifle Pits. I just recently heard about them. I also heard they are still out there, somewhere. But, again, not much information to go on...

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Blizzard in TX? I took some nice photos of the Spanish skirts, was that in Palo Duro Canyon?

 

[ECS]

A history of the Red River War:
Red River War
http://www.redriverhistorian.com/redriverwar.html
The Red River War occurred in 1874. Bill Cody did scout and buffalo hunt for the US Army, between 1868-1872.
In Dec 1872, Cody was in Chicago performing in a play produced by Ned Buntline, that then went on tour for 10 years- Bill Cody was not involved in the Red River Wars.
Col Randel McKensie waged a scorched earth policy against the Kiowa and Comanche people, forcing them to surrender.
The Rifle Pits seems to be lore, and not fact.