Life in the West was full of danger. Bears, snakes, horses, and enemies, either Indian or European.
Lets look at some of the shooting injuries suffered by the trappers while plying their trade.

From Larpenteur:
The orderly sergeant, who
had had the scurvy, could not run; the Indians rushed upon him, shot nine arrows into him,
pounded him with their war-clubs, and then scalped him, not leaving a hair upon his head. The
young man who fell at the first discharge was shot with one ball, above his left breast, and two in
his leg.

Also from Larpenteur:
On the 19th of July we left Union. On reaching the landing at Buford we learned that the Sioux
had fired on the traders whom Mr. Gaben had sent from Union to them, after obtaining permission
of the Peace Commissioners to do so. One was shot in the back with an arrow; and at least
one ball glanced off the other, having struck the brass mounting of his belt.

From Pattie:
Next morning,
fearful that our guns might have experienced inconvenience from the rain, we fired them off to
load them afresh. They were amazed and alarmed, to see us make, what they called thunder and
lightning. They were still more startled, to see the bullet holes in the tree, at which we had aimed.
We made signs to them, that one ball would pass through the body of two men.

From Russell:
Novr. 5th Some White hunters arrived at the Fort who had been defeated by the Blackfeet Indians
on Ham’s Fork of Green River. One of them had his arm broken by a fusee ball but by the salutary
relief which he obtained from the Fort he was soon enabled to return to his avocations.

From Meek, River of the West:
Sublette then pressed forward, and seeing an Indian looking through an
aperture, aimed at him with fatal effect. No sooner had he done so, and pointed out the opening
to Campbell, than he was struck with a ball in the shoulder, which nearly prostrated him, and
turned him so faint that Campbell took him in his arms and carried him, assisted by Meek, out
of the swamp.

From Wyeth:
31st N.N.W. 8 miles through a muddy Bottom and little grass to some large willows found a party
of 4 whites who have lost their horses and one of them wounded in the head with a Ball and in
the body with an arrow very badly they suppose the Snakes did it but I think not.

Trappers Threatened by Crow Indians, by Alfred Jacob Miller

Not to hijack your thread, but keep your head down Kyle. Some ugly weather up your way.

Oh yeah, storms rolling through for a couple hours now. We need the rain bad.

I'm happy it didn't do this for our rendezvous last weekend. heavy storms and tent camping aren't a lot of fun.

One of the stories I'm fond of is of Missionary Marcus Whitman removing an iron arrow point from Jim Bridger's back during the 1835 rendezvous. It had been in there long enough that cartilage had grown around it and the point was bent into his backbone. The Indians that watched Marcus work on him were by all accounts fascinated with the operation.

Operation was successful too.

thanks for posting always enjoy