The Sheep Eaters of Wyoming
By Bayard Fox
Nestled in the northwestern corner of Wyoming, a landscape of unparalleled beauty unfolds, a testament to the enduring power of nature. While white settlers arrived in this valley a little over a century ago, a mere blink in the grand scheme of history, the presence of Native Americans stretches back at least 9,000 years. To reside in this land is to inevitably become aware of a previous culture, a people who forged a unique and harmonious existence with the natural world. This is the land of The Sheep Eaters of Wyoming.
Evidence of their presence is scattered across the landscape. Stone tools, like arrowheads, hatchets, scrapers, awls, and discarded chippings, whisper silent tales of a vibrant past. Near a ranch, beneath towering rock pillars reminiscent of the Acropolis, a high point offers a breathtaking panorama of the Wind River Valley and the snow-capped mountains beyond. Here, heaps of stone chippings lie in abundance, a clear indication that skilled craftsmen toiled for years, meticulously shaping the tools necessary for their survival. These were the tools of The Sheep Eaters of Wyoming.
These people, known as the Sheep Eaters, or Tukudeka in their own language, derived their name from their primary food source: the bighorn sheep. A branch of the larger Shoshone tribe, they carved out a life high in the mountain fastnesses, a rugged terrain also favored by their namesake prey. Both the Indians and the bighorn sheep found a precarious, yet sustainable, niche in this challenging alpine environment. The story of The Sheep Eaters of Wyoming is one of adaptation and resilience.
Unlike other tribes who favored the lower river valleys, the Sheep Eaters strategically utilized the high-altitude environment. Even during the harsh Wyoming winters, they sought out windswept slopes where minimal snow accumulation made travel more manageable, especially on the sun-drenched southern exposures. Their dwellings were simple yet effective: caves and wickiups nestled in sheltered canyons high in the mountains. The mountain ridges served as their highways, facilitating movement and hunting across the vast landscape. Their knowledge of the land was intimate, their survival intrinsically linked to its rhythms. The legacy of The Sheep Eaters of Wyoming endures in these mountains.
The Sheep Eaters were renowned for their exceptional craftsmanship, particularly their powerful compound bows. These bows, meticulously crafted from laminated bighorn sheep horns, were highly prized trade items with other tribes. Legend has it that these bows possessed the strength to drive an arrow clean through a buffalo, a testament to the skill and ingenuity of their makers. The craftsmanship of The Sheep Eaters of Wyoming was essential to their survival.
Hidden away in the mountains, remnants of the ingenious sheep traps used by the Indians can still be found. These traps consisted of wooden fences strategically positioned to funnel the bighorn sheep into narrow corrals, where they could be easily hunted. A wickiup, discovered in a remote canyon just an hour’s walk from the main lodge, stands as a poignant reminder of their presence. The sticks that formed its frame remain upright, defying the passage of time for at least 140 years, a silent witness to a way of life that has largely vanished. The ingenuity of The Sheep Eaters of Wyoming allowed them to thrive in a harsh environment.
Tony Taylor’s book, Alpine Sentinels, provides a compelling account of these remarkable people. Taylor describes how the acquisition of the horse and the gun by the Plains Indian Tribes in the mid-1700s triggered a technological revolution. This transformation dramatically altered their way of life, making buffalo hunting far easier and greatly enhancing travel, transport, and warfare capabilities.
According to Taylor, the Plains Indian culture shifted towards abundance, speed, power, and mobility, leading to the abandonment of many traditional practices. In contrast, the Sheep Eaters remained steadfast in their adherence to their ancient culture, continuing to rely on reverence for nature, cunning, simplicity, and finesse for their survival. Their commitment to their traditional way of life set them apart from other tribes. The resilience of The Sheep Eaters of Wyoming is a testament to their cultural strength.
Tragically, the arrival of white settlers and the diseases they brought, such as smallpox, decimated the Sheep Eaters population. Simultaneously, diseases introduced by domestic sheep nearly eradicated the bighorn sheep herds, further jeopardizing their survival. Faced with dwindling resources and increasing pressure, the surviving Sheep Eaters were forced to seek refuge with their Shoshone cousins on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Their story is a poignant reminder of the devastating impact of colonization on indigenous cultures. The fate of The Sheep Eaters of Wyoming serves as a cautionary tale.
The story of the Sheep Eaters is a complex and multifaceted one. It is a story of adaptation, resilience, and ingenuity in the face of challenging environmental conditions. It is also a story of cultural preservation in the face of technological change. And, ultimately, it is a story of loss and displacement due to the forces of colonization. Their legacy, however, continues to resonate in the mountains of Wyoming, a testament to the enduring spirit of a people who lived in harmony with the land. The memory of The Sheep Eaters of Wyoming lives on.
By Bayard Fox. Compiled and edited by Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated March 2025.
About the Author: Bayard Fox is a Yale graduate, a seasoned traveler, and a polyglot. He established the Bitterroot Dude Ranch in Dubois, Wyoming, in 1971. Together with his wife, Mel, and their son, Richard, Bayard offers exceptional horseback riding vacation experiences, setting the Bitterroot Dude Ranch apart from other ranches. Visit the Bitterroot Dude Ranch website at http://www.bitterrootranch.com/
Also See:
Native American Mythology and Legends
Native Americans – First Owners of America
Wyoming – The Cowboy State
Wyoming Photo Galleries