American Mountain Men

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In a vast land of mountains, as treacherous as the sea, a small group of men found the essence of freedom in a long lost craft. A craft that slowly vanishes as new blood is difficult to obtain. Determined to preserve the traditions of the American Mountain Men they decided to work with photographers and cinematographers for the first time in history.

Seeing people with so much passion for the craft and its traditions was invigorating to witness while capturing these men. We truly hope we succeeded to convey our experience in this project.

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Production company: NEW DAY studio

Written & directed by: Jacob Ossef
Cinematography: Erik Journée
Music by: Joey van Ingen
Photography: Jeroen Nieuwhuis

- Film poster -

- Short film -

- Photography series -

A portrait of Duane 'Badger' Richardson at the break of dawn.

Todd riding his quarter horse, Shadow. Whinnie in the background. His clothes are handmade of brain tanned deer and antelope. Carrying a Northwest trade gun made by Northstar West.

Jim Goodman resting in his tent.

A portrait of the American Mountain Men member Jim Goodman.

Todd Schultz preparing his breakfast with one of is quater horses in the background.

Duane 'Badger' Richardson. Representative of the free trapper of the early fur trade of the Rocky Mountains around 1825. Wearing brain tanned buckskin clothing with an India vegetable died block print shirt and linen over shirt. A member of the AMM for around 20 years.

A southern Cheyenne medicine bag with black and white beads is hung around

his neck with quill ed GageD'amour (pipe bag).

Tom Bobek, a master Blacksmith.

Close-up portrait of Tom Bobek, a master Blacksmith.

Richard 'Spirit Horse Hunter' Ashburn lighting his pipe with a wooden stick.

He's a respected member of the AMM for over 45 years.

The skin of the beaver is one of the main reasons trappers would roam the Rocky Mountains. Here's Duane 'Badger' Richardson dragging a trapped beaver out of the river.

After trapping the beaver, the trapper would skin it.

Tom stretching the skin of a fresh caught beaver in a brain tanned elk hide tipi.

Left to right: Richard ' Spirit Horse Hunter' Ashburn, George Jackson, Emil Metz, Duane 'Badger' Richardson,

Kyne Clark, Keith 'Moki' Hipol.

'Badger' aiming his 56 caliber trade gun during twilight.

Keith 'Moki' Hipol sitting on a easily portable willow backrest.

Portrait of George Jackson. He hunts for over 42 years with a flintlock rifle and killed many elks, deers and buffalos with it. Every year he uses more then twenty brain tanned hides to create clothing, moccasins etc. One winter he sewed up an elk skin lodge to live in.

A full brain tanned buckskin outfit including hunting shirt, leggings and moccasins.

A portrait of Kyne Clark smoking his selfmade pipe.

Portrait of Kyne Clark.

A portrait of William Bailey. Member of The American Mountain Man Association since 30 years and known as the builder of the Robidoux's trading fort on Blue River.

Bradley C Bailey wearing a “wolf ear cap“, a common style worn by mountain men. Supposedly it was useful in hunting buffalo as they had poor eyesight. They were used to wolves being near the herd, so it allowed hunters to sneak closer to the buffalo. Carrying a 58 cal J.Henry Lancaster pattern flintlock rifle.