What memories of the Skinner Brothers. I attended the second kids camp held back in 1957. I remember coming into Rock Springs on the train and being met by a Bob Skinner and a guy by the name of Rod. Don't remember his last name. My friend Allen Hill and I got off the train and passed what looked like some real mountain men. Little did I know I began a friendship with Bob that lasted the rest of his life and still lasts in my heart.

What an experience for a green kid from Indiana. I really ate it up and enjoyed every bit of our experiences during the 30 day camp. I even enjoyed the survival session, which we were prepared for by each of the brothers during daily classes. In the evening we would have water balloon fights from horseback. Teams would go out with their "ammo" of water balloons and try and ambush each other in order to defeat the other team by soaking them with a surprise attack.

Monte was in charge of the horses and I was lucky enough to ride out with him early in the morning to wrangle horses. What an experience. One of my most memorable experiences was when their dad, Clem, snuck into the camp to visit with me back in the woods somewhere. We sat on a deadfall and I listened to his stories. Too bad I did not write them down. He was really neat to talk to but his stories were out of a book, or should have been. I had no idea I would end up coming back to Skinner Brothers to hunt later in life. This led to even a stronger love of the mountains. So much so I ended up moving my family to Pinedale in July of 1976. We had bought about 18 acres out Pole Creek Road and built a log home which we dearly loved.

I had sent my son Jerry Jr. through a couple of the kids camps then through the mountain climbing sessions where he became friends with Todd. Once we moved to Pinedale we became closer to the Skinner Brothers but Bob and Doris became really close friends with my wife Joyce and I. Bob gave me a call one day to see if I could help guide during the bugle season due to over-bookings. I jumped at the chance and have never regretted it. Bob and I became even better friends through all of this as did Doris and Joyce. The two women visited frequently at our home for fellowship as two Christian women do and had a great time. I enjoyed my guiding and was very successful for Skinners in that I got every one of my hunters an elk.

One hunt a Rock Springs hunter's wife shot my horse thinking it was an elk. This turned out to be an extrordinary experience but it took a year and another run in with this guy in a different drainage to finally get the money for the horse his wife shot. The horse that was shot was Monte's favorite guide horse. I was able to guide at both the Jackson camp and out of the Burnt Lake Camp. Great times! Hard life, but great times. I helped Bob on a special moose hunt out of the Jackson Camp one year and had a great time.

I ended up moving away but did not end our friendship with Bob and Doris. We talked frequently by phone and I would visit Pinedale as frequently as I could and always stop by their home. Doris became sick and they moved to Lander to be closer to their family, especially the grandchildren, but Doris was pretty much bedridden. We visited with them several times in Lander and Joyce came out to take care of Doris for a week or so while Bob was in hunting camp. This was a special time for both gals and something to remember as long as we are on this earth. After Doris moved on to heaven Bob did not do well as you all know. One of the greatest times I had with Bob was the days I spent with him in Lander just prior to Thanksgiving 2006.

I have some great memories of that visit and things to share with Orion and Holly per Bob's request. I plan on doing that one of these days. I always considered Bob a man's man. He was that. I still get a bit emotional when I think of our last visit. It was special but it deserved to be special because he was a special person. I have encouraged Holly to write a book on the Skinner Brothers. There never was a family like them and never will there be a family like them. I have been honored to be a close friend of Bob and Doris and a friend of the brothers.

Jerry Enyeart

Lee's Summit, MO