Some cowboys supposedly took a photograph of a prehistoric-like bird or reptile, and tacked the picture to a barn outside of Tombstone, Arizona. Some say the Epitaph ran a story about it in 1890. Is this story true?
Scott Mensching, Via the Internet
I called my friend Ben Traywick in Tombstone to get the lowdown on “Big Bird.” He’s heard the story many times and has tried to chase it down, but he hasn’t, yet. “The bird,” he says, “was supposed to have, among other things, a

October 2005
In This Issue:
Features
Western Books & Movies
More In This Issue
- Were there any outlaws or cowboys who were disabled?
- The Early West
- Inspired by the Prairie
- Rekindling Campfires
- More than Just O.K.
- Trailing Wilson Price Hunt’s Astorians West
- B&W Trailer Hitches
- Some cowboys supposedly took a photograph of a prehistoric-like bird or reptile
- Which type of horse and saddle were the most liked and used by the U.S. Cavalry?
- True West’s Best of the West 2006 Winners