Before the 1900’s game was plentiful in the mountains around Steamboat and was taken for domestic use without permit or government complaint by local settlers. One of the most notable hunters was a man by the name of Scott Teague in this area. He was a “Dude Wrangler” by summer and a trapper-hunter the rest of the year. He was the go-to for ranchers when dealing with varmint predators. One of Teague’s most notable hunting clients was none other than western novelist Zane Gray. Many of Gray’s books speak to stories told around campfires while hunting in the Yampa Valley.