Re. the notching of the trigger-guard of the very nice plains rifle, it could even have been done in later years, when some kid was playing 'cowboys and indians' or some such.
Having said that, I agree it probably represents some formidable adversary downed, like a grizzly.
Re. keeping score of human victims, This as we agree is normally rather abhorent, but two cases where this wasn't the case come to mind;
1, WW2 Polish fighter pilots in the RAF as an example....lost their country and maybe family to the Reich, and were there simply to kill Germans. It was a vendetta and that is all. Even when the weather was not fit for flying, they would Still fly if an enemy 'plane was heard overhead....even against orders.
Such a vendetta could concievably also occur in the old west, if someone lost his family to 'hostiles'
2, The other example of "keeping score" is actually from a friends private collection from New Gunea, But the score was kept by the Victims side.
In this case the tally is in the form of a large pole, carved with representations of the people killed by a rival tribe. the figures vary from tiny to very large, depending on social standing, and if a truce was to be called, a very quick 'leveling of score' often took place before the truce took effect!
What has this to do with the old west?..........I don't have a clue!!...apart from giving examples of where keeping score is more 'Kosha"
All best wishes
Richard.
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