Into the woods on a full stomach

An odd mixture of activities brought adventurers, eaters and adventurous eaters to the Custer Gallatin National Forest Saturday to witness what happens when you mix an atlatl, a dutch oven and plants.

Natural Resource Specialist Megan Reedy said that tonight's location at Wickham Gulch campground lent itself to the incorporation of the different activities. Picnic tables were laden with potluck dishes and three fire pits were ready for the dutch ovens. There was a spacious clearing for atlatl antics.

Tawni Cordell walked the group through her recipe for "Lazy Cobbler" as she added ingredients: two cans of peaches with juice, cake mix, cinnamon and a half-stick of butter. Cordell warned to not be tempted to check the cobbler too soon, because the heat will be lost, but admitted "It's hard to wait sometimes."

She said it was important to wear leather gloves, have a proper lid lifting device and to not put your mascara on before getting your charcoal out.

The potluck meal included a hotdog, potato and vegetable dish, chilled macaroni and cabbage salads, and warm, fresh-out-of-the-dutch-oven chocolate cake.

While people ate, District Ranger Kurt Hanson gave a presentation on rare and unique plants found in the forest. Hanson said there is a lot of plant diversity in the Custer Gallatin despite having had two fires in the forest. There are 400 species of plant in the district, including four types of orchids. This month the Great Plains Ladies' Tresses Orchid will flower. Its flowers encircle the stem like a spiral staircase and can only be found in the Carter County part of the ranger district. In 2009 Hanson discovered a patch of Yellow Lady's Slipper Orchid. He speculated the unexpected find was distributed by insects, mammals or birds. "It looks like a little slipper you could slip your feet into," he said.

As the sun began to gild the leaves and the "Lazy Cobbler" continued baking, Research Assistant Sarah Nodskov demonstrated the atlatl, a spear throwing aid invented 10,000 years ago. It functions similar to a Chukit! tennis ball launcher and extends the hunter's arm like a cheater pipe on a short wrench. The spear's extra velocity enabled young, old and weak members of a tribe to participate in hunting. The primary aim was bison; they provided a large target and plenty of meat.

Tonight's aim was not spearing a neighbor.

At the end of the evening, when kids were only identifiable only by the color their glow stick, but before going home, the 'Lazy Cobbler" was devoured as night devours trees.