Trapping and Hunting are an important part of Nephi and Utah History.

When you hear about the first non-Indians that came to Nephi and Utah, it is kind of up to conjecture-depending on who is talking or writing about it. From a recent discovery and translation of journals belonging to non-Indians, Utah's first white people could have entered near Moab in 1765. It is unclear if those two expeditions made it to Juab County, but according to the journals of two Catholic Priests-Dominguez and Escalante, that of explorers came down with the Spanish group, then Forked to the left, thus the name of Spanish Fork. We know they camped at what we now call Burraston's Pond(named after the Burraston family of Santaquin gave it to Utah to celebrate them becoming a state), but back then, the Priests wrote it down there journal, naming it "Fountain of St. Paul". The group of ten or so hunted and trapped for their food, as the entire valley was fertile with knee high grasses then marshes that extended to the west mountains. The trapping kept them in food through the Sevier down to Beaver which was named for the valley filled with Beaver. from what records I could find, American trappers entered Salt Creek(Nephi) in 1826, and that expedition was led by William Henry Ashley and Jedediah Strong Smith, totaling about 15 in the exploration. As a kid, I remember somebody telling me that Jim Bridger visited Nephi-until he broke his leg so went back to Wyoming. A few years ago, I wanted to learn of trapping, so I did, then interviewed Gale Allen of Stoddard, Utah, who held several Boone and Crockett records for deer kills. He died about three years ago, and still skinning Skunks at ninety. Other than driving a no-lights-on military train through Nazi Germany during World War II, his only full time job has been as a Trapper. He was like his father before him-Bert Allen, as his only job for ninety years was as a government trapper. Most folks don't understand that there are times when the numbers of animals need to be reduced to maintain the food chain balance. The attached photos may show a photo of five guys with their bucks in the mid 1960's, which were shot in the Uinta's. From left to right they are Kent Allen(on the trike); Alton Olsen, Keith Allen; Lowell Mecham; Fred Thurston and Gale Allen. The photo of the four guys with the giant non-typical is Fred Thurston; Gale Allen; Bert Allen and Pat Mecham. That 48 inch buck was shot by Fred and the same as the one held by Gale Allen in the basement photo. As a side note, Fred Thurston is the last guy who shot a Grizzle Bear in Utah, which stands in a museum in St. George. If you check the rifles in that one photo, they are all 30-30's as the 30-06 was not yet invented, but was being worked on in a nearby shop with the name of Browning. That was in the 1950's and scored over 200 points. Other photo's show Gale Allen with 200 skunks(a fluid within them is for making perfume) then a photo with Gale and 300 coyotes from Nevada. Gale Allen would spend months trapping there for the cattleman, having a 400 mile trap line. Coyotes are like wolves in they surround calves and take them down one at a time, and can quickly disseminate a herd. Such is the case with Beavers. At times they are pretty and help fish to spawn in their dams, the Forest Service can show where they too have to be kept in check for vegetation  balance. There should also be a photo of Kim Allen standing in front of the Allen home where the other deer were shot a few decades before. Kim Allen is now a full time trapper, being the son of a full time trapper, who was the son of a full time trapper, and all three generations are hard working; mountain climbing sons of a gun good trappers.