Hey, Answer Girl -

I can't stand it any longer. Why do people say "Powder River, let 'er buck?"

- A native Wyomingite

You're probably most familiar with the Cowboy State's war cry because the University of Wyoming's former head football coach Joe Glenn was so fond of the phrase.

But "Powder River, let 'er buck" started long before Glenn came to town.

According to lore (and to Lander cattleman and author Edward J. Farlow), cowboy Missouri Bill Schultz and some cow hands came upon the Powder River in 1893. They were worried about crossing the Powder River, since it's so wide and, presumably, deep. The men apparently traded out their regular horses for the horses best at swimming, only to find when they actually crossed the river that it wasn't deep at all, and could easily be walked across by any man or horse.

According to Farlow, Missouri Bill bought everyone drinks when they got to Casper.

"They had the drinks, then a few more and were getting pretty sociable," Farlow wrote of the event. "When Missouri Bill again ordered he said to the boys, 'Have another drink on me, I've swum Powder River,'" … with a distinct emphasis on the words Powder River. "'Yes, sir, by God, Powder River,' with a little stronger emphasis. When the drinks were all set up he said, 'Well, here's to Powder River, Let 'er Buck!'"

And the saying became known throughout the land.

Answer Addition

Thanks to all the readers - Dan, Gwen, Jim, Pat, Tad, Bob, Jacqueline (and her Uncle Bill), Paul, and many others - who knew from stories past what "picket pen" meant. Indeed, the nickname for Richardson ground squirrels is "picket pin," which is an old-fashioned reference to the metal stakes that Cavalry soldiers used to tie (or picket) their horses when they were in the middle of nowhere, which they undoubtedly often were in old-time Wyoming. Apparently, ground squirrels would come out of their holes, stand straight up, and closely resemble these pins. Thus, "picket pins."

Contact reporter Megan Lee at (307) 266-0616 or megan.lee@trib.com

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Answer Girl tackles questions about Casper, the universe and everything else. Submit your questions by e-mail to megan.lee@trib.com, or call Megan Lee at 266-0616. You can also write to Answer Girl, Box 80, 170 Star Lane, Casper, WY, 82602.