The Wild West Extravaganza7 Nov 2025

Bounty Hunters of the Wild West: Fact or Fiction?

Did Bounty Hunters really exist in the Old West, or is that just another invention of Hollywood? The truth is a lot more complicated than the movies make it seem. Law enforcement in the Old West was patchwork at best, often made up of part-time sheriffs, underpaid marshals, and ramshackle jails. With courts just as unreliable, ordinary citizens and private companies like Wells Fargo began offering cash rewards for outlaws. These rewards gave rise to a system of bounties that blurred the line between justice and profit. But the iconic lone gunman chasing fugitives for money? That’s mostly fiction. In reality, bounty collection was done mostly by deputy U.S. marshals, sheriffs, or detectives from agencies like the Pinkertons and Wells Fargo. Figures such as Charlie Siringo, Bass Reeves, and Pat Garrett did collect bounties, but as part of their official duties, not as freelance bounty hunters. Even the few who did, like Jack Duncan of Texas, earned little compared to the risks they faced. Legends & Outlaws Calendar! https://wildwestcalendar.com/ Merch! https://wildwestextramerch.com/ Buy Me A Coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/ Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/ Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/ Join Patreon for ad-free bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Episoder(235)

Did Custer Deserve to Die?

Did Custer deserve to die at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and did the Lakota steal the Black Hills? In this reaction episode of the Wild West Extravaganza, we’ll dig further into the history behi...

10 Sep 1h 37min

Fat Alice & the Battle of the Bordellos

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26 Aug 17min

A Short History of Dodge City

Dodge City, Kansas, earned its reputation as the wickedest little city in America in just a single year, back when it was still a lawless buffalo camp with no sheriff, no judge, and nothing more than ...

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Calamity Jane

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6 Aug 24min

Drugs in the Old West

DISCLAIMER: This video is a historical documentary about medicine, pharmacy, and substance use in 19th-century America. It is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing in this ...

30 Jul 20min

Sheriff John Larn & the Tin Hat Brigade

John Larn had all the appearances of a respectable man. He owned a ranch, married into one of the most powerful families in Shackleford County, and was even elected as Sheriff. But behind the badge, L...

23 Jul 20min

Reno Hill: Surviving the Little Bighorn

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9 Jul 33min

Fix Bayonets: Colonel Chamberlain & Little Round Top

On July 2nd, 1863, a college professor from Maine named Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain found himself holding the far left flank of the entire Union Army on a rocky little hill called Little Round Top. Ou...

3 Jul 9min