James McCauley stood watch over his herd of cattle in the midnight darkness. Storm clouds plastered the sky. Suddenly, a clap of thunder stirred the cattle. Frightened by the loud sound, the cattle were off and running. Stampede. McCauley's horse got jittery, and took him in every direction. McCauley was lost. The life of a cowboy in the Wild West was tough. From branding cattle to cattle drives, a cowboy worked hard. Author Jeff Savage takes a firsthand...

Kit Carson aimed his rifle and fired, killing an elk. The young scout walked over to bag his prize. Without warning, two grizzly bears emerged from the trees. Carson managed to escape the bears but lost the elk. Scouts like Kit Carson had to be ready for anything on the western frontier. Americans eager to move west needed help to get there. While famous explorers often got the credit for discovering trails and creating maps, they could never have...

Jesse James. Billy the Kid. Butch Cassidy. When these bold men walked into town with six-shooters in their holsters, most people fled quickly. That is, except for the lawmen willing to take them on. Although lawmen and outlaws stood for very different ideals, they did share one thing in common, gunfighting. To live in the Wild West, especially as a bank robber or sheriff, handling a gun was necessary. Author Jeff Savage discusses the dangerous world...