AMM Bossloper Requirements

Membership in the AMM is by invitation only. New members must be sponsored by two AMM members who hold the Bossloper degree, or one member who holds the Hiveranno degree. To meet potential sponsors in your area, contact the brigade booshway for your state and introduce yourself. Once sponsored, to become a full-fledged member of the AMM, you must complete any ten of the requirements below during your two year Pilgrim (probationary) period.

1. Must have a full set of hand-cut and -sewn clothing and handmade accoutrements. These must be researched for authenticity of the 1800-40 period and be of a type which would have been seen on men in, or moving to, the Rocky Mountains. Rifles, saddles, traps, blankets, and other accoutrements that would normally have required the work of a specialized craftsman need not be handmade, but must be as authentic as can be purchased today.
2. Must have spent at least two days and one night in a primitive camp during each season of the year.
3. Must have spent an accumulative time of two or more weeks in the wilderness under primitive conditions in the company of no more than one other member. Each stay must be at least three full days and two full nights.
4. Must have spent at least one full week in a primitive encampment in the company of other members at the territorial AMM Rendezvous (Eastern or Western) and/or the National (Rocky Mountain) AMM Rendezvous.
5. Must be able to demonstrate the skills needed for primitive survival in the wilderness of his area and must be willing to teach said skills to other members when requested by a Party Booshway or Director of this Association.
6. Must be able to demonstrate trapping ability using steel traps, snares, and traps made from natural materials found in the area. As many states do not allow the use of some, or any, of these traps, the actual taking of game is not required, although it is suggested where possible and legal.
7. Must be able to demonstrate ability to track man or animal under natural wilderness conditions.
8. Must be able to demonstrate the ability to properly pack a horse, canoe (or bullboat), or a man for distance travel under possible adverse conditions.
9. Must be able to properly field dress (clean and skin) a game animal under primitive conditions.
10. Must be able to start a fire in wet, as well as dry, weather using flint and steel or fire drill using tinder and wood found under natural conditions.
11. Must be able to show ability to tan or Indian-dress hides.
12. Must have spent at least five days traveling on foot, snowshoe, canoe, and/or horseback.
    a. One method or a combination may be used.
    b. Bullboat may be used in place of canoe.
    c. You are expected to gain as much distance as possible.
    d.This trip must be under primitive conditions, taking nothing that would not have been available to the mountain man between 1800-1840. Rifle, hunting bag, powder horn, and knife must be along.
13. Must be able to cook a meal of meat using only the meat, fire, a knife, and materials found in nature.
14. Must be able to converse using Plains Indians hand talk. The 200 words on page 64 of Tompkin's book "Indian Sign Language", will be used as a basis for conversation. To complete this requirement, you must demonstrate your ability to read the signs for 50 words, as well as to give the signs for 50 words.
15. Must have hunted for and killed at least one game or fur animal with a muzzleloading firearm or primitive bow and must have used the skin and/or meat for food, clothing and/or accoutrements. The hunt must be made from a strictly primitive camp, the hunt accomplished under primitive conditions within the limits of local game laws.