Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Skookum

Just saw a video about sasquatch and in it, they described skookum as meaning "evil God of the woods."

So...that makes its use regarding hunting gear...even better!

I'm still waiting on a hunter to shoot one and prop up it's carcass in a saloon.

Skookum is an affirmation around here.

The Wikipedia article (oddly) matches reality.

“ Skookum is a Chinook Jargon word that has historical use in the Pacific Northwest. It has a range of meanings, commonly associated with an English translation of strong or monstrous. The word can mean strong,[1] greatest, powerful, ultimate, or brave. Something can be skookum, meaning "strong" or "monstrously significant". When used in reference to another person, e.g. "he's skookum", it conveys connotations of reliability or a monstrous nature, as well as strength, size or a hard-working nature.”

Link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skookum

mjbgalt;
Good evening, I trust this first Friday in May finds you well.

It's interesting - to me anyways - that there are a few lose definitions of that word.

Out here in BC, where I first heard the word used when I first moved here more than 4 decades back, it was often combined with Chuck to be Skookumchuck which was often the Pacific.

In that definition Skookum was "Big/Great/Strong" and Chuck was water, usually ocean but not necessarily perhaps?

Since it's me and I can't stay on topic to save my life, if you or anyone ever wanders up into the BC Sunshine Coast, make a point to see Skookumchuck Narrows when the tide is changing as it's flat out amazing.

We thought so anyways.

As to whether or not there's Sasquatch out here or not, there's a few folks I know who claim to have seen them and a few more who have heard things that they can't put a handle on.

I've not seen one, am admittedly skeptical, but leave room open to the possibility that they exist somewhere or in some realm.

Lastly on the use of the term "Skookum" to describe something, we used to hear it reasonably often up here but seem to less and less anymore.

Perhaps we can blame the inner webs for taking away regional color in language?

All the best regardless and thanks for some memories that your post twigged.

Dwayne

Agree that Skookum is used less often around here.

Still have some businesses with skookum in the name.

BMT;
Good evening to you sir, I hope all is well down in Alvadore tonight or at least as still as it is up here in the Falls.

When I posted, I saw you'd beat me by bit and were able to confirm my thoughts on the word.

Indeed we still see it on occasion in some business names, but they're likely older firms from a couple decades back.

All the best.

Dwayne

Skookum Creek near my deer hunting country. Never hear it used other than, creek names, or ridges on Forest Service maps!

Skookum is positive.

Good evening to you too! All is well here, wet but well.

I hope you are well also.

I see Skookum mostly associated with logging businesses (log trucks, wildfire fighting companies, heavy equipment, etc.).

Funny thing is, I have never heard Skokum used in relation to Bigfoot

BMT

LOL

Whatever the meaning, it's all


skookum

Skookum is used the same as Hey thats Tits .

Good friend of mine in Boise used that term frequently.

She was a she.

Not much in the way for tits, though.

As in, “Tacomas are pretty skookum trucks”

Seems like Danner boots used to use "skookum tough" in ads.

I spent the summer in the mountains of British Columbia, I heard the word skookum used frequently, it meant "Big, strong and powerful."

“I was shootin rabbits outta season with my .400 mashbum and go-alllll ly, there it it was, go two ass shots off and still waiting n the tow truck”

Skookum snatch blocks come to mind growing up around the timber industry. Still see them around from time to time. Very well built and seem to last forever. Skookum Butte lookout is also near by.

A Skookum Block manufacturng company made blocks in a Portland Suburb - St. Johns. They were fine examples of first class rigging.