When a hairy ape jumped out of a bush and scrambled over a rocky outcrop before disappearing into a canyon with a dog and three cowboys in hot pursuit, Dee Scherich witnessed the opening act to one of the wildest escapades in agriculture and outdoor history. What followed? A story straight out of the Wild West. Outlaws, cowboy posse, legendary ranchers, yucca hideout, cake feeder truck, honey in a hotel hookup, X marks the spot, and a head-knocking duo of old-school lawmen low on patience.