The “cow shoes” that Shine wore to cover her tracks were just one creative way that moonshiners and bootleggers kept their operations clandestine during Prohibition. The novel mentions tricked-out cars with hidden compartments and specially crafted garments and containers worn to conceal liquor on the human body. Have you heard of others that you found particularly clever?
I looked into this topic on the internet. One way the moonshiners hide their activities and equipment was to use wood like hickory, ash, and oak because this type was smokeless. Many moonshiners took the back seat out or had fake fuel tanks. One way was fast driving thatlead to the development of NASCAR.
My first teaching job was in Appalachia - 2nd and 3rd grade in a 4 room schoolhouse. The children insisted that a bus that was driven up into a hollow in the 50s was still there…and that there was a neighbor who would steal dogs and paint them so they would be unrecognizable.
I live in NASCAR country so I’ve always heard about the hidden compartments in cars. I had never heard about the cow shoes and thought that it was a pretty good way to hide tracks in the woods.
I have really never heard much about how the moonshiners and bootleggers conducted their illegal business during Prohibition. I found the “cow shoes” to be quite clever. This book has piqued my interest in finding out more about this historical era.
The use of “cow shoes” was a novel idea. Off hand I can’t think of any practice used to hide or disguise activity other than the criminals who attempt to smuggle illegal drugs, animals or excessive amount of money through customs. False suitcase bottoms, lining, etc. Oh, in the first Jurassic Park movie, the bad guy used a fake shaving cream can in his attempt to steal DNA altered matter. Remember what happened to him??? 
Yes, I know this isn’t quite the same as “cow shoes.”
I never knew about the making of moonshine or the tricks to cover their tracks. I thought the cow shoes were a neat idea
The only thing about moonshine making were the stills the rigged up, from watching MASH and The Andy Griffith Show
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Cow shoes were ingenious. The only other way I know of is using brush to wipe out the tracks, while walking backwards.
I thought the cow shoes were such a clever trick! I don’t know much about the making of moonshine during Prohibition and don’t recall reading about it from the moonshiners experience or point of view. I would be interested in finding out more about this. Adding it to “my list”. Lol.
Not really; however, I love the creative “cow shoes”. The author did a good job describing them so that this reader can actually visualize the shoes.