Historical clue formulations

• Tangles with, in the country — 2013-03-01
• Scraps in the sticks — 2011-06-04
• Scraps in the backwoods — 2004-08-13
• Gits in a scrap (with) — 2004-03-13
• Gets down 'n' dirty — 2000-10-07
• Fights with, in the hills — 1999-11-19
• Struggles with, as a varmint — 1997-09-28
• Grapples with, as a critter — 1997-04-11