In 1876 Hollow Horn Bear was with a band of Two Kettles Lakota searching for lost horses, when they happened upon a group of soldiers under the command of Alfred Terry. After two days of following Terry's men, they broke off and went ahead of the column to meet with the camp of those under Sitting Bull. After five days there, the Lakota took part in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. For his part, Hollow Horn Bear claimed to have personally fought there against Marcus Reno as well as George Armstrong Custer.