Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-10-30
Catching Buffalo Calves-A Colornl
Sketch.
BY OLIVE HOWARD

A few weeks since, Ike Traitor and
several companions fitted up sort of
cage and went to the hunting grounds
on the Platte River, to see il they
could capture load of buffalo calves.
One of the party wished to try the ex-
pertinent Of tanning few young
buftaloes. The chase proved success,
owing chiefly to Ike's strength and
pluck, and the intelligence and speed
of Spicy, his horse.
(or' more correctly speaking, bisons)
began to pass the hunters encampmcnt
on their way to water; doubtless
choosing the night because they had
been recently hunted by day. It was
curious to see them on their march.
Slowly and majestically they stalked
along, about half as fast as mans
walk, with moss-backed " patriarch
as leader. Had they been to the lee
ward OF the camp, their strong sense Of
smell would have warned them of
danger when within three miles, and
they would not have been seen; but as
1t was, they came very near, little to
the Windward. Only Spicy y bead was
seen by them, as lie looked over the
low hillock behind which he had been
picketed. The horses head appearing
and disappearing aroused their atten-
ton, and the captain was heard to give
low command. In an instant every
hoof rested upon the earth. When
the leader had satisfied himself that no
mischief was brewing, he again said
Boo,' and the march was resumed.
Every troop thar passed did as the
first had done. The discipline seemed
perfect.
When herd comes within smell,ne
distance of water, it. becomes excited.
The speed increases. Faster and fast
er 1t goes. All the tails begin TO rise.
When the water is quite near, every
tail stands straight out, and the whole
herd thunders along almost as fast as q
good horse can run.
Other hunters camps were near bv.
Thousands of animals had already been
killed =: some for their meat, but more
l feAr for their skins alone. Long be-
fore New Years, one hunter had taken
seven hundred hides. The carcasses
on every hand attracted great numbers
OF grey and prairie wolves. Every
night strychnine bats were laid, and.
in the morning, sometimes as many as
ten wolves were found dead near at
baud. In this way thousands of wolf
skins were obtained.
ibis hunter always resorted to the
still hum. From his hiding-place on
the rivers bank he made fearful havoc
among Uncle Sans wild cattle with his
deadly needle gun. One morning q
troop OF thirty buf1aloes came to water.
Crack went his unerring rifle. Down
went Il buffalo, pierced quite through
ny the terrible conical bullet. It is
but the work OF u moment to place nm.
other cartfidge in the breech loader.
Another and another poor brute sinks
down. The sound of the bullet. IA II
strikes the tough hide, can be distinct
~ heard. They are falling fast, but
not sound of pain is uttered. Tho
hunters think the poor buffaloes do not
feel like other animals, because tI,cy
suffer silently. When the survivors
got scent OF blood, they tore the ground
with their feet and lashed their sides
with their tails, while the hunter load
Ell until his ammunition failed, and
twenty seven out of the thirty lay dead
or dying upon the bloody plain
The horses Of Ike and his party we're
we'll fed while it was yet dark and ut
sunrise the hunt began. Several ma
tnre animals were shot down for their
meat, the hunters dashing into the here!
and using their heavy revolvcrs. A
large calf OF some three hundred
pounds weight, and perhaps eight or
ten months old, was noticed to hang
YEARLY behind the herd. Ike immc,i-
lately gave chase, intent on capturing
1t nnhurt. Spicy's superior speed
soon left the other hunters behind.
The calf showed signs of distress, and
often staggered and stumbled, and
once fell heavily. Ike thought it sick,
but he learned later that it was only
acting as all buffalo calves act when
pursued inst after drinking. 1t soon
came toa stand, turned, erected its
tail, and charged its p',rsuer. Three or
four times Spicy jumped entirely over
the calf. AT length, becoming used to
the encounter, the horse stood still and
received the blow in tho shoulder. At
the :..n.c unl,i.nt Ike clutched its
shaggy t"pknot, slid to tho ground,
caught holt Of one hind and one fore
leg, and "duwncd" the calf in n