Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-07-26
THE BUFFALO.
His Tramp viii Soon Ese Heard No
Moro on the Plains

In going down the Yellowstone and
across the vast region lying between
Clendive and Mandan, one is struck
with the evident scarcity of game.
This famous region, where, two or
three years ago, herds of buffalo, All
telOpe, and deer were to be seen Oh
every side, is now to all appearances
stripped of its game. For the entire
distance from Livingston to Mandan
[ only saw two or three small bands
of antelope, and not sign of a deer
or buffalo. The fact is, the slaughter
of buffalo and deer has been immense
for the past two years, and particular
ly of that former. It is estimated that
during the past winter there have
bee a thousand hunters engaged in the
business of Strengthening buffalo along
the line of the Northern Pacific be-
tween Mandan and Livingston. An
eagle-eyed hunter got on the train at
Glendive, and gave me the following
interesting details as to the modus OPP
erandi in Strengthening herds of buff
falO: In the first place, the experienced
hunter uses the Sharpe rifle, 1890
caliber. With this he can kill at a
thousand yards. When he sees a
herd of buffalo he usually sli ps up
within convenient range, from three
hundred to five hundred yards, and
always selects a COW for his first vic
tim He does this for the reason that
a COW is followed by both her yearling
and 2-year-old calves, and they will
usually stand by her to the last. But
under no circumstances will the ex-
perienced hunter kill his buffalo out
right. If he does, the herd will
stampede at once. The policy is to
wound fatally, but SO that the animal
Will dash around in a circle before
falling. This it always does, where
mortally wounded, and after a few
moments lies down. The remainder
of the herd are not alarmed at this,
but continues to gaze or look on, dazed
spectators of the tragedy being enact
ed. After his first shot, the hunter
pauses until quiet is restored, and
again fires at another COW, with SINH
lar results He always aims to put
his ball just behind the fore shoulder,
which will cause death In five minutes
at the furthest. When the COWS
have all been slain he then turns his
tGOCIIIIOIl W UIIC d1Itl W
the bulls. The experienced hunter
generally bags his entire herd unless
he is So unfortunate as to drop his
game Immediately, when all the sur
vivors stampede at once. The buffalo
does not scare at the crack of a gun
He has decidedly more courage than
discretion. It is only when the crack
is followed by an immediate fall that
he realizes its deadly nature and takes |
alarm. The policy of killing the COWS
first and then the calves has resulted |
in the almost utter extinction of the |
female buffalo. Herds of melancholy |
bulls can still occasionally be seen,
sometimes in bands of twenty or thirty, I
and often without a single COW. The
few remaining COW now have their
pick of lovers, and always choose
from the young blood of the herd.
The buffalo bull, after he passes his
fourth year, loses his attractiveness to
the opposite sex, and the aversion
seems to be mutual. Gathering about |
him his bachelor friends of equal age
he sullenly retires into the wilderness,
and forever avoids the female mem
bers of the herd, who mate with other
and more luxurious masculines. As /