Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-11-11
WHOLESALE BUTCHERY.
ANNIHlLATIoN OF THE LARGE GAME
ANIMALS OF THE WEST.

ANNIHILATIoN or THE LARGE GAME
ANIMALS OF THE WEST.
Ruthless Slaughter by the Hide Hunters.
But Ten Buffalo Left-The Elk and the
Antelose OF the Great Northwest
Nearly Externinsted.
remember few years ago (the winter
Of 1880 and 81, now / recall the exact
date accompanying q military expedi
ton across the northern plains and mount
aims, in pursuit of that great Indian gen
eral, Sitting Bull. Before we were well
into the hostile country we passed and l
counted no less than twelve separate par
ties of sportsmen lmostly English) camped
on the buffalo range, and all busily en-
gagged in their deadly work of slaughter
ing bison. Take one party, for example,
which will be a fair sample of all the
rest. This particular outfit numbered
seven Britishers, two Americans, and
one half breed guide, and they had been
out from Glendive about two weeks.
They were well mounted on Cayuse po-
MES, with Sharp's forty-fve caliber rifles,
and at that time about thirty miles north
of the Yellowstone river in the very
midst of tens of thousands of buffalo.
We struck their trail long before We
reached their camp, which was very cas-
lily followed by the number Of buffalo
carcaSses lining the route. The first day
their party had killed twelve, next day
nineteen, third day thirty-siX, and fourth
day ia, and still the fun was going on.
Twenty-four hours later our command
encountered another band of sportsmen
(maiority English gentlemen, who were
also doing their level best to exterminate
the noble animals, but they were little
nearer the hostile country, and conse-
Quently deeper into the buffalo herds,
and therefore had more animals to hunt
than their neighbors in the rear. The
day before we crossed the divide and
plunged direct into Sitting Bulls domin
ions we came upon the last band of h unit
ers, or ut least the band which had ven
tured furthest from civilization, who
were surrounded by more buffalo than
ever believed were in existence. saw
one herd alone that must have numbered
$1,000 or 20, 900, besides hundreds Of small
herds from so to 500, dotting the plains
and scattered through the river bottoms.
I found them up in the mountains where
O pony could hardly climb. Now, this
last party Of hunters were out strictly
for business and not pleasure. They
were killing bison for the tongues alone,
not even taking the skins. They had
small pack train with them Of about
thirty mules, and were pretty nearly
ready to start back to civilization, having
secured a full load Of tongues, or as
many as their animals could carry. Such
has been the wanton destruction Of our
game in the northwest during past years
that to-day there is scarcely a single bison
left in the vast region that was once the
home of millions. With the wonderful
bands of elk that used to throng the
mountains and valleys of Montana and
Idaho it is the same old story. All gone,
or nearly so, and not a saving law by na-
tional or territorial governments to pro-
tect them.
Plenty Coues, q chief of the Crow
Indian tribe, camped few miles from
this fort at the present writing, is just
about returning from rather successful
hunting trip in the Big Horn mountains,
during which time his bucks captured
40 elk, 1877 deer, and II mountain lions
or panthers. 1 asked old Plenty Coues
how the game were getting on, but the
old chief only shook his head, and de-
clared all wild animals were getting
scarce. His party, however, had had
successful hunt, as the elk meat and deer
meat would keep hunger from the doors
of his forty-seven lodges during the conf
ing winter, and, besides, the bounty paid
on lion skins would bring in considerable
cash. AS q dollar is as big as n cart
wheel to an Indian, the SO for each pan
Their scalp, which they demanded in sill
yer dollars, was worth more than all
their supplies secured on the trip. Dur
ing the season of 1884, which was the last
great slaughter year, there were no less
than 1000 hunters, professional and pleas
ure seeking, scattered along the line of the
Northern Pacific railroad in Montana and
Idaho. These Unsuitable Nimrods sue
ceeded in clearing the country Of buffalo,
but their efforts were only partially sue
cessful regarding elk, deer, and antelope.
Last year three buffalo bulls were
gathered in by the cowboys on the
Tongue river roundup in Montana, and
the boys thought they were in for lots OF
fun; but the big fellows looked so lone
some and broken spirited and out of place
that the good natured COW punchers
hadn't the heart to kill them, so the three
forlorn animals were turned adrift on the
prairie to shift for themselves. As it
happened, last winter vas o severe one
in Montana, a season of billiards. and
snow storms and intense cold. While the
domestic herds pulled through the cold
in good shape and with little damage,
oo,,l6 ono believe that those moor old
buffalo brutes actually froze to death.
Some COWBOYS who were riding the
ranges the following spring looking up
their cattle, found all three of the bulls
doubled up in q ravine on Upper Powder
river, frozen stiff. 1t was a sad and Ia
mentable ending of O great race.
Excepting n few scattered bands
of antelope on the plains north Of
the Missouri river and the small
number Of black and Whitehall deer
in the timber along tho river bot
toms, what little of the large game we
have left in the northwest is cOngregated
in the Yellowstone National park. OF
course there are more or less elk, noun
tain sheep and deer in the mountains
big Horn and Rocky ranges, but they
arc a mere handful to what the country
could boast of ten years ago. The laws
of the National park forbid the hunting
of game within its 'confines, and it does in
deed appear as if our big game were cog
infant of the fact, for nearly all the re-
manning species seem to have sought
refuge there.-Fort Keogh Cor CleYe-
land Leader.
Different Kinds of Light.