Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-08-30
ma exrlNcrlon or THE BISON.


Dfs N&FWWNe NWN &FNHt NnUtF A&aAm @H80s
Is-some Breezy Stories.
Al the Indians hunted them, the
race of bison would probably have
lasted forever. but about 1866 the
white men turned their attention. TO the
shaggy monsters OF the plains. Large
eastern firms organized hunting par
ties and paid the shooters 81. so for (
each bison where he lay dead on the
plains | then went TO southern Ne /
braska and became professional
hunter. The bison consisted OF two
large divisions, the one living in the
south and the other in the north.
Their only common feeding ground
was along the Republican river aud
its branches in Nebraska. The Indians
were well aware of that fact, and hos
tile tribes have had many fight for
that territory. Ii was not until 1873
SHAT the government put an end TO
this by sending the Pawnees south
and the Sioux To their nothern resers
vations. Prior 10 that time we had 10
do all OF our hunting ut the risk OF be
ing scaIpcd at any time.
! Our favorite gun was an army
i model OF the Springfield rifle. 40 cali
4 Der and loaded with ninety grains Of
powder The whites patterned after
the Indians and hunted on horseback.
Having wagons to haul our game. We
uid not care 10 circle them as the
Indians did. When herd was located
we would mount our best horses and
as quietly as possible approach the
herd from the Reward side AS soon
as they saw us the fun would begin
Although OF a low build, the bison
will make a very interesting race with
a horse for ten miles. We would press
up on the right flank OF the herd and
ride so close 10 the animals that our
guns would touch the side when fired.
The most deadl y shot WAS to tire quar-.
iering through the lungs SO that the
animal would bleed 10 death. In this
way we would follow the herd as long
as our horses could stand it, On Que
of these runs | killed tl3 bison, none
of which were more than 100 yards
apart In riding back an awful sight
was presented 10 the eye The trai
was marked by dead and dying AMI
mails An occasional big bull woult
have broken back SO that he coule
not get up on his fore legs, and moth
=
shaking head, with coal black eyes
glaring in death stare from hii
shaggy front. We received our pa,
for the animals dead on the plains
and wagons followed us up. quartere,
the animals and shipped the saddle
and tallow To eastern markets.
About 1877 the hide hunting be
gan. Prior to this time little or no al
, tention was paid To the skins, bu
/, when the demand for them created
|, high price the meat was allowed 10 70
on the plains. and this magniiieen
race was extinguished simply that ca
travagant tastes might be satisfied
With the improvements in firearms "a
entirely different mode Of huntiu
|, was adopted The Springfield arm
gun was superseded by Sharp 8
caliber and loaded with ITO grains q
:, powder The hunter used his hors
only in finding herd This don
, we would go 10 the leeward side 8
that the scent of the powder and repol
!, would not reach the animals, and lin
suitable shelter about 1000 yar
distant from them. | have killed thcl
at a distance of mile. Huntin
;, in this way we had TO DO very pa
: ticular, and watch the herd closel
!, Like herd of cattle, the bison are a
!, ways ON the 60 and are apt To wal
!, out of rifle range in a short time.
!, moving, however, they always have
y leader and the trick was to kill any OF
!, that started to lead tho others oil. |
!, thus killing the leaders, we could Q
!. ten shoot for an hour from behind OF
!, clump OF grass. and when they ht
i moved out of range. the skinner
NJ would come up, cut the hide III Il
4, ordinary way for skinning, tie u
=. animal 5 head To stake, hitch tea
II of horses TO the hide, and jerk IL q
5, No one will ever know what immen
i, numbers of bison were killed by the
r hide hunters. but To my certain kno'
i ledge 5000, 900 hides were shlpIp
= from the Frenchman river in one VI
y ter The hide hunters. by system
ri fires, kept the bison from the streat
>. until many of them persisted and tho
n sands of others were easily killed.
A the close of that winter q man cou
Il GO along the banks of the Frenchmi
i, for fifty miles by simply lumpll
- - from the carcass Of one bison TO III
/ of another. Considering facts of Il
,r kind, IL is not surprising that sma
sr tame herd and few old circus III
i mails represent the great herds whic
= less than quarter of a century nc
he blackened miles of prairies as thu
nj der cloud darkens the sky. Int
m view in The Kansas City Times.