The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
HUNTING BuFFALoss.
A Western Hunters Efforts to Doma.+
cate the Animals


81 began hunting the buffalo in 1877
have killed from forty to sixty buffa.
loes in one hunt" said veteran bnffo1o
hunter. 81 figured out a plan of INV
own to corral them upon the prairie :
made an effort to get in front of the
herd when they were travelling. so tb.,
they would come within about twantx
yards of me in passing. then shot tbs
leader through the heart and dronnea
her in her tracks. The leader was pan.
orally cow, the old bulls being law
and usually tagging behind The herd
would fall back in the direction fror,
which they came about one bundrod
yards, stopping to turn around and loolr
for danger. In a few minutes one ~
the cows led out to go around on one
side or the other, and 1 would drop he,
as I did the first. They would again
fall back short distance and huddle
nm together. After short pause, an.
other cow might undertake to go around
on the other side, and invariably met
the same fate as the other two. The
herd after this was sure to form close
group upon the ground, where they
halted after the first shot, as buffaloes
never retrace their steps but a short
distance.
Snow, they had trouble on three sides,
and on the other was their back track,
and / was free to shoot down as many
as 1 wanted, provided 1 did not fire too
rapidly and alarm them. Whenever one
would attempt to lead away, made sure
to kill it, and this taught the others
that it was sure death to the leaders.
''To be sure, it was very cruel, but
could hear the crack of guns on every
side, and I thought I would have my
share.
II soon realized that these animals
would soon be extinct, and in 1884 be-
gan to gather up the calves to atone for
my slaughter. 1t was very difficult
matter to raise them, and at first lost
fifty per cent of them; but, after little
experience, could save ninety per cent.
The calves when caught over three
months old can not be raised-the cage
breaks their hearts, and they give up in
disgust. l continued my efforts, how
ever, and soon had fine stock of calves
on my ranch, near Garden City. At the
close of 1884 / had only succeeded in
raising four, the next year seven and
the next twenty two full-blooded calves,
and my herd to-day numbers nearly one
hundred.
81 bought the famous Manitoba herd,
consisting of sixty full bloods and twenty
six crosses in 1887.
81 have sold great many bulls to
shows and menageries at prices ranging
from $500 to $500.
"The buffalo has a very fine. long coat
of hair. which it sheds every year, and I
am saving this, which averages about 10
pounds per year, intending to have it
made into cloth by way of experiment.
The buffalo grow much larger in North
ern climates, the bulls reaching a weight
of $500 pounds, with magnificent heads,
which are eagerly sought for by tho
museums, and for which they have to pay
from 5000 to $500 apiece when mounted.
"The meat of the domesticated buffalo
is as tender as the finest beef and has
delicious flavor. 1t is not like the old
tough run down bull meat, which we
used to get and which was nothing but
muscle and sinew.
''The COWS are more valuable than the,
bulls, number of the former having
just been sold in Utah at prices ranging
from $500 to $500. The half-breeds are
rot so good as the three-quarter or seven
eighths. The latter are splendid ami
mails, carrying fine coat of hair.
with view of perpetuating the race
of American buffalo, and also of estab-
fishing an attraction for the city, syn
dictate has been organized at Ogden. A
geological farm will be started and COM
pleted as rapidly as possible. Negotia-
tions for the purchase of half-interest
in my herd have been going on for some
time. They are now concluded, the price
being $4,000.
81 anticipate no difficulty in moving
the animals, as / had none in bringing
the Manitoba herd into Kansas. IN. Y.
Herald.