Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-09-30
HUNTING FOR BISON
DR.. CARVER GIVES SOME OF
HIS EXPERIENCE.
tie Shot n Buffalo Cow One Day and Then
Hal a Very Hard Tussle of It
They Trapped Mcnagerie
Poisoning Wolves.

Poisoning Wolves.
'Whiie buffaloes were still plenti-
full said Dr. Carver to Denver
News man. Il had contract with
Chicago man to kill 5, 900 butfaloos
one winter In those days there was
no hunting for hides alone the meat
was highly priced and found Il ready
market in the East and as the killing
was done in the winter it usually
reached there in very good condition.
1.-The manner in which we used to
go about it was. first sight our butfa-
loes and thenkstart for them; if they
were too far away from camp we
usually endeavored to ride around
them and lead the n back so as to
leave their carcasses as near tho
station as possible. We would ride
up TO a bunch of buffalo and cut loose
at them following them and shooting
them down as long as our horses
would stand the work Many Il timo
Il small part o. lis would entirely
wipe out good 81 led herd OF buffalo
in one day.
The horses | rode were trained
bu Talo hunters and required very
little guiding They knew the wal
low or prairie dog town as well or
better than | did. and their inst net
made them avoid II charging buffalo
better than if they had been held In
check by the rein and had attempted
to guido them away from the infuri-
atcd animals that would sometimes
turn and show fight We usually
shot the bufaloes between the ribs
through the lungs; one shot in this
manner would run II few yards until
The throat and lungs would fill with
blood when they would choke up and
tumble or and lie there until the
men with the teams came up to skin
them and cut up the meat for ship
ment East
Il shot a remarkably big COW that
way one morning. and after being
satisfied that she was hit turned my
attention to an old bull running Just
ahead on the other side OF the horse.
AS | was watching my opportunity to
make short shot | suddenly heard a
snort. ana then felt us though bucket
of water had been dashed in my face
from distance great enough to make
it reach me as spray rather than as
solid stream.
Almost at the same instant the
old horse | was riding rose and made
Il leap over something. and az /
turned and cleared my eyes | dis.
covered that the old COW had whirled
and attempted to charge and IN
81. L.. l. 1. 4
covered myself and horse with blood
from her throat and nostrls going
| down almo t in front OF the horse ut
i. the same time. II the old fellow had
, not been sure-footed and on the watch
nothing could have prevented bad
spill.
The hide hunters pursued very
nearly the same tactics us we observed
, having wagons and skinners to follow
, after them. the principal difference
, being that they would generally kill
more buffalo than the meat hunters
as the men with the wagons ddn' t
have near as much work We seldom
had any trouble with the Indians as
: We didn't hurt them. and. even when
| on the war path. they were not look.
ing for the buffalo hunters. Emigrant
trains and settlers were more in their
way as they a orded more plumber
and didn't give them such a tough
fight.
The only direct attack that was
, ever made on me by an Indian was up
on the Medicine. / was canteripg
around one afternoon toward II can.
yon where l had seen bunch of
butfaloes disappear when heard and
a most felt something strike my horse
just ahead of my legs. The poor
animal gave a jump or two and went
down head foremost on the frozen
: ground. never TO rise again. looked
him over and found that he had been
struck by IL rifle bullet
or course | Immediately began
looking in all directions for an enemy.
but saw none. consequently the con-
clusion is that the shot had been fired
by an Indian from II great distance.
probably not less than mile away.
where there was some foot hills and
rocks in which ne had evidently been
hiding. was in no condition TO look
for him. ASH were oblige to carry my
i saddle and traps back TO camp to get
another horse and even If there had
| been another animal handy | proba.
, bly, should not have gone into the
: foothills rs | might have found more
indians than ] wanted.
: II the meat and hide hunters in the
early days could only have known as
much us we know now they might
have all been millionaires by saving
the heads and having them mounted
. as am told that good buffalo he d
G now is "A very hard thing TO get. and
!, those that are in the market are held
a at from $500 to l. 900 each
: did n good deal OF trapping along
i. the springs principally at the beaver
r dams and ! am told by some OF the
!. boys who have been up along the Re-
publican that there are still plenty of
A beaver in that section. Cne sure wa,
!, 10 get one was TO make hole in the
dam and set trap very near 1t uu