Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1895-08-21
CHAMPION BUFFALO HUNTER.
DIR. Carver KILLS 100 Bufhloes In One Run
In q Match for $500 Side.

/ In 1873 the much-disputed question
of who was the champion buffalo hunt
er of the plains resulted in match fol-
q stake of $500, between DIR. Carver,
who is to give an exhibition of his won
derful skill with the rife at the Mime,
sofa State Fair, Sept. 9th to 14th in
elusive, and Buffalo Curley."
| Many had claimed to be the cham
! pion hunter, but no one had had suf1i-
/ cient courage and confidence in his own
ability to put up his money and shoot
against Carver, up to this time. The
contest came off one bright, cold day
in the winter Of 1878, in the presence
of large number of trappers, hide
hunters, Indians, soldiers and visitors.
The buffalo and hide-hunters were
all camped on Frenchman Creek. A
spirit of rivalry existed between the
hide-hunters and DIR. Carver's party,
for the reason that Carver hunted the
buffaloes on horseback and ran them
as long as his horse could keep within
shooting distance, while the hide-hunt-
ers used quite different tactics and
hunted on. foot. Still-hunting did not
brighten the buffaloes SO badly, and
the clever hunter could often get the
animals to mill that is, to walk
around in circle, or 'bunch up'' as
each leader was shot, and in this man
ner kill great numbers, shooting from
behind bunch of grass or from the
head of canon.
| Carver was the first in the camp in
fo11 heA
Frenchman Creek, and did not propose
to be run out by hide-hunters. There
fore very bitter feeling was engend-
cred and continued for long time.
big Jack, a murderer and fugitive
from justice, and Curley were at the
head of hide-hunting outfit. Both
were desperate men, with the blacklist
records. Curley came from the South
and had followed the southern herd for
three years. His reputation as a horse
back shot was the best on the southern
plains. Both outfits were under con-
tract at the time the match was made
to Mr.. Byfeld, who lived on the Re
publican river, near the mouth OF Red
Willow. The Carver outfit had been
more successful than the still-hunters,
and SO, when pay day came, the hide
hunters held meeting and came over
to the Carver party with proposition
to shoot match for $500 and the cham
pionship of the plains; conditions: the
man killing the most buffaloes on one
run-that is, shooting until the horse
could run no longer-was to win the
money and title of championship of the
plains.
A referee was chosen by mutual con-
sent, and he was to select two men to
act as judges. In case they could not
agree, the referees decision should be
final Two weeks time was allowed
to get the horses in condition.
When the day arrived for the contest
one of the largest camps ever seen on
the Frenchman had collected. First
came the Carver outfit and then the
hide-hunters' camp. Beside them were
Lieut.. Schwatka and his company of
soldiers, who had all in their power to
do to prevent the Sioux and the Paw
nees from killing each other.
The buffaloes always came early in
the morning to drink, led by cow. AS
they came slowly marching along to-
wards the water in great droves this
morning their long fur coats were COW
cred with frost, which shone and glis-
tened in the sun like small mountains
of precious colored stones.
At least eight hundred human beings
saw that herd of buffaloes slowly COM
ing over the plain, and grandly and I'M
suspiciously approach the water, halt
ing every few minutes, looking and
wondering if the large crowd of objects
in the distance were buffaloes. At
last, with mighty rush. they plunged
bv hundreds into the water. This was
the signal agreed upon. Seven men on
horseback slowly rode up the canon
leading out onto the plain. In this
party were DR.. Carver and Curley,
closely followed by two Sioux Indians,
mounted on their buffalo-ponies. 1t
was the duty of these Indians to follow
the hunters. Each Indian had differ
ent colored feathers to mark the buffa-
loes when killed, the red feathers |
counting for Carver, and the blue for
Curley. The three other men were the |
Judges and referee.
Suddenly man fred pistol shot to
alarm the buffaloes, and the next in
slant the herd ran madly up the canon
and came out on the divide within a |
few yards of the party waiting for
them. About one-half were allowed |
to pass when a pistol shot rang out on
the still morning air. and the race for
life had commenced. The first shot
was fred by Carver at least fifty yards
from the herd. A fine young cow
jumped into the air, and in an instant,
with blood streaming from her mouth
and nose, fell headlong on the prairie.
AS Carver started the run, his Indian
a powerful warrior mounted
on feet pony, was close at the heels
of his horse, the two strange characters
in their stranger dress and mad fight
making picture which could be seen
nowhere on earth except on the west
ern prairie. just as Carver fired there
was the twang of bowstring and the
whiz of an arrow, and as the cow
struck the ground shaft with red
feathers glistening in the sunlight bur
ed itself in the quivering flesh of the
lying buffalo, marking it for Carver.