The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-11-28
HUNTING BuFFAloEe
A Method That Lacked tho plce Of G..
and Was Cruel, ~

A Method That Lacked tie plce of g..
and Was Cruel 'ss
OF all the deadly methods of b,,r
slaughter, the still hunt was tbo LUG ala,
lest, says writer up on the exterm tau-
ton of the buffalo in America Il ' m'
destitute of nearly every clemens ~
the buoyant spice of danger that ~
companied buffalo hunting on bo,as
back, and to-day it is considered 10 ~
been mere butehery of the tamest ans
yet the most cruel kind. Abont :.
there was none of the true excitemoas
of the chase. The chase on horsahoo,.
furnished sport of a superior ldna
keenly exhilarating, with an element :.
danger, in the excitement and eocor
ness of which the horse shared with H.
rider. To be successful in this chaso
required a good horse, bold rider
firm seat and perfect Familiarity with
weapons. Whenever the hunters dis
covered herd of buffalo, they usually
got to leeward of it and quietly rode
forward in body, or stretched ont in
sltirmish line. Usually the animals
with Il confidence due more 10 that
great numbers than anything elsas
would allow party to approach within
from 260 to 400 yards of their npnl
and then they would start off at slow
trot. The hunters then put spurs {,
| their horses and dashed forward. The
fatal spot on buffalo is 12 10 Is inches
IN circumference, and is situaed imme.
diately back of the foreleg, so that
man, even if a poor shot, keeping his
nerve, was almost sure to bring down
his game at close range, seldom, if
ever, wasting a shot. The dangers of
course, were many, and OH almost
every roundup accidents occurred
few of which every year were fatal.
But with the still hunt all was DIFF
| ferent. So long as the chase was the
order of the day, it ordinarily required
the united efforts of from Is to % hun.
tiers to kill 1000 bufraloes in single
season, but a single hunter with a long
range, breechleader, who knew how to
make a Sneak and "get n stand on 7
| buneh," often succeeded in killing from
1000 to 1000 in single season by his
own unaided efforts. Capt Jack
Bridges, of Kansas, who was one of the
first to begin the final slaughter of the
southern herd, killed by contract 10
buffaloes in six weeks BY daylight
the still hunter sailed forth ON foot.
carrying in his hand his huge Sharp's
rifle, Weighing from 16 to 10 pounds,
with from rs TO 100 loaded cartridges
in his two belts or bags at his side.
From his belt hung his ripping knife.
/ his slnning knife and a butchers steel,
upon which to sharpen them, The 10
tai weight was seldom less than 3G
pounds and often more. Having Sc
lected position within loo to $50 yards
of his game. although the distance was
sometimes greater, the hunter got Il
comfortable rest for his huge rifle and.
all the time keeping his own presence
thoroughly hidden from view, esti-
mated the distance. carefully adjusted
his sights, and deliberately began busi-
ness. If the herd was moving. the AMI.
NAL in the lead was the first one shot.
If the herd was at rest the oldest COW,
which was usually the leader, was the
first one killed. The noise would
startle the buffaloes, and they would
stare at the little cloud of white smoke
rnd feel inclined TO run. but seeing
their leader hesitate. they would wait
for her, but she would fall to the
ground, and the other members Of the
herd would go on grazing. The policy
Of the hunter was not to fire too rap
idly, but to attend closely to business,
and shoot down any buffalo which at
tempted to make off. One shot per
! minute was n moderate rate to fire, but
under pressure of circumstances two
per minute could be discharged with
deliberate precision.-St. Louis Repub'
! lie