Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-03-29
HUNTING THE BUFFALO.
A Pitted Veteran of His Tribe at
Last Meets Death in
Utah.

The last buffalo in Utah, one of the
few remnants of the millions which
roamed the vast plains of the West, was
killed on Antelope island, in Great Salt
lake, some days ago by party of hunt
ers organized for the purpose. He died
as he had lived, with his face to his en-
envy, defiant to the last. Although seri-
ously wounded and incapacitated from
making an effective resistance, he never
flinched, but with tossing head and an
CRY eye he snorted his defiance in the
face of the marksman who fired the bull
let into his heart, says a Salt Lake cor
respondent of the San Francisco Exam
liner.
Antelope island is on the southern end
of Great Salt lake, twenty miles from
the mainland, itself about twenty-five
miles in length and from eight TO ten
miles in width 1t is a wild and weird
place. There are gnarled peaks and
rugged gOrges, grassy uplands and scenic
canyons, sunny slopes ana smlllng mea-
dows. 1t is uninhabited save for the
presence of two or three small ranches.
the owners of which indulge in cattle
raising.
Here, undisturbed, save when some
men invaded his feeding grounds, this
buffalo had lived for a number of years.
How he gained the island no one knows.
He was found there seven years ago. 1t
was against the law to kill buffalo, and
those who found him let him 60 in peace.
Some time afterward a number IF buff
falo COWS were taken to the island IL the
hope that the breed might be perpetu-
ated. This bison refused to affiliate With
any others, and never was seen With
them, although the new arrivals took
to the quiet of the place and munched
bunch grass in peace.
About q year ago, however, the old
buffalo changed his tactics and declared
war. He came out into the open and
fought everything living which crossed
his path. The few dogs on the island
were in constant terror. Not having any
thing in the open to conquer, the buffalo
took to going through barbed wire. Cor
rails were not respected in the least. He
freed every rancher on the island scores
of times.
Some weeks ago, after he had slain a
very valuable thoroughbred colt, it was
decided that he must die. There were
no guns on the island except shotguns,
and man came over to Salt Lake city
and reported the condition of affairs.
Martin Lannan, a well-known sports
man, proceeded to organize a party to
kill the bison.
Under command of LannaH, a party
left the city early one morning for
| Pennington, where they embarked in q
sailboat for the island. Brown, one of
the party, is manager of the Western
Union Telegraph company at this point.
and Col. Shaughnessy, another, is an eX-
officer of the British army. Although
the distance is only fourteen miles from
Pennington, and the party left at an
early hour on that morning, it was TWEEN
| ty-four hours later ere they succeeded in
| landing on the island.
| After rest of one night the where
| abouts of the buffalo was sought. The
old fellow had taken up a position as far
| from the abodes of mel as he could get,
up a little canyon in the northern end
of the island All the party were on
horseback and securing the country for
him, but it fell to the lot of Harry Ed
wards to discover him. With a de-
fant snort the buffalo raised his shaggy
head and started toward Edwards at
rapid rate. For three miles there was
the prettiest race man ever looked upon.
Finally the buffalo halted. Shaugh-
messy was signaled out by the enraged
animal. He charged directly at him,
and SO suddenly that the colonel had
no time for anything but snap shot,
which was not fatal. Then Brown sent
| bullet through the old fellows heart.
| That stopped him. He halted, stood
below. defiant to the last, fell dead.
| The buffalo was bulky in stature and
weighed $500 pounds. The long hair on
his forehead was at least a foot in length
while the year marks on his magnificent
horns indicated that he had spent seven
teen years on earth. That he had taken
care of himself was evident. He had
splendid feet, and had his savage nature
permitted him to let people alone, might
have attained ripe old age. The car
cass, hide and all is now on exhibition,
and will be for several days. The head
will be mounted and preserved as me-
mento