Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-23
BUFFALO Pic TURES
Takes Skill and Patience to
Secure Them.
FOLLOWED FOR MILES
ANIMALS SHY OF POSING THEM
SELVES
Slightest Unusual Noise Excites
0ud Disperses
Herd.
Written for The Evening Star.

70 several reasons. In the first place they
are the most magnificent hoofed animals
on the western hemisphere, and in the
next place they are almost extinct. Less
than fifty years ego. they were probably
the most numerous large wild animals in
the world, and today there are possibly
1SO0 in existence. About third of these,
something over 600, are wild, and inhabit
a desolate region southwest of-well. never
mind just where 1t IS. The rest are either
in captivity in geological gardens. or in
what might be termed semi-cap uvi;y in big
game preserves. The largest herd n semi
continment is that IN the Blue Mountain
forest. otherwise known as Corbin park.
a vast preserve some seven miles north OF
Newport, y. II. There are at this writing
approx: ma tely 100 buffalo of all ages in
this herd and these great shaggy beasts
roam at will over their kingdom Of 5000
aces, confined only by fence thirty-six
miles III length. Here in country Of
Wild mountain forests, bushy thickets,
swampy lowlands and grassy plains, the
huffa!oes thrive and increase in numbers
every year, and it IS here that I have the
privilege of studying their habits. and of
pho; ographing the animals themselves to
my hearts content.
Takes Activity.
A part of the long fence before mention
ed separates my garden from the preserve,
and the other day, As l looked out from
my study window, l saw great bull buff
falo lying under the shade of a distant
tree. l picked up a reflex camera quickly
fitted to it big lens. capable of taking a
picture in the one-thoussndth of second,
If necessary, and started out to stalk the
buffalo. The Old fellow lay with his tail
toward me, and as the wind was blowing
my way l had little difficulty in getting
close enough TO take a back view of him.
But at the sound of the shutter he turned
his head. rose to his feet with snort, and
galloped off with a bounding movement
which would hardly believe possible
for a creature weighing 1900 pounds. AS
| for me, l went after him as fast as
could, but found myself greatly handicap
| ped by the weight of the camera. After
galloptng about mile. the bull drew up,
and as l neared him l proceeded cautiously,
| taking advantage of the cover of trees and
| shrubs. But he saw me before L came
within range. and off he went again, stop
ping this time much sooner than he had
done before. Again l approa ched. and this
| time, when the old fellow saw me. instead
| of making off at once. he turned toward
me as though curious as to my intentions.
He was a wonderfully impressive creature.
| the picture of massive strength. 1t being
| near the end of the shedding season. his
huge brown body looked though it had
been newly clipped. but his head, neck and
shoulders were still covered with a thick.
impressive of all: black and massive with
strong well-curved horns, and long black
beard, which proclaimed his age and dig
nifty. stood perfectly still. and presently
he lowered his muzZle and began to Craze.
Cautious Moves.
I edged up little, but he sauntered off
and it was necessary to follow him for
| twenty minutes through thickets and
| swamps until he stopped on the crest of a
hill and began to Craze again. The po-
sition was a good one for my purpose. but
unfortunately he was too far away. How
ever, by taking out the back combination
OF the lens the size of the image was
doubled, and as no great speed was needed
l ventured shot at him with the sky for
background. Again he was off, but 1
soon overlook him AID got nearer view of
him as he rubbed his burly head against
clump of bushes. Presently he came to
spot where the ground was sandy. and
down and rolled. f1inging his legs in the
air as a colt might do. Then he got up
and shook himself and strobe off into the
forest. However. I had had three shots at
him. and as two of them resulted in sat
isfactory negatives I was more than re-
paid for my trouble.
A few days later, very early in the morn
ing, 1 came upon herd of buffalo, more
than a hundred. all told, grazing on a
piece of high land where they had spent
the night. I set off home and returned
with two cameras hoping to get pic
ture of the herd. But before I could get
quite near enough, some of the beasts
caught sight of me, and by a few deep
grunts warned the rest and the whole lot
were soon galloping away down a HILL
across a swamp and into wood where
they were lost to view. However, he
who runs may read the fresh trail of
herd of buffaloes, by the trampled grass
the broken twtgs, and. at this season, by
the punches of hair left cinsine to the
bushes, so 1 hurried after them as fast as
l could go with two cameras, one in each
hand. Now, part of this reserve was once
farming country and a few of the old
farm houses are still standing. Some of
these are in good repair, and are kept as
shooting camps, and are used by the MEM
bers of the Blue Mountain Forest Asso-
citation in the hunting season. Others have
gone more or less to decay, and are now
perhaps the homes of wild cats and other
forest creatures. and in the floors of some
of them there are great holes gnawed by
the teeth of porcupines.
Meeting the Herd.
After toiling after the buffaloes for per-
haps three miles, 1 came upon the herd on
a wide open space In the rear of one of
these old farm houses-some grazing and
others lying down, all as contented as a
herd of domestic cattle. Cautiously 1 ap-
preached the front of the house. quietly re-
moved a window, crawled into a musty
room ana drew the cameras IN after me.
Going through to the rear I could see the
whole herd In full view from the back win
dows. Very slowly I opened one of these
windows without attracting the attention of
the buffaloes. and quickly put a camera in
position. 1 wished to station the other
camera at one Of the side windows. but the
sash was stiff and threatened to make a
loud noise If tried to open 1t. However. II
was the work of but five minutes to remove
a pane of glass with a penknife, and very
soon had my guns trained upon the herd
from two directions. Having made one or
two exposures, l waited for a chance to
get individual pictures. and little later.
when the buffaloes began to move about
the opportunity came. The first animal to
approach the rear window was a fine young
bull, whose last winters coat was still
hanging to his sides in tatters. got his
portrait without arousng his suspicious.
and then went to see If there was ANYTHING
within range of the other instrument.
Mother and Baby.
Coming around the corner of the house
there was fine old COW buffalo, grazing
quietly, and following close upon her heels
was her tawny, three months,~old calf Min