Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1905-08-04
SKIN HUNTERS OF THE PLAINS.
Wasteful Methods Of the Buffalo Killers
In Early Days.

In Early Days.
Reading Charles Aubrey's account of
the buffalo set me to thinking again Of
the white skin hunters and their waste
full methods. Their manner of killing
them gave them about one animal out
Of every three that they killed, the
wolves got the other two. The buffalo
guns they used Gas heavy as a crow
bar" well describes them), with their
bottleneck fifty caliber shells, would
kill a buffalo at 1900 yards, If 1t bit
him where he could be killed, but Of
ten it did not.
was coming from the antelope hills
on my way to Fort Elliott one hot af-
ternoon in June when 1 overlook four
skin hunters mounted on rather poor
Texas ponies. They were out after
buffalo that could here be seen In all
directions. There were half a dozen
hunters in sight. These men had q
camp with wagons miles from here on
some stream where there was water.
Only one of them had buffalo-gun,
the rest had Winchesters. They would
do the driving, he the shooting, and In
q short time after this he did 1t. The
nearest buffalo, about fifty Of them,
were grazing off to our right and front
about q mile away. The drivers went
for, them while the shooter and 1 kept
on to where the buffalo would be likely
to pass, and getting there he and l
staked out our horses, while he took
his stand here also; had wallow.
He wanted me to take stand here
also; 1 had Marlin rifle, but told
him that 1 only did my shooting from
the saddle. his method was too waste
full. and lying down behind him l pre-
pared TO take in this show. had seen
others like it before. The buffalo,
when started, ran past us about 5OO
yards away, and the hunter opened on
them firing at least dozen shots be-
fore the last of them were out of range.
He got three, and / was surprised at
him getting so many, the only spot In
which they could be hit to kill instant
" could be more than covered with the
rim of one of our hats, there was small
chance of his killing them there, while
they were on the dead run 800 yards
away. vet every shot he fired no doubt
hit a buffalo somewhere. These big
balls going through too far back wouia
kill the animal in time.
"Well, you have three out OF dozen.
The other nine are lost to you" toid
him. "Why don't you men run those
buffalo? 1 could have got six out OF
that bunch with this horse Of mine and
might not have fired over six shots 10
get them, either"
"Oh. we can't run them on these
horses we have. 1t is we'll enough for
YOU fellows to talk Of running them
IF we had some one to buy us S2Oo
horses, then get us another like MIN Us
soon as we had killed up the first one
then we could run them
"You have a curious idea about III
and our horses. This horse OF mine
cost S135. The highest that is PAID tol
ony of them is $3.50, and not many OF
them cost that much. And as for the
killing him I'D, take mighty good care
not TO do it; if l did l would not rul
many buffalo on the plug that woulo
be given be the next time III were
in this business / would have at leas'
two good Indian ponies; they can DC
got for $50 a piece, all you want OF
them"
Eyes. but after we have sold oul
hides and have stocked up for the mex
month we don't have many $50 left"
What they did have left would b'
likely to be divided between firewatel
and monte bank. I did not tell tnen
so, though.
"You won't follow up these wounded
buffalo, will you?"
NO; what is the use? They will rul
half day before they drop"
These men had about 2oO hides Oh
hand now. About 5000 worth when
got to Fort Elliott, $50 for each mai
for y hard months work. The ski
hunters had a hard life Of it and oftel
finished it with their boots On at ID
conclusion of a drunken row. Incl
greatest fear was of hostile Indians
they had a far more dangerous enem
t than the Indian the post trader
whisky.-Cabia Blanco, in Forest an
Stream.