Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-23
HUNTING .BUFFALOES
Running" the Animal on
Horseback Dangerous.
TRY TO FIND THE RIGHT ONE
Shooter Always Carefully Selected for
His Skill.
METHODS OF THE STILLHUNT
Wastefulness of the sportingmen APP
palling-One-Half Of Number
Killed Left to Purify.
METHODS OF THE sTILLHUNT

tense at, craftsmanship there was just one
way to hunt the buffalo, and that was to
| run the animal on horseback. This
method furnished great excitement. was
| fraught with real danger to man and horse,
and gave the buffalo more or less chance
| for his life
| The usual plan adopted after party of
hunters had sighted herd was to get to
leeward of 1t, and ride slowly up until the
animals became alarmed and started away.
At first buffaloes were so unsuspicious that
1t was often possible to get within three or
| four hundred yards of the nearest before
the herd began to run; later they grew
more and more wary, and 1t became really
difficult matter TO approach the last few
bands of this once numerous race. AS soon
as the herd began to move the hunters put
their horses to the gallop, and were soon
mlngllng with the flying buffaloes each
hunter trying to single out one which would
serve his particular purpose. One perhaps,
sought handsome head for mounting in
which case he would select some grand old
DUH; another was after meat for the camp
and would pick out fat young cow Hav-
ing marked his victim, the hunter would
ride right up alongside and discharge his
weapon, either big revolver or a rifle aim
ing at the vital spot behind the fore leg
Having killed or mortally injured this ami
NAL the rider would continue the chase.
ana knock over as many more as he had
49, VI o9 NSho lSQuiitu u SdIlSIy his
desire for slaughter.
Chief Danger to Hunters. I,
The chief danger to the hunter was not
that he might be gored or tramped by the
bunaloes. though there were great posi-
piities In this direction but that the hunt
frequently required him to ride at top speed
over most treacherous country, and that
owing to thesdense clouds of dust raised by
SO many RalODln2 animals INN
sible for either horse or rider to see the
ground. Many men were killed at this
game ana many more were severely in
Jured. Often enough the buffaoes led the
way across stretch of country where the
ground was literally honeycombed with the
burrows of prairie dogs. Such going would
be bad enough If man and beast could see
where they were going but gaIioping In a
cloud of dust. and jostled by other horses
ana by buffaloes, the danger was greatly
increased
Many Accidents
Frequently horse would stumble and
fall, throwing his rider violently to the
ground and perhaps roll on him into the
bargain 1t was nothing unusual for a
horse to break his leg in prairie dog bur-
row, and It was not a rare occurrence II
he broke his riders neck at the same time
Alexander Ross. in an account o. great
hunt In which four hundred men took part
gives some idea of the dangers encountered
In running" buffalo. He says: ION this
occasion the surface was rocky and full of
badger holes. Twenty-three horses and rid
ers were at one moment sprawling on the
ground one horse, gored by a bull was
killed on the spot; two more were disabled
by the fall; one rider broke his shoulder
blade; another burst his gun and lost three
Of his fingers by the accident and a third
was struck on the knee by an exhausted
ball. These accidents will not be thought
overnumerous. considering the result. for In
the evening no less than thirteen hundred
and seventy-fye tongues were brought into
camp.
Two Herds of Buffaloes.
In 1860 the Union Pacific railroad was
completed, and the buffalos were thereafter
divided into two herds, known as the north
ern and the southern herds, respectively.
The latter, which contained perhaps twice
as many animals as the former was soon
made quite accessible to the white hunters
by the construction of the Atchson, To-
peka and Santa Fe and the Kansas Pacific
railroads, which ran through the very heart
of the range. Then the plains were over
run with men who cared nothing whatever
for sport, or for anything except to make
the greatest possible number of dollars out
of the buffalo in the shortest possible space
of time. Apart from the dangers attending
the chase horseback, which many OF
these people would have reIished under any
circumstances. this method, destructive as
1t was, was voted entirely too slow. So
they substituted for 1t the deadly still-hunt
which insured a tremendous kill with no
danger whatever to the hunter. 1t was
about as sportsmanlike as 1t would be to
hide in the barn and shoot the cows graz
Ing quietly In the meadow.
The stili-hunter did not go out to the
range alone, rule, but with a party
such as has been well described by Col r.
/. Dodge. as follows: The most approved
party consisted of four men--one shooter,
two SINNERS, and one man to cook, stretch
hides and take care of camp. Where buff
falo were very plentiful the number of skin
ners was increased. A light wa gon drawn
by two horses or mules. takes the outfit
into the wilderness and brings into camp
the skins taken each day,
Slaughtering Outfit.
THE outfit is most meagre; sack of -four.
side of bacon. five pounds of coffee tea
and sugar. little salt. and possibly a few
beans is months supply, A common or
"A tent furnishes shelter; a court of
blankets for each man is bed. One or
more OF Sharp's or Remngton's heaviest
sporting rifles, and an unlimited supply of
ammunition. is the armament; while cof-
fee pot Dutch oven, frying pan, four tin
plates and four tin cups constitute the
kitchen and table furniture.
1.-THE skinning knives do duty at the plat
ter. and fingers were made before forks
Nor must be forgotten one or more 10-gallon
kegs for water. as the camp may OF neces-
city be far away from a stream. The sup
plies are generally furnished by the mer-
chant for whom the party is working, who,
In addition pays each of the party a specis
fed percentage of the value of the skins de-
livered The shooter Is carefully selected
for his skill and knowledge of the habits of
the buffalo
Leader of the Party.
..He Is captain and leader OF the party
When all is ready he plunges Into the will
derness going to the center CT the best buff