The Redwood gazette., 1922-12-20
How 1t Seems to
Hunt Big Game
REDWOOD FALLS HOTEL MAN
ON DAKOTA PRAIRIES. .~
(By O. H. Johnson)

IN this day and age and bluntly stated
that his mission was to invite you out
onto the plains, to kill wild Buffalo,
you would think the fellow was either
a lunatic or some Rip Van Winkle who
had been slumbering for decade or
two and hadn't been awake long en-
ough to realize that there 'ain't no
such animal anymore. But that is
where you would be dead wrong;
:'thus remarked former guest of the
| Scotty" Phillips Buffalo Ranch at Fort
Pierre, South Dakota The above ex-
presses the exact situation as a like
favor was extended to us by Mr.. A. H.
Leonard, the sales manager of the
ranch and the son-in-law Of the late
Scotty Phillips.
| For several seasons we have had an
| urgent invitation to experience the
| thrill that comes with shooting diff
ferent species of big game and we
wondered if it would cause different
thrill from moose, deer or timber wolf
| killing. We admit the rare pleasure
to partake of the sport was much more
| than the actual slaughter of the game.
So Friday afternoon, December eighth
we left Redwood Falls, over the North
western Road arriving at Fort Pierre
Saturday afternoon.
After donning the proverbial buck
skin and mackinaw apparel, we went
Immediately up into the hills as the
weather and wind were intensely cold;
the same storm raging in Redwood
Falls last Monday struck the plains
out there and no trees or shelter of
any kind to break the force of the
wind did we encounter. AS we left
our conveyance the width and breadth
of the country as we looked into space
/ fairly appalled, us, and the sameness
of the rolling hills at first hid from our
! view any moving object.
! AS we neared the large ravines and
flats hundred of Buffalo came in sight.
1t was here that the out-riding cow
! boys got in their work by singing
out the Buffalo which were doomed.
Careful maneuvering soon brings them
in within shooting distance, from Is
to $50 yards. One must nail for the
correct position of the head as it is
there that. the vital spot must be
chosen to down the game. The ear is
the coveted spot of the marksman as
variation to either side often requir-
es the second or third shot. Frequent
ly hunter and horse are injured by the
frenzied Buffalo. Thru inaccurate
aim, one horse was quite seriously in
| jured during our visit at the. ranch.
When one considers they kill 100 buff
falo to be ready for shipment for the
Holiday. market the shooting must be
fast and accurate; from six to eight
head are killed at one drive. : - =
A man that does nothing but bleed
the animals after being shot is always
accompanied by another with rifle
ready for an emergency should there
be signs of life as they are wary and
antagonistic if only wounded; in one
instance it took five shots from the Of
fetal shooter with aNlarge high power
rifle to dispatch one enormous bull,
probably weighing 1400 pounds. The
shot buffalo are placed on stone boats
and hauled to the racks to be entrailed
then hoisted mid air, to scaffolds which
are about 80 #. high and six are dis
| played on each rack to get all animal
heat out as soon as possible. The
butchers are experienced men and fire.
! quently six are employed, it takes
, about Is minutes to prepare them for
! the racks, they are hoisted by pulleys
, drawn by a team of horses. After
, watching the proceedings of the old
i experienced Buffalo hunter, Mr.. Stan
| ley Phillip whose running shots appear
as easy as those standing still, We
consider him an exceptional shot.
By the time we felt confident that
! the trick could be turned and upon
| his invitation for us to single out our
! choice of the bunch we readily acqu-
iesced. We waited for the opportune
| moment when the head was turned to
, a correct angle, it was but second
when the trigger was pressed, a sud-
den thud told the story, the bullet had
/ gone thru. Being satisfied with our
first effort twas but short time be-
fore Mr.. Phillip repeated his question,
another shot!' Again with deliber
ate aim we "bagged" pair with the
next two shots. Our number was five
for the day. Wednesday morning
they had forty head on the racks.
The ranch consists of 1000 acres.
We learned many interesting features
| in Buffalo life. The instincts for self
preservation seem strong; their winter
feed which they preserve lies in the
lowlands and brakes sloping to the
Missouri river, grazing all summer
eflGlTely Oh the nils OF the upIanQS,
thus having for winter feed and shelf
er the rich undisturbed Craze of the
low lands. A Buffalo during all stag
es of storms faces the elements, their
armor being their heavy coat of hair
and hide. After lying down thru the
night the morning shows no melting
, of the snow underneath them, the
warmth of their body is wholly retain
ed within the animal. They are fleet
of foot; Buffalo can run ten miles
from his foe without stopping. In
several instances we noticed were the
animal and driver started together the
latter was soon out classed.
A few years since an Albino Buffalo
was born to the herd, this being such
a rare specie several Snowman offer
ed the ranch fabulous price to ex-
hibit this white Buffalo but before any
arrangements could be made it was
! found killed on the ranch, presumably
by some unprincipabled superstitious
person or persons.