The Bozeman courier., 1927-10-14
(By E. RICHARD sHIPP)

R. W.. F. CARVER, who recently
crossed the last divide, was prob
ably the best-known rifle shot the
world has ever seen, as he un-
doubtedly was the best shot. Carver
was a plainSInan and in the days when
the buffalo were being slaughtered for
their hides frequently contracted with
the big hide purchasers to kill for them.
In 1873 several outfits Of hide hunters
were camped on Frenchman creek, and
the buffalo were scattered over the prai-
ries by the hundreds of thousands.
A great rivalry sprang up between the
different outfits an6 particularly as to
the Carver outfit for the doctor always
hunted on horseback, running the buf-
falo as long as his horse could keep with
| in shooting distance, while the other
hide hunters hunted on foot. Still
hunting did not alarm the beasts and a
clever hunter could get them into a
mill" and in this manner kill great
numbers of them while hiding behind
a sage brush or bunch Of grass.
Carver was the first in the camp at
Mud Springs and did not intend to be
run out by the other hide-hunters, many
of the outfits being hard formations, and
a bitter feeling sprung up that continued
for many years.
"Big Jack" a murderer and fugitive
from justice and Buffalo Curley were the
head of one outfit and both were men
of the blacklist records in the South.
They had followed the herds for three
being in the neighborhood or section in
which they were operating and particu-
larly that Of Carver.
Buffalo" Curley was the name given
to Jack Mccall, who afterward in Dead
wood shot Wild Bill Hickok in the back
Of the head while he was engaged in g
game Of cards, and Calamity Jane, it is
said, Superintended his hanging for that
, crime.
The reputation Of Buffalo Curley as {
/ horseback shot was the best on thC
southern plains and an intense rivalry
! sprung up between his outfit and the
Carver group which led to a challengI
to Carver to shoot it out for $500
side. Both outfits were under contrac
at the time to a Mr.. Byheld who LIVED
on the Republican river near the mouth
of Red Willow. Carver accepted thI
challenge and the conditions laid dow
were: the man killing the most buffalo
on one run-that is, shooting until hi
horse could run no longer-was to VIII
the money and the title of Champion
Buffalo Hunter of the Plains.
A referee was chosen and he selectet
two judges, in the event the judge
could not agree the referees decision
was to be final. Two weeks time wa
allowed to get the horses in condition
l The report Of the match spread far AM
wide, and when it became known tina
Carver had a rival from Texas hun
dreds Of persons collected at the Mu
Springs camp to witness the contest.
The news reached Fort Mcpherson an
Lieut.. Schwatka with a company of sol
d1erS accompanied by a number Of ladie
came out into that wilderness of snoV
and ice to see what was the most inter
esting and exciting shooting match in tn
history Of the world.
Hundreds of Pawnees and Sioux fror
4vr
camped on the Frenchman and the lieu
tenant and his company Of soldiers ha
all they could do to keep them froI
fighting. Trappers, wolf poisoners an
a collection of renegade Indians froI
the north made up the largest cam
ever seen on the Frenchman making on
OF the widest pictures at Mud Spring
ever seen in the west
The day Of the contest the hufal
came marching In for water eaRly IA I'll