White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1927-05-13
HERD OF BUFFALO ROAMS
HILLS NEAR YAKIMA

HILLS NEAR YAKIMA
Over the rolling hills above Cow
iche, less than 20 miles from the busy
sreets of Yakima, there roams herd
OF some 70 buffaloes, as hardy and as
proud as ever fell before the rifle of
Buffalo Bill" Here, where they
quietly browse in the sha6e of shelter
ing pines, protected by man, their
former foe, surrounded by food in
variety and abundance, they are fear
less, conscious that no harm will come
to them.
On ranch in Cowiche, Gibson
brothers, owners of this fine herd.
have range totaling 1920 acres,
protected by barbed wire fencing.
This tract extends from a point about
ID miles due west of Yakima on Tie
ton drive to the boundaries of Rainier
National forest, 125 miles west. The
variety of feed to be found here, on
the eastern slope of the Cascade
mountain range, is better than any
other in the west. Much of it is
bunch grass and open meadow. which
tends to make an ideal home for these
buffaloes.
But the Cowiche. range is only their
summer home. The winter grazing
ground is at a lower altituce over
in the Wenas hills, about 10 miles
north of Yakima, where the Gibson
brothers have 5000 acres fenced. This
range is bounded by the Yakima river
and passengers of the Northern
Pacific railroad, as well as auto tour
lists, are able to see these descend
ants of the one time noble king of
the western plains.
Because the Gibson brothers had
more grazing land than they needed
for cattle, they decided to experiment
with buffaloes. At first a COW and
Bull were purchased from the Conrad
estate at Kalispell, Montana. These
did so well in their new environment
that in the fall of 1921, 81 head were
purchased by the Gibson brothers
from the same concern. A number
were killed off and sold for the
Christmas trade, but all. of the best
breeding stock was kept. The next
year the finest herd bull to be had
was purchased from the Scotty Philip
ranch and shipped to Yakima at an
expense of $224 for express alone.
o. d. Gibson takes great pride in the
fact that there has been no cross
breeding among these animals, they
being direct descendants of the dark
brown native buffalo of Canada and
of the northwestern part of the
United States.
Writing to Gibson brothers, N. S.
Garretson, Secretary of the American
Bison Society, says: "We are very
glad to know that this herd has not
been destroyed or dispersed, but is to
be used for breeding purposes. The
state of Washington is to be con-
graduated on acquiring through you
one of the best and purest strains OF
buffalo. blood, in the. world arc, l
also believe, the hardest and most
prolific of all the private herds we
have any record Of"
In speaking of the bison's charac-
teristics, Mr.. Gibson says that al
though these buffaloes are perhaps
not as wild as were their forefathers,
they are far from being as tame as
cattle. They are herded like cattle
but it takes real bunch Of buckaroos
to handle them as one OF them might
take a notion to bolt, in which case
it would be useless to give chase, as
a bison, or buffalo, can outrun the
strongest horse. If unmolested the
unruly bison will soon return to the
herd, coming back faster than he
went.
During the breeding season, bulls
more than five years old will often
fight to the death. During this battle
they separate themselves from the
rest of the herd which. watches them
from afar. If the result of the combat
is a draw, the admiration Of the herd
is divided, but in case one is killed
the entire herd jumps upon the van
quished warrior and endeavors to
trample the carcass into the earth.
When bison roamed wild on the
plains with this constant rivalry a.
mong the bulls for supremacy OF
bands, as soon as their strength be-
gan to wane, the older leaders were
overthrown by the younger and more
vigorous aspirants. Thus the very
best sires were selected by the law OF
battle and the herds kept at the high
est point through "the survival OF the
fittest."
It is sad to reflect that while the
Gibson herd is one Of the few buffalo
herds in the world and only herd OF
it's kind in Washington, many an old
person can remember the day Of "the
covered wagons" when these lordly
animals were plentiful on the western
plains.-Paul L. Marble, Yakima, in
Pacific Power & Light Company
Bulletin.
William Wing and family expect
to leave Saturday morning in their
car for Mount Vernon. going by
way of the Columbia River Highway.
Mr.. Wing has leased his state settle
ment tract for the remainder Of the
year to b. c. Lowe. and will follow
his old line Of work as electrician