Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-06-08
(By DAVID HILGER)

BELIEVE in writing this article that
can handle the subject with detailed
Il accuracy, for 1t has been my lot or
fortune to have seen the buffalo in their
prime and glory both during my trip
across the plains in 1867 when l was a
boy OF 10 years Of age and again when
I moved to the great Judith basin IN
1881 where the closing chapter in the
history Of this great monarch of the
plains was witnessed.
I killed my first buffalo on Dog creek
about rs miles north Of Lewistown in
the fall Of 1881. 1 was hen In my 25th
year and if / do say it myself, a good
horseman and a splendid shot. / might
say here that during the period from
1870 to 1880 I rod the range as a cow
boy at the present Gate OF the Noun
tain ranch on the Missouri river, now O
motor boat resort, and during this per-
iod OF 10 years / did much hunting IN
the mountains in the vicinity OF the
ranch and many blacktail deer, noun
tain sheep and antelope fell a mark to
the deadly aim Of my Winchester rifle.
But up to the time I left for the Judith
basin 1 had never killed a buffalo. 1t
was one desire Of my life to migrate to
the Judith basin where the buffalo
roamed over the northern portion of Fer
gus county, now defined on the south
sid Of the Missouri river. h desire
to kill buffalo was largely responsible
for my removal to and residence in this
section of Montana for AZ years.
Knows His stuff"
1 have read many accounts Of the
habits and passing of the buffalo from
the days of the early fur traders to the
time when Bill Cody or Buffalo BIZ
hunted and furnished buffalo meat for
the grading camps engaged in the con-
struction of the Union Pacific and the
Central Pacific railroads, but this is n
subject that I do not have to consult any
authorities on and the material will be
original, which is one reason why have
chosen 1t for this article.
In 1881, John Brooks, now deceased,
and myself located a ranch on Salt creek,
a tributary of the Judith river, about 20
miles north Of Lewistown, in the very
center of the buffalo country OF that
time. During the winter of 1912 many
thousands Of buffalo roamed over that
country in bands of from 20 to 90 to as
many as two or three hundred. From
any elevated point as many as 10 or
even 20 punches could be seen, all quiet
ly grazing or lying down when not dis
turbed. These herds consisted of mostly
cows and calves, yearlings and two year
olds, with a number of young bulls and
occasionally a bunch of old bulls straight.
The term horned out of the herd" had
its origin in reality. When a bunch of
the younger and more powerful bulls
came to the conclusion that 1t was about
time for an old bull to go, they horned
him out of the herd. h resulted in
some fierce battles. for old Mr.. Bull was
not going to surrender his authority
without a contest and / nave seen many
N A,+41n 1f fh4e blvd Tho racf nf fhn
herd would pay no attention to the con-
test but would continue grazing or lying
down with no concern for the battle
royal" When the old bull would prove
too much for his younger adversary, two
or more of the younger bulls would go
to the assistance of the youngster and
of course the game was un hen and the
old monarch would finally turn tail and
strike out by himself in a cloud Of dust.
The horned out" bulls soon found COM
panions among Others of like experience
and for the good reason that misery
loves company there would be as many
as 80 or 40 in a band by themselves.
The scars of many battles indicated hat
they had been all horned out of the
herd"
Lots of Hunting
Naturally enough with buffalo so
plentiful we spent much Of our time in
hunting them and in the course of q
short time l came into possession Of two
splendid buffalo horses which I trained
TO run buffalo. They were sure ~footers,
long winded and did not mind the dis
charge of a rife. Well do / remember
Grey Dick and kitty" q buckskin
mare, that I owned. In many a run on
these surefooted animals l played havoc
among the younger COWS for they made
the best robes md. of course. the meat
was enc and in the fall of the year
they were fat. A dry COW was preferable
to a COW with a calf but they were hard