Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-12-25
BILL CODY WAS A
WILD WEST GUIDE
THE ONCE HUMBLE, SNLALL-TTAEE
FARMER SKYROCKETED
TO FAME

Hired by Grand Duke Alexis OF Russia
to Guide Party Through wind and
WOOlly West Which Won for Him An
Immediate Place in the Public Eve
When Grand Duke Alexis Of
Russia hired William f. Cody, an
humble, smalI-time farmer Of North
Platte, Neb., TO guide him through
the wild and w0olIy west Of the
last century, Buffalo Bill, hitherto
unknown except to a few army Of
ficers, soldiers and western peit
hunters, was started on the high
way to fame and fortune.
C0dy'S selection as a guide to Russian
royalty, in democratic" America, not
to mention Europe, Immediately won
him place in the public eye which he
was not slow to capitalize-on the adj
with liberal backing, became q star in
his own show" Buffalo Bills Wild
West.
His Wild West show, his famous
sharp-shooting accomplished, it Is told
through the use of mercury bullets
which, fired from a rifle, burst into
shower of pellets after they left the
gun barrel and had the spread Of a
charge of bird shot, and his trip 70
Europe, all contributed to make the
contract buffalo hunter, occasional
scout and farmer q sort of super-man,
particularly in the minds of young
America.
The five-cent-story weeklies and the
Dexter Fellows of the advertising world
took advantage of the glamour sur
rounding Indian shows, bucking broncS
and apparently marvellous shooting at
glass balls. Buffalo Bits achievements
as a hunter, q scout, an Indian fighter
and a markSman were painted In
manner that left his old-time western
associates breathlesS with establishment.
Possibly prompted by desire to &C
quaint the world with the facts. OF
buffalo hunting-an occupation less
hazardous by far, 1t has been stated,
than herding cattle on a western
range. an early-day buffalo hunter, on
March 81, 1889. gave the following in
terview to the Kansas City Times:
White POt-Hunters
"As the Indians hunted them the
race of bison probably would have
lasted forever, but about 1866 the white
men turned their attention TO the
shaggy monsters of the plains. Large
eastern firms organized hunting par
ties and paid the shooters $3.50 for
each bison where he lay dead on the
plains.
"I then went to southern Nebraska
and became q professional hunter. Inc
bisons consisted of two large divisions,
one in the south and one in the north:
Their only common feeding ground
was in the Republican river valley and
its branches In Nebraska. The Indians
were well aware of that fact and hos
tile tribes have had many fights Tor
that territory. 1t was not until 1S!s
that the government put an END 10 this
bv sending the PawneeS south and the |
Sioux TO their northern reservations.
Prior to that time we had to do all our
hunting at the risk of being scalped
at any time.
"Our favorite rifle was an army model
of fine Springfield rifle, AS caliber and I
loaded with 80 grains OF powder. The
whites patterned after the Indians and
hunted on horseback. Having wagons
to haul our game we did not care 70
circle them as the Indians did. When
q herd was located we would mount 1
orr best horses and as quietly as pos
sible approach the herd from the lee
ward side. AS soon as they saw us the
fun would begin.
Brutal Slaughter
although of low build, the bison
will make very interesting race With I
a horse for 10 miles. We would press
up on the right flank OF the herd and
ride SO close to the animals that our
guns could touch the flank when fired.
The most deadly shot was to fire
through the lungs so the
animal would bleed TO death. In this
way we would follow the herd as long
as our horses could stand 1t. On one
of these runs killed lis bisons, none
of them being more than 1OO yards
'sTn riding back an awful spectacle
was presented to the eye. The trail
was marked by dead and dying animals. /
An occasional bull would have a broken |
back so that he could only get up on
his forelegs; nothing could look more
furious than his shaking head with
coal black eyes glaring n a death stare |
from his shaggy front. we received our
paw for the animals dead on the plains; |
the wagons would follow us UP, quarter
ing the animals and shipping the sad
dies and the tallow to the eastern
'''''- Meat Allowed to Rot
@About 1871 the hide hunting began.
Prior to this time little or no attention
was paid to the hides but when the
demand for them created a high price |
the meat was allowed to rot upon the |
plains and this magnificent race was
simply that extravaganza
tastes might be satisfied.
with the improvement in firearms
an ENTIRELY different mode of hunting |
was adopted. The Springfield was |
by q Sharps so caliber and !
loaded with ITO grains Of powder. The |
hunter used his horse only in finding |
a herd. This done he would go to the |
leeward side so that the smell Of the |
powder and the report Of the gun would |
not reach the animals. There he would /
find a suitable shelter about 1000 yards
distant from the herd and begin shoot
ing. I have killed many at a distance |
Of a mile. Hunting in this way he had /
to be very particular and watch the
herd very closely. The bisons, like q /
herd Of cattle, are always on the 60 4
They are apt to walk out Of rifle range 4
in very short time. In moving, how
ever they always have leader and the /
trick was to kill off anyone that started