Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-01-09

y eastern MOntana'S eariY-day
buffalo hunters, during all of
the years that he was engaged
in that occupation was watch
ing for a chance TO stampede herd
over a cliff along the Yellowstone river
and get several hundred hides at one
fell sWOOp. The opportunity came to
him one day, but not one of the hides
got to market, he lost all of his camp
outfit, the Indians killed his SINNERS
and cook, and he himself barely eS-
capped with his life.
The country bordering the Yellow
stone river, where the buffalo wintered
by the thousand, was Trask's favorite
stamping ground and he spent the fall
and winter hunting seasons there for
years until the buffalo were entirely
wiped out. He afterwards lived for
many years on q ranch near Dickin-
son, N. d.
During the winter Of 1873, Trask was
hunting along the Yellowstone in the
region where Forsyth, the county seat
of Rosebud county, Is now located. But
falo hides at that time were bringing
from 81 TO SIS each and the tongues,
the only part of the carcass generally
saved by the hunters, from rs to so
cents more when smoked and cured.
The Yellowstone country was the
hunting ground Of several Warlike tribes
Of Indians and was anything but
safe territory for the white buffalo |
hunters that also frequented it, They !
never knew when they would be at |
tackled by hostile Sioux or Crows. The |
professional hide hunters were willing |
to take the chance, however, for each /
winter with only fair or average luck |
they stood to clean up several thousand |
dollars.
Indians Hunted the Hunters
Many Of them disappeared each win
ter, never to be heard of again, slain
in some remote region by the Indians.
On Christmas day of 1878, TraSk and
his crew, consisting of three SINNERS
and a cook, were camped on the yell
lowstone just about opposite where
Forsyth now stands, and in a thick
clump of cottonwood trees.
Trask, an experienced hunter, sell
dom failed to get at least 1000 hides
during the season, and the winter OF
1878 looked especially propitious for
good haul. He made an exceptional
start with his first week out and on
)ne day alone had killed eighty head.
Trask always claimed that he had
he best buffalo pony in the whole
and that once in herd, he -
Gould trust the pony, without direct :,
ng it, to keep him always in position -
where he had a target for his gun, the y
-
hunters used. :.
It was the practice Of buffalo hunt !
rs to approach a grazing herd as close p"
Y as they could without disturbing the
nimals. When within q short distance
( them, they would dash into the q
erd and begin shooting, and much u
their success depended upon having - -
well trained horse under them. "
Buffalo was Easily Killed g.
IL 4 - he arff
)out their shooting, for a bullet from 81
lie heavy rifle almost any place in IN
lie body of the buffalo meant that IN
oner or later he would be a dead y,
limal. Sometimes the big beasts ira iii
led for several miles before weakness ho
ON loss of blood compelled them ~
stop and lie down. Once down, they 80
ldon got up. Many times, Of course, ~
lie first shot downed the buffalo In u
tracks. "
Many professional buffalo hunters IT
I've been known to kill as many as an
10 animals in single day just by AZ
ooting. When opportunity offered to 81
ampede herd over cliff, the num- W ~
r Of beasts killed was often many oIi
mes that number. The Indians did an
at frequently and when they did so, ~
ually moved their camp to the site of
the kill and remained there as long q e.,
their was any meat left. Al
The day before Christmas, Trask 70
I'd killed five or six buffalo and on COZ
he sent his skinnerS out !
r the hides, telling them to bring IN IN
e biggest part of the carcass Of one On
arling with the intention of roasting vi
for Christmas feast. ca
The weather was so fine that Trask
cided to go hunting himself and re- nv
IN to camp about o'clock in the CnI
ternoon in time for dinner. A short Cel
stance below his camp, the river an
ept close against high perpendic- ms
ar cliff on the opposite side. Leading
ok from the top of it was a long
assy ridge and near the river a an
le of scrubby pines followed the edge SID
the bluff, forming a crescent shaped sol
Inge on each side of the ridge. hil
In telling the story afterwards, Trask rel
id that he had frequently noticed he
e place and remarked to himself acl
at 1t was an ideal spot in which to boz
ampede a herd over the cliff, II tht
e opportunity should ever offer. and
axe q phenomenal killing. a
Big Chance Came Christmas Day in
Near the head of the ridge on this ne;
v he came upon herd Of about sta
D buffalo and was soon among them ing
ooting and dropping them on all me
les. He used his best efforts to keep 1
e herd headed in the direction OF InC