The Bison - Part Four

By Dan R. Conway

(Originally printed in the Hysham Echo on March 3, 1927)

(Cont. from last week)

The Piegans as well as every other tribe resorted to several methods of hunting the buffalo. They were skillful in the use of the bow and arrow and each warrior had his trained buffalo horse, which would carry its rider at break-neck speed into the midst of a buffalo herd, riding so close to the animals that the mounted brave was enable to sink his headed arrow shaft into the heart of the game. As a matter of fact, few tribes other than the Piegans and the Crows have been known to resort to the “buffalo run” method of hunting this game, as described in the beginning of this article.

The Surround

The true sportsman-like attack was by direct onslaught with all hunters mounted on fleet and trained buffalo ponies. This Indian method was known as “the surround.” It was managed by the same preliminaries that were observed in all the great buffalo hunts by Indians. The attack was made in careful order under strict discipline, directly upon the herd until the latter had fully scented the danger, when the hunters broke into a wild gallop, each free to go where he chose, chasing and slaying amid the thunder of hoofs, the bellowing of the beasts and the clouds of dust raised in the mad rush of so many animals. So completely panic-stricken would these mighty herds become and so little sense of where to flee, that most of them fell victims to their pursuers, and the ground would soon be strewn with mighty carcasses.

Indian Buffalo Hunt

Calin describes the early-day Indian buffalo hunt as follows:
“The chief hunting amusement of the Indians consists in the chase of the buffalo, which is almost invariably done on horseback, with bow and lance. In this exercise, which is highly prized by them as one of their most valued amusements, as well as for the principal mode of procuring meat for their subsistence, they become exceedingly expert; and are able to slay these huge animals with apparent ease.

“The Indians are all mounted on small, but serviceable horses, which are caught by them on the prairies, where they are often running wild in numerous bands. The Indian, then, mounted on his little wild horse, which has been through some years of training, dashes off at full speed amongst the herds of buffaloes, and deals his deadly arrows to their hearts from his horse’s back. The horse is the fleetest animal of the prairie, and easily brings his rider alongside of his game, which falls a certain prey to his deadly shafts, at the distance of a few paces.

“These horses are so trained, that the Indian has little use for the rein, which hangs on the neck, whilst the horse approaches the animal on the right side, giving his rider the chance to throw his arrow to the left; which he does at the instant when the horse is passing - bringing him opposite to the heart, which receives the deadly weapon ‘to the feather.’ When pursuing the large herd, the Indian generally rides close in the rear, until he selects the animal he wishes to kill, which he separates from the throng as soon as he can, by dashing his horse between it and the herd, and forcing it off by itself; where he can approach it without the danger of being trampled to death, to which he is often liable by too closely escorting the multitude.

“No bridle whatever is used by the Indians, as they have no knowledge of a bit. A short halter, however, which answers in place of a bridle, is in general use; of which they usually form a noose around the under jaw of the horse, by which they get great power over the animal; and which they use generally to stop rather than guide the horse. This halter is called by the French traders in the country, I’arret, the stop, and has great power in arresting the speed of a horse; though it is extremely dangerous to use too freely as a guide, interfering too much with the freedom of his limbs, for the certainty of his feet and security of his rider.

“When the Indian then has directed the course of his steed to the animal which he has selected, the training of the horse is such, that it knows the object of its rider’s selection, and exerts every muscle to give it close company; while the halter lies loose and untouched upon its neck, and the rider leans quite forward, and off from the side of his horse, with his blow drawn, and ready for the deadly shot which is given at the instant he is opposite to the animal’s body. The horse being instinctively afraid of the animal (though he generally brings his rider within the reach of the end of his bow), keeps his eye strained upon the furious enemy he is so closely encountering; and the moment he has approached to the nearest distance required and has passed the animal, whether the shot is given or not, he gradually sheers off, to prevent coming on to the horns of the infuriated beast, which often are instantly turned, and presented for the fatal reception of its too familiar attendant.

“In running the buffaloes, or in time of war, the lasso (a long thong of rawhide, ten to fifteen yards in length), drags on the ground at the horse’s feet, and sometimes several rods behind, so that if a man is dismounted, which is often the case, by the tripping or stumbling of the horse, he has the power of grasping to the lasso, and by stubbornly holding on to it, of stopping and securing his horse, on whose back he is instantly replaced, and continuing on in the chase.”

Indians Did Not Slaughter Bison

Although the buffalo were hunted by Indians and supplied the natives with almost every article of a utilitarian nature, the great herds were never appreciably depleted by the redmen of the plains. The utmost economy was practiced by the Indians in their use of the buffalo, and, as every portion of the animal’s body was turned to some account. They never killed more than would satisfy their immediate needs, and not until after the white man overran their domain, did they kill the bison for his robe. They looked upon the buffalo as sacred - a part of their religion. It had been given them by the Great Spirit who in that manner provided for the needs of his people, and they looked upon the ruthless slaughter of the bison as most sacrilegious - which it WAS!

The White Hunters

One of the picturesque types of the early days on the plains was the white buffalo hunter. For instance, such men as Jim Bridger, Yellowstone Kelly, and the many others, who used to hunt the buffalo on horseback in much the same manner as did the Indian, using, however, long-barreled, muzzle-loading guns and carrying in their hands the ramrods used to press home the powder and ball after each shot had been fired. Later, when the extermination of the species was proceeding in full swing, “still hunting” was practiced, and it was this “still hunting” that spelled the doom of the bison. This was a simple effective method of slaughter. The hunter would crawl to the leeward to within sure rifle-shot without being discovered; then choosing the best concealment the ground afforded, he would begin his work of destruction. The buffalo seeing nothing, and hearing only the report, would usually remain quiet in wonderment. Presently the wounded animal would fall, and the others, smelling his blood, would gather round and try to make it rise or else go on grazing, evidently thinking that their companion had lain down to rest. Meanwhile the hunters’ rifles would be busy. Shot after shot would bring down victim after victim until the whole band had been killed.

The buffalo was a hard animal to kill. A ball upon its shaggy head or neck was deflected as though from a panoply of steel. Wounds in the rear of the body were seldom fatal. It was only in the region of the heart that a bullet or arrow was sure, and the Indians and white hunters always aimed to strike there.

Vast Hordes

It is not possible to even vaguely estimate the number of buffalo there were on the plains and in the foothills when the first white men came west. One writer has stated that it is safe to assume that there were fifty millions or more of these animals grazing between Manitoba and the Snake Plains of Texas. It is a fact, however, that the numbers were literally innumerable, and, as late as 1871 it was not uncommon to see herds from twenty to fifty miles in width and of unknown depth from front to rear. The grazing grounds of the main herd, so far as the white man’s knowledge reaches, was on the prairies of what is now the state of Kansas in the territory lying south of White Rock creek and west on the Republican river. Print this post