American Bison

The American bison (Bison bison), also commonly known as the American buffalo or simply buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds. They became nearly extinct by a combination of westward expansion, commercial hide hunting and introduction of diseases from cattle. Their historical range roughly comprised a triangle between the Great Bear Lake in Canada’s far northwest, south to the Mexican states, and east to the Atlantic Seaboard.  Two subspecies  have been described: the plains bison (B. b. bison), smaller in size and with a more rounded hump, and the wood bison (B. b. athabascae)—the larger of the two and having a taller, square hump. The wood bison is one of the largest wild species of bovid in the world

 

1897

<< Previous  Next>> / A NOBLE CHIEF OF THE PRAIRIE PREFERS DEATH TO CHAINS   Guardian London, Greater London , England April 21 1897 Mr Whitney writes: There does not seem to be much difficulty in destroying the musk ox when once you have arrived in this country; if not a stupid beast, which the Indians seem to deny, he is at least and inexperienced one, and, knowing more about wolves than men, devotes his attention rather to the dogs then the hunter. Before reaching the Barren Grounds proper Mr. Whitney made an excursion after wood-bison, but failed for the … Read more

1896

<< Previous  Next>> / NOW ALMOST EXTINCT / FIGHT BETWEEN BUFFALOES. April 1896 The National Zoological Park Loses the Oldest Bison in Its Herd. The National Zoological Park, in the suburbs of Washington, has lost one of its valuable herd of six buffaloes, the animal having been killed in a desperate tight with one of its companions. The Zoos herd of buffalo is one of the finest in the country, and great regret is felt at the killing of one of them, as it will be hard to replace It. The buffalo that was killed was one of the largest … Read more

1892

<< Previous  Next>> BISONS NOT YET EXTINCT   Rustic cage is at foot of pile. Handwritten on back: “C.D. 1892 Glueworks, office foot of 1st St., works at Rougeville, Mich.” Homesteaders collected bones from carcasses left by hunters. Bison bones were used in refining sugar, and in making fertilizer and fine bone china. Bison bones brought from $2.50 to $15.00 a ton. Based on an average price of $8 per ton they brought 2.5 million dollars into Kansas alone between 1868 and 1881. Assuming that about 100 skeletons were required to make one ton of bones, this represented the remains … Read more

1891

<< Previous  Next>> Western Kansas World Jan. 17 1891 The Last Buffalo Hunt ……Buffalo had become so scarce that anything concerning them has interest for the general reader. The Laramie Republican tells of a hunting party starting out from Laramie in search of buffalo, accompanied by expert lassoers. Their objective is not to slaughter the animals, but to lassoe them, and bring them alive to Laramie. A herd has been seen by several different parties during the last year, and it’s haunts pretty well located. It is supposed to be now ranging on Red Desert, in Carbon and Fremont Counties, … Read more

1889

<< Previous  Next>> / Raising Buffalo for the Shambles. The Marion County Herald Hamilton, Alabama Jan 10, 1889 Raising Buffalo for the Shambles. The Manitoba as fast freight from Winnipeg recently brought into St. Paul, Minn., a queer load of cattle in the shape of a herd of eighty-three buffalo. The herd is the famous wine raised by Warden Bedson, of Stony Mountain, Northwest Territory, since 1877, from a young bull and four heifers. They have been bought by C. J. Jones, of Garden City, Kan., who has for some years been making a special study of the buffalo, and … Read more

1888

<< Previous  Next>> THE BUFFALOES FATE Thomas County , Kansas April 19, 1888 THE BUFFALOES FATE Extinction of the Noblest of all the American Game Animals ……It is believed that there are now only a few hundred representatives of the main the bison which, when, Fremont across the continent, roamed over our great Western plains. A few small herds have very likely escaped the notice of hunters and settlers. Nearly two years ago residence along the upper Missouri and Yellowstone rivers reported that the bison was probably extinct in that region, but later the hunting party organized by the taxidermist … Read more

1887

<< Previous  Next>> THE LAST BUFFALO HUNT   Written for The Evening Star FAREWELL TO THE GREAT AMERICAN BISON. The End of a Bloody and Relentless Persecution – A Search for Specimens. By WILLIAM T. HORNADAY Author of “Two Years in the Jungle.” Copyright, 1887. I am obliged to confess that I have been guilty of taking part in the extermination of the buffalo. Were it at all to my credit I could even boast of having just killed a greater number in proportion to the whole number now alive than any other man in this country except Jim Mc … Read more

1886

<< Previous  Next>> 1886 Bison History Buffalo Bill Wild West show c1886 Photo by Sarony~LOC   Two years ago (would be 1886) the United States government foresaw that the buffalo was about to be annihilated, and sent a special commission to secure and preserve for its museum specimens of the race. The intention was at first to capture alive a family of bison and keep them in the National park of the Yellowstone, but there were difficulties in the way. At last, it was decided to preserve specimens by the taxidermist’s art, and five superb samples are now at the … Read more

1885

<< Previous  Next>> / Extinction on the Way Waukesha Daily Freeman Waukesha Wisconsin Apr 2 1885 GRADUAL EXTINCTION OF THE BUFFALO GATHERING THE BONES OF THE COUNTLESS DEAD FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES The harvest of furs in the Northwest is about it ended, for the buffaloes are on the eve of final extinction. Hunters who are engaged in the business of hunting the buffalo for his hide are returning daily from the ranges on the north and south sides of the Yellowstone river, and report not a bison to be found in a country where they formerly roamed in myriads. Men … Read more

1884

<< Previous  Next>> / THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BUFFALO Manitoba Free Press Winnipeg Manitoba Can Jan 2 1884 SL Bedson bison herd /   / The Daily Republican Monongahela, Pennsylvania Mar 22 1884 THE BISON CHASE The prairie stretches on, and on, a boundless, bellowing see! As free as Rovers of the main, are gallant steeds and we! Then ho! hillo! Draw well the girth, knot tight strong for fast far we o! Aye, ready, comrades? Ready all! The day is just begun- Hurrah! Rare sport we’ll see, I ween, before the set of sun! Then ho! hillo! Our horses … Read more