Lansing State Journal
Lansing Michigan May 16 1928
Buffalo Weakens Fence
The buffalo, or bison , a huge animal has left the marks of his residence on the fences surrounding the yard where he has been kept. Several metal bars supporting the fence have been bent out of shape where he has rushed against the fence. It is expected that a stronger fence will be necessary, as the one now is use may give way if he rushes against it where the weak spots exists.
The young animal born this spring who has among his ancestors some breed of domestic cattle, the buffalo or bison, and the sacred cattle of India, has reached a point where he resembles a Jersey calf in appearance. Unlike the Jerseys, however, he has a small hump on his back like that of the scared bull, his father.
Statesman Journal
Salem Oregon May 17 1928
ANIMALS PROVE NOT BIT “DUMB”
FOUR FOOTED CIRCUS PERFORMERS WIN APPLAUSE
Al. G. Barnes Show Gladdens Hearts of Youngster of All Ages Here
Trained buffalo performing
Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Alberta Can June 18 1928
NATIONAL MUSEUM IS COLLECTING DATA ON FORAGE FOR BUFFALO
Prof. Hugh Raup, Wittenberg College, Has Been to Fort Smith Reserve; Has Previously-Spent Two Summers in Northern Alberta (special to Edmonton Journal)
Springfield Ohio. Jun 18. For the third time in as many consecutive years a Wittenberg College professor and his wife have gone into “the bush” of northern Alberta. Canada. Relatives and friends here expect to hear nothing of them, or from them until they emerge from the lakes and trail in September.
Prof. Hugh Raup and wife, Lucy, have been on their way to the Great Slave Lake country since June 1. after a year of graduate study at the University of Pittsburgh, where Professor Raup is on leave of absence from teaching at Wittenberg. After reaching Edmonton, pleasant capital of the great agricultural province of Alberta, their way lay due north along the Athabasca River to Fort Smith, at the very tip north of Alberta.
Animal and Plant Life
On two former trips to this region, the Raups studied animal and plant life, Professor Raup stressing ecology or the study of mutual relationship between organisms and their environment, and Mrs. Raup bringing back valuable data on specific study of lichens.
This year Professor Raup is commissioned by the Canadian National Museum to make an investigation of conditions, and a survey of vegetation to be used to aid in the prorogation of bison in the province.
Professor Raup had indicated before leaving here that the Canadians had sent a further surplus of 1.000 bison from Wainwright Buffalo Park to Wood Buffalo Park, and the investigation will be carried forward to learn the forage conditions which formerly made possible in natural state the flourishing herds of the wood buffalo, which differs enough from the well-known prairie buffalo, to constitute, under expert biological classification, an entirely new race. After the merciless slaughter of both prairie and woodland bison, lamentably few bison were left on the continent; a few hundred, thanks to the extensive and lonely forests of Great Slave Lake, survived.
Has Favorable Climate
Alberta, always favored by the warm chinook winds, that permit open grazing by cattle during the winter months, yields a climate, which, even in most severe weather, was found most favorable to the bison, and a whole sub-species, the wood buffalo, takes the name of Athabasca, the prominent river of the province.
Professor Raup who is methodical and foresighted in his yearly preparation for further penetrations into the great biological fields of the Dominion of Canada never overlooks the extra blanket pins or pint of dried prunes.
Every visit becomes more profitable, more rich in results, he says, and the 1928 fade-out from civilization will mean much new material uncovered.
Star Tribune
Minneapolis, Minnesota Jul 3 1928
LONGHORN AND BUFFALO.
To motorists from the western states, particularly those from the southwest where the Longhorn cattle ranged, and from the northern range states, to which they were driven over “the long trail,” a visit to the Wichita national forest and game preserve in southwestern Oklahoma, might be of interest, says the United States Department of agriculture. A small herd of Longhorn survivors was established there last year as nucleus for a herd of 200 to 300 of these animals designed as a memorial to the part the Longhorns played in the life of the early west. The area is readily accessible from either the Ozark trail or the Meridian highway. Also at the preserve is one of the representative herds of the American bison or buffalo, which for years competed with the Long-horns for the grasses of the prairies. Since 1906 a herd of 12 buffalo, contributed by the New York Zoological Society, has multiplied in the 8,000-acre fenced buffalo range under natural conditions favorable to the buffalo, and the herd limit of 200 has been reached, necessitating disposal of surplus animals. Elk, Virginia or white-tailed deer, antelope, and wild turkeys have also been established. The Wichita national forest and game preserve of 61,480 acres is rich in historic interest. It was the scene of many campaigns by Generals Sheridan, McClellan, and Scott against the Kiowa, Comanche and Wichita Indians in the fifties. It was later part of the old Indian Territory until that was thrown open to settlement in 1901. Six successful forest plantings are established and more are contemplated. Native juniper, osage orange, black and honey locust, black walnut and mulberry are represented. Grazing is an essential of the livestock industry of the region and in the national forest is handled by means of permits issued by the service. Department of Agriculture Bulletin.
The Evening Sun
Baltimore Maryland Aug 24 1928
Nature Notebook By Dr. Frank Thone
Buffalo Ranching
WE often hear lamentations over the ruthless slaughter of the vast herds of bison, or American buffalo, that once shared with the pronghorn antelope and the wild Indians, dominion over our Western prairie and plains. The reckless and ruthless manner of their taking off is to be deplored: but their passing was foredoomed and inevitable, for their land was needed -for the more economically important domestic cattle.
Nevertheless, a few ranchers have been shrewd enough to foresee the “scarcity value” of the bison, and it is largely due to them that we have any of these animals left at all. The Pablo herd of Montana is an excellent case in point. Pablo was a half-bred Indian who, perhaps from sentimental as well as material motives, rescued four bison calves from the wreck of the great herds. He gave them good care, and allowed them and their offspring the run of his ranch, and as their numbers increased, finally the exclusive use of many acres of land.
About the turn of the century, the people of the United States and Canada realized that in letting the bison die they were relinquishing one of their great natural heritage of this continent. Steps were, therefore, taken to preserve the species. About twenty bison cows were purchased in Oklahoma, and to this nucleus, several bulls from the Pablo herd were added. This little group was the foundation of the Yellowstone Park herd, which now numbers in the neighborhood of thousand. The main body of the Pablo herd, about 700 animals, was sold to the Canadian Government and moved to a great preserve at Wainwright. The natural increase from this herd during the past quarter century has amounted to not less than 15,000 animals. There is thus little danger of the extermination of the American buffalo.
(Copyright by Science Service, Inc.)
The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles California Oct 12 1928
Days Of Long Ago
Scientists who have been burrowing with pick and shovel not far from Raton, N. M., have uncovered evidence of a big game hunt that was indulged by a group of prehistoric Indians. There is indication that numbers of bison or buffalo were driven into a canyon trap and then shot down by a lot of redskins armed with bows and arrows. The attendant geological proofs show that all this happened a little matter of 15,000 years ago when America was In the kindergarten stage. The bison skeletons Indicate an animal much larger than the buffalo of our pioneer days and the arrowheads found are of Jasper and chalcedony and vastly superior to the flints of the mound-builders and cliff-dwellers. The braves of 10.000 years or more ago were a superior race to those who only shuffled off forty or fifty centuries back. For all we know they may have practiced companionate marriage.