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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 1889)
WEST SHORE. STEALING BUFFALO CALVES. I IERDS of buffaloes as once known on tho plains exist no longer. It is almost impossible for one who has never witnessed the sight to realizo the immensity of one of theso great droves as they were seen fifty years ago by the trappers and earliest pioneers who crossed the plains. Imagine yourself standing on an eminence reviewing a procession of these shaggy bisons, much as a general would an army 'TTV iff mm i i-i AI'I'KOAIIIINO TlIK 1IKR1). of cavalry. Before you they would pass on tho keen run in a densely packed column, perhaps two hundred abreast and stretching out to tho horizon as far as the eyes could see, the very ground trembling like an earth quake under the impact of their feet and a mar like that of a ruBhing torrent filling the ears. It is ninny years since such a scene has been witnessed, ami now a few herds of half a dozen animals hero and there where they are partially secure from hunters are all that are U-a of tho millions that once covered the plains. With this practical extermination of the bison has come a knowledgo that one of tho most valuable re sources of the country has Wn wasted. It has been discovered that crossing the buffalo with domestic cat tle produces an animal superior to either, both as to 'ts flesh and hide. It has also lcen learned that the quarter and half breeds thus produced are easily herd ed and aro hardier and more able to endure the winter weather on tho ranges than the ordinary range animal. With this knowledgo has come an effort to smire as many of them as Hssible for breeding purposes. For this purj)se tho calves are caught, and the lask of se curing them is an exciting ami dangerous one, es) cially as tho death of the mother is not desired. To make prisoners of tho young or to bring un one's self the fierce avenging fury of a buffalo cow by throw ing a rope over her calf, requires the utmost self pos session as well as that ieculiar daredevil familiarity with saddle and horse which are found so fully devel H in the range riders of tho western plains. The hunt is profitless if the calves aw injured, and the preparations for the care of the captives aro not only minute, but necessarily expensive. Uomestio cows are provided as wet nurses, and a constant watchfulness is observed over theso compulsory foster mothers until they have overcome a not unnatural repugnance to their new charges. The calves, however, when cap tured and placed in a corral with their nurses, display no excessive modesty in foraging for milk, and their impetuous raids upon the new commissary are ex tremely amusing. An important element in tho buf falo hunting of today is the fact that tho females give birth to their young very early in tho spring, and the hunt must be accomplished before the beginning of tho spring round up of cattle, or tho calves lieeomo too strong to capture alive. Early last spring such a hunt as this was made in Northern Wyoming, near the northern loundary of Red desert, the " scientific " work being done by three experienced hunters and vaquoms, Wright. Chapman and (iomez, tho latter a Mexican. Each hunter had a " string " of eight horses to use, and was to receive J.VIH) for each calf captured uninjured. The party t.Kk the trail at daylight in the morning, driving the extra horses before them, When they had lieen riding along leisurely for an hour (lomei called attention to a buffalo trail, ami followed it at some distance in ad vance of the others, carefully watching ahead. Tho trail led through sage brush, over tho plains, across in numerable draws, until (ioniei reached the summit of a low range of hills, when bo suddenly wheeled bis horse and returned to the party. Instantly all was ex citement, the game was in sight. One enormous bull, four cows ami three calves were browsing, unsuspicious of danger, about half a mile away from the party. Fresh horses were roped and saddled, and the hunters separated to surround the herd with as little noise as Ma .v" A VII UK (HANKS K.ssiblo. At a signal from Wright, given when cch of the hunters had crept as close as possible, the three horses made a dash forward. With a snort of fear the bull threw up his head, and wring Wright rushing iiH.n him be wheeled in blind terror and plunged head long toward Chapman, whose horse reared and fell backward. As Chapman swung himself out of the