Hunting Buffalo With Teddy Roosevelt
By Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
In the annals of American history, few figures stand as large as Theodore Roosevelt, a man of immense energy, diverse interests, and a profound love for the natural world. Among his many pursuits, hunting held a special place, offering him not only sport but also a connection to the wilderness and a deeper understanding of its inhabitants. One animal, in particular, captured Roosevelt’s attention and became intertwined with his experiences in the West: the American buffalo, or bison. This article delves into the world of "Hunting Buffalo With Teddy Roosevelt," exploring the historical context, the methods employed, and the personal accounts of those who witnessed the dramatic decline of this iconic species.
The story of the buffalo in America is one of abundance followed by near-extinction, a tragedy driven by westward expansion, industrialization, and a relentless demand for hides. When the United States declared its independence in 1776, the buffalo roamed freely across vast stretches of the continent, their range extending as far east as the Appalachian Mountains. States like Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Carolinas marked the eastern boundaries of their domain, while Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee were home to thriving populations. These majestic creatures were so numerous that they shaped the very landscape and provided sustenance for numerous Native American tribes.
However, the relentless push westward began to take its toll. By the dawn of the 19th century, the buffalo had been driven beyond the Mississippi River, their once-expansive range shrinking under the pressure of human encroachment. For the next eight decades, they remained a defining characteristic of the Great Plains, their numbers still staggering, their impact on the ecosystem undeniable. Vast herds, sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands, roamed from the Saskatchewan River in Canada to the Rio Grande in the south, and westward to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
These immense herds were the lifeblood of the Plains Indians, providing them with food, clothing, shelter, and tools. The French Métis, or Half-breeds, of the Red River region, also depended on the buffalo for their survival. Alongside them were the hardy white hunters and trappers, those dauntless wanderers who carved a living out of the wilderness. All three groups thrived, for a time, on the bounty of the buffalo. "Hunting Buffalo With Teddy Roosevelt" highlights a period when the buffalo population was beginning to dwindle.
Yet, the seemingly endless supply of buffalo was not to last. While their numbers slowly declined over time, the real devastation began after the Civil War. It wasn’t the settlers themselves who caused the most significant damage, but rather the railways and the skin hunters who followed in their wake. The construction of transcontinental railway lines provided cheap and efficient transportation for hunters, enabling them to reach previously inaccessible areas and transport vast quantities of hides to market. Simultaneously, the demand for buffalo robes and hides skyrocketed, fueled by industrialization and a growing consumer market. The combination of these factors created a perfect storm, leading to a slaughter of big game unprecedented in human history.
The scale of the destruction was staggering. Within a mere fifteen years, millions of buffalo were slain, their carcasses left to rot on the prairie after being skinned. The once-great herds were decimated, their numbers plummeting to near-extinction. By 1884, it was estimated that no herd of a hundred individuals remained, and the total wild buffalo population on the American continent was likely less than 500. This catastrophic decline stands as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of unchecked exploitation and the fragility of even the most abundant natural resources.
The construction of the Union Pacific Railway marked a crucial turning point in this tragic tale. The railway bisected the buffalo’s range, effectively splitting the population into two vast sets of herds: the northern and the southern. The southern herds were the first to be targeted, and by 1878, they had been virtually wiped out. The northern herds met a similar fate just five years later, in 1883.
Theodore Roosevelt’s personal experiences with buffalo hunting occurred during this period of rapid decline. While his primary encounters were with small bands and scattered individuals near his ranch on the Little Missouri River, two of his kinsmen had the opportunity to witness the buffalo in their former glory, participating in hunts when the herds still stretched as far as the eye could see. "Hunting Buffalo With Teddy Roosevelt" often invokes images of vast herds, but by the time of his personal experiences, the herds were shrinking.
One such account comes from Roosevelt’s brother, Elliott, who, at the young age of sixteen, joined a buffalo hunt on the edge of the Staked Plains in northern Texas in early 1877. This expedition coincided with the final days of the southern herds, as they were almost entirely exterminated within two years. Elliott accompanied his cousin, John Roosevelt, along with six other young men seeking adventure and a chance to make a living on the frontier.
These young men, often short on cash and eager for excitement, represented a common type of individual drawn to the frontier. They were hardy, vigorous, and willing to endure hardship in pursuit of their goals. The party’s equipment, including mess kits, ammunition, bedding, and provisions, was transported in two prairie wagons drawn by four horses each. They also had six saddle animals, all shaggy, unkempt mustangs, and three or four dogs, a mix of setters and half-bred greyhounds, who trotted behind the wagons. The men took turns serving as teamsters and cooks, with two always remaining with the wagons or camp while the other six hunted in pairs.
The expedition was driven by a mix of sport and profit. Having spent their money on horses and wagons, the party relied on selling skins and hides to survive, and occasionally, when near forts, they would sell meat. They embarked on their journey on January 2, heading towards the Salt Fork of the Brazos headwaters, an area known for its abundance of buffalo.
In the early days of their expedition, they remained on the fringes of settled territory, focusing on hunting small game such as quail and prairie fowl. As they ventured further into the wilderness, they began to target larger prey, including turkey, deer, and antelope. These animals were often traded for flour and feed at ranches or in the squalid, straggling frontier towns that dotted the landscape. "Hunting Buffalo With Teddy Roosevelt" highlights the importance of smaller game for sustenance, as well.
The hunters frequently faced challenges, including getting lost and spending nights in the open or seeking shelter at a ranch if one could be found. These frontier settlements were often filled with rough characters, and the young men, known for their muscular builds and hot tempers, often found themselves embroiled in fights. Elliott’s diary entries, though brief, offer a glimpse into this volatile environment. Mentions of their arrival at a halting place, village, or rival buffalo camp are often followed by the laconic remark, "big fight" or "big row." On one occasion, they wisely chose to avoid trouble, with the entry for January 20 reading, "On the road – passed through Belknap – too lively, so kept on to the Brazos – very late."
Competition between buffalo hunting camps was fierce, with each party claiming exclusive rights to the range they had discovered. This territoriality often led to tense situations and near-violent confrontations. The hunters also faced the usual hardships associated with plains travel. The Texas winters alternated between extremes of heat and cold, and water was often scarce due to the lack of rain. On two occasions, they were forced to cross wild, barren wastes where the pools had dried up, leading to severe thirst.
The party eventually established a permanent camp in a canyon of the Brazos known as Canyon Blanco. The drought had forced animals to congregate near the larger watercourses, and the area teemed with game. Antelope grazed on every side, and bands of deer emerged from the timber fringing the river. The game was relatively unafraid, as the hunters primarily focused on buffalo, leaving the smaller animals largely undisturbed.
Once, Elliott managed to shoot five antelopes from a single stand when the party was low on fresh venison. Wolves and coyotes were also abundant, surrounding the camp at night and filling the darkness with their howls. On one occasion, a large wolf even crept into the camp, leading to a chaotic scuffle with the dogs. The appearance of an Indian, a member of the friendly Tonkawa tribe, caused initial panic, as the Comanche were known to ambush and raid buffalo hunting camps.
The camp was situated near a deep pool, with bluffs rising on either side. The vast buffalo herds had carved deep trails into the bluffs over generations. Groves of tangled trees provided habitat for flocks of wild turkeys. Elliott once made two remarkable shots, bringing down a pair of turkeys flying overhead with two successive bullets from his .38 caliber Ballard rifle, a weapon he had received from Theodore Roosevelt.
Once the camp was set up, the horses were allowed to graze freely under the watch of the camp guards, who also served as cooks. Although coffee and flour eventually ran out, fresh meat was plentiful, with buffalo beef, deer and antelope venison, wild turkeys, prairie chickens, quails, ducks, and rabbits readily available.
The buffalo hunts themselves were arduous and often dangerous. The hunters would rise before dawn, eat a quick breakfast, and set off in pairs through the chilly morning. While spotting buffalo was not difficult, approaching them undetected required skill and patience. If the buffalo were on broken land, hunters could approach from downwind. Out on the open prairie, every hollow, hummock, and sagebrush had to be used as cover. Hunters would crawl through the grass, heedless of cactus spines, until they were close enough to fire.
The buffalo’s behavior after being shot at varied. Sometimes they would stand motionless, confused and stupid, allowing the hunters to kill several before reacting. Other times, they would stampede, running for miles before halting.
The accounts of "Hunting Buffalo With Teddy Roosevelt" and others highlight the rapid depletion of this once-abundant species. The legacy of the buffalo hunt serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of conservation and responsible stewardship of natural resources. It also underscores the need to learn from past mistakes and ensure that such tragedies are not repeated.