Buffalo Hunters

"Let them kill, skin, and sell until the buffalo is exterminated, as it is the only way to bring lasting peace and allow civilization to advance."

— General Philip Sheridan

The story of the American West is intertwined with the saga of the buffalo, also known as bison, and the individuals who hunted them. Before the great westward expansion of white settlers, a vast population of these majestic creatures, estimated to be between 50 and 60 million, roamed freely across the Great Plains. For centuries, Native American tribes depended on the buffalo for their survival, utilizing every part of the animal for food, clothing, shelter, and tools. A sustainable equilibrium existed between the people and the herds, a harmonious dance dictated by need and respect for the natural world.

This balance, however, was irrevocably shattered in the wake of the American Civil War. As the nation looked westward, driven by the promise of land and opportunity, the buffalo became a commodity, a resource to be exploited. The westward movement brought an increased military presence, and the burgeoning network of army posts required a reliable source of provisions. The U.S. Army, responsible for maintaining order and securing the frontier, contracted with local men to provide buffalo meat, igniting the first spark of the large-scale buffalo hunting industry.

The construction of the transcontinental railroad further fueled the demand. Thousands of laborers toiled to lay the tracks that would bind the nation together, and they needed to be fed. Simultaneously, a fashion trend emerged in the East, creating a demand for buffalo robes, prized for their warmth and durability, and used as luxurious coverings in sleighs and carriages. These factors converged to create a powerful economic incentive for men to take up the life of a buffalo hunter.

Towns like Leavenworth, Kansas, quickly became vital trading hubs for the burgeoning buffalo hide trade. Tanneries discovered new and innovative uses for the hides, transforming them into sturdy drive belts for industrial machinery and processing buffalo bones into valuable fertilizer. Even the tongues of the buffalo were considered a delicacy, gracing the menus of upscale restaurants. As demand soared, the opportunity for year-round employment enticed even more men to join the ranks of the buffalo hunter.

In a nation struggling with the economic aftermath of the Civil War, the life of a buffalo hunter offered a chance at financial stability. Armed with powerful, long-range rifles like the Sharps rifle, skilled hunters could fell hundreds of buffalo in a single day. Tanneries offered attractive prices, paying as much as $3.00 per hide and 25 cents per tongue. This lucrative trade attracted a diverse array of individuals, including some who would later become legendary figures of the Wild West. Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Pat Garrett, Wild Bill Hickok, and William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody all spent time as buffalo hunters, their names forever linked to this tumultuous chapter in American history.

However, the rapid and ruthless slaughter came at a terrible cost. Once the hides and tongues were harvested, the carcasses of the buffalo, often containing valuable and edible meat, were left to rot on the plains, a shocking display of wastefulness. By the 1880s, an estimated 5,000 hunters and skinners were actively involved in the trade, decimating the buffalo herds at an alarming rate.

The impact of the buffalo hunter on the Native American tribes of the Great Plains was devastating. For generations, the buffalo had been the cornerstone of their culture and way of life. As the herds dwindled, so did their ability to sustain themselves. The railroads, seeking to capitalize on the abundance of buffalo, began advertising "hunting by rail" excursions. These macabre events involved trains encountering large herds of buffalo crossing the tracks. Passengers, armed with rifles, would indiscriminately shoot the animals from the train windows, leaving the carcasses to decompose where they fell, a grotesque spectacle of wanton destruction.

Witnessing the destruction of their primary food source, Native American tribes grew increasingly resentful and desperate. This escalating tension led to a surge in Indian attacks, which in turn prompted retaliatory actions by the U.S. Army. This era coincided with the height of the Indian Wars, a period marked by violent conflict and the forced removal of Native Americans from their ancestral lands. The U.S. government, determined to confine Native Americans to reservations, saw the extermination of the buffalo as a strategic tool to break their resistance and force them into submission.

General Philip Sheridan, a prominent figure in the U.S. Army, openly advocated for the extermination of the buffalo. When the Texas Legislature considered a bill to protect the buffalo, Sheridan vehemently opposed it, arguing that the buffalo hunter was more effective than the entire regular army in resolving the "Indian question." He famously stated, "Send them powder and lead, if you will, but for lasting peace, let them kill, skin, and sell until the buffaloes are exterminated. Then your prairies can be covered with speckled cattle."

Sheridan’s words reflected the prevailing sentiment of the time: that the destruction of the buffalo was a necessary step towards securing the West for white settlement. By 1884, the great era of the buffalo had come to an end, leaving behind a landscape scarred by the bones of millions of slaughtered animals. The once-thriving herds had been reduced to a mere remnant, with only an estimated 1,200 to 2,000 buffalo remaining in the entire United States.

Fortunately, a glimmer of hope emerged in the form of early conservation efforts. The establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872 provided a sanctuary for a small herd of buffalo, offering a chance for the species to recover. In 1894, the Lacey Act was signed into law, prohibiting the killing of wildlife in federal preserves. These crucial measures helped to prevent the complete extinction of the buffalo.

Today, thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, the buffalo has made a remarkable comeback. It is estimated that there are now over 150,000 bison on public preserves and in private hands, a testament to the resilience of the species and the importance of conservation. The story of the buffalo hunter serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of unchecked exploitation and the need for responsible stewardship of our natural resources. It also highlights the profound impact that the destruction of the buffalo had on the lives and cultures of Native American tribes, a wound that continues to heal.

© Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated March 2025.

"Two years ago, I came upon this road following the buffalo, that my wives and children might have their cheeks plump and their bodies warm. But the soldiers fired on us, and since that time, there has been a noise like that of a thunderstorm, and we have not known which way to go."

— Comanche Chief Ten Bears

Also See:

• Buffalo Hunting With Teddy Roosevelt
• Old West Legends
• Old West Photo Prints
• The Plight of the Buffalo

See Sources.