Before the relentless push of white settlers into the American West, the vast Great Plains were home to an estimated 50-60 million buffalo, a keystone species deeply interwoven with the lives and cultures of American Indians. This harmonious coexistence, however, would be shattered by the arrival of the buffalo hunters, who, in a tragically brief period, brought the magnificent beasts to the brink of extinction and irrevocably altered the landscape of the continent. The era of the professional buffalo hunters marks a dark, yet pivotal, chapter in American history, characterized by economic ambition, manifest destiny, and profound environmental and cultural devastation.
The Untamed Plains and the Original Guardians
For millennia, the indigenous peoples of the Great Plains maintained a sacred and sustainable relationship with the buffalo. Every part of the animal was utilized – meat for sustenance, hides for shelter and clothing, bones for tools, and even dung for fuel. This intimate connection ensured that buffalo populations thrived, providing a consistent source of life for tribes across the vast grasslands. The hunting practices of Native Americans were traditionally respectful and geared towards necessity, a stark contrast to the systematic slaughter that was to come.
A New Demand: The Post-Civil War Rush West
The conclusion of the Civil War unleashed a torrent of westward expansion. As new army posts emerged and the transcontinental railroads began to blaze their trails, an unprecedented demand for resources arose. The U.S. Army contracted local men to supply buffalo meat for their troops, while railroad construction crews also required vast quantities of food. Simultaneously, a burgeoning market back East clamored for buffalo robes, prized as fashionable coats and practical lap robes for carriages. The hides found industrial applications, too, becoming drive belts for machinery, and buffalo bones were ground into fertilizer. Even buffalo tongues became a delicacy, driving further demand. This confluence of factors transformed buffalo hunting from a subsistence activity into a highly lucrative enterprise.
The Rise of the Professional Buffalo Hunter
The economic depression following the Civil War spurred many tough, resourceful men to seek their fortunes on the Plains as buffalo hunters. Equipped with powerful, long-range rifles, such as the Sharps .50 caliber, individual hunters could kill as many as 250 buffalo in a single day. The process was brutal and efficient: hunters would target the lead animals, causing confusion and often trapping entire herds for easy slaughter. Tanneries paid handsomely, up to $3.00 per hide and 25¢ for each tongue, providing a substantial income for hundreds of men. Among these hunters were future legends of the Old West, including Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Pat Garrett, Wild Bill Hickok, and William F. Cody (who earned his famous moniker for his prowess). By the 1880s, the industry involved over 5,000 hunters and skinners, with an appalling consequence: the vast majority of the edible buffalo meat was left to rot across the Plains, a testament to the singular focus on hides and tongues.
The “Sport” of Annihilation: Railroad Excursions
Adding to the industrial-scale slaughter, a horrifying new trend emerged: “hunting by rail.” Railroad companies, realizing the spectacle of large buffalo herds crossing tracks, began advertising excursions that allowed
