Frontiersmen Describe Hunting Buffalo On Horseback - Primary Sources
Read these primary sources to understand what it was like to hunt buffalo from horseback.
If you’ve studied the frontier at all, it should be no surprise that people used to hunt buffalo on horseback. It’s one of those images that, in some ways, embodies the freedom, adventure, and danger of frontier life. There was nothing safe about hunting buffalo on horseback. However, it was the thrill of the hunt and the payoff in meat that was all worth it. Francis Parkman wrote that on a buffalo hunt, even his horse was “intoxicated” by the excitement prior to a hunt. Even if it was Parkman’s imagination, it still tells us that these hunts were very exciting.
As exciting as the hunts were, it’s still worth noting they were no picnic. There were several different ways the hunt could end in disaster. Also, if you’ve ever thought about it much, you might wonder how people used to load firearms while on the back of a running horse. These are several points that Rudolph Kurz mentions in his journal.
For those unfamiliar, Rudolph Kurz was a European artist who became inspired by the works of George Catlin. Like Catlin, Kurz traveled through America, seeking to paint and sketch the Native American communities he saw. His journey took several years, beginning in 1846. One of his most lasting contributions to western history was his sketchbook. Like other authors of the time, rather than painting scenes at the time he saw them, he instead would quickly sketch in the scene. Once he returned to a studio, he created paintings. If you’re interested, here is a link to the Kurz sketchbook. It’s a helpful resource for people interested in learning about the American West, and Native American people in particular.
In addition to his artwork, Kurz also created a journal of his experiences. It is from this journal that we get our first source of how frontiersmen hunted buffalo on horseback.
"When running buffaloes the hunters do not use rifle-patches but take along several balls in their mouths; the projectile thus moistened sticks to the powder when put into the gun. In the first place, on buffalo hunts, they do not carry rifles, for the reason that they think the care required in loading them takes too much time unnecessarily when shooting at close range and, furthermore, they find rifle balls too small. The hunter chases buffaloes at full gallop, discharges his gun, and reloads without slackening speed. To accomplish this he holds the weapon close within the bend of his left arm and, and taking the powder horn in his right hand, draws out with his teeth the stopper, which is fastened to the horn to prevent its being lost, shakes the requisite amount of powder into his left palm, and again closes the powder horn. Then he grasps the gun with his right hand, holding it in a vertical position, pours the powder down the barrel, and gives the gun a sidelong thrust with the left hand, in order to shake the powder well through the priming hole into the touchpan ( hunters at this place discard percussion caps as not practical ).
“Now he takes a bullet from his mouth and with his left hand puts it into the barrel, where, having been moistened by spittle, it adheres to the powder. He dares never hold his weapon horizontal, that is in position taken when firing, for fear that the ball may stick fast in its course, allowing sufficient air to intervene between powder and lead to cause an explosion and splinter the barrel. So long as the ball rolls freely down there is no danger. Hunters approach the buffaloes so closely that they do not take aim but, lifting the gun lightly with both hands, point in the direction of the animal's heart and fire. They are very often wounded on the face and hands by the bursting gun barrels, which, especially when the weather is extremely cold, are shattered as easily as glass.
“The hunters aim always at the heart of the larger beasts of the chase, the surest and simplest method, since the heart is an inevitably vulnerable part. When hunting wolves, foxes, and beavers they aim at the head, so that they may not do damage to the small, costly skins by perforating them with bullets. Buffalo chasers must not only have the enduring qualities of swift riders but they must also be accustomed to the habits of the animals. A buffalo runner must be faultless in pressing close upon his quarry and at the same time be alert to spring aside if a buffalo tosses his head. Otherwise, if he be only a passable horseman, he will find himself immediately upon the ground and may count himself happy if he is not trodden underfoot."
As you can see, Kurz gives a detailed account of how frontiersmen hunted buffalo on horseback. By the sounds of things, there was nothing easy about it. If you’re unfamiliar with muzzleloading guns, you might be wondering why the guns would shatter. You might not know, that even today this is one of the dangers of muzzleloading. When loading a muzzleloader, the powder first goes in, then the projectile goes on top of it. However, if the projectile (often a simple lead ball) doesn’t get pressed firmly onto the powder (also called “seated” on the powder) there is a gap between the powder and the projectile. If that happens, there is a chance the barrel will split. This is accompanied by an explosion that can injure the shooter. Here is a video showing what a blowing up muzzleloader looks like. I can’t say for certain what caused this to happen, but it might help you imagine what Kurz is trying to explain.
James Willard Schulz provides a similar description of running buffalo by Piegan Indians in the 1870s. If you’d like to read the full source, visit this link and go to page 61.
“As a rule, the hunters started out together every morning, and sighting a large herd of buffalo, approached them as cautiously as possible, until finally the animals became alarmed and started to run, and then a grand chase took place, and if everything was favorable many fat cows were killed. Nearly all the Piegans had guns of one kind or another; either flintlock or percussion-cap, smooth-bore or rifle; but in the chase many of them, especially if riding swift, trained horses, preferred to use the bow and arrow, as two or three arrows could be discharged at as many different animals while one was reloading a gun. And yet those old smooth-bores were quickly loaded. The hunter carried a number of balls in his mouth; as soon as his piece was discharged he poured a quantity of powder from the horn or flask into his hand and thence down the barrel; then taking a ball from his mouth he dropped it down on top of the powder, gave the stock a couple of sharp blows to settle the charge, and primed the pan or put on the cap, as the case might be. When loaded in this manner the piece had to be held muzzle up else the ball would roll out; and when ready to shoot the hunter fired the instant he brought the gun down to the level of the mark. Some of the hunters—fine shots and astride exceptionally swift and long-winded horses—often killed twenty and even more buffalo on a single run, but I think the average number to the man was not more than three.
It might be worth pointing out that hunting buffalo on horseback was very different with a bow and arrow. If you’d like to use some primary sources describing hunting buffalo with bow and arrow, click on this link to access an article I wrote on the subject.
