A Historian's Perspective: How Were Buffalo Hunted in 1846?
Francis Parkman, Jr. was a respected American historian. After his journey to the Great Plains in 1846, he wrote one of his most famous works. His book, The Oregon Trail: Sketches of Prairie and Rocky-Mountain Life, described the ways bison, or buffalo, were hunted. Parkman wrote that there were two distinct ways to hunt buffalo. These methods were running (hunting on horseback) and approaching (hunting on foot).
Using Horses to Hunt: Running
Parkman wrote that one technique to hunt buffalo was called "running." This was a dangerous technique, even for the most skilled hunter. When running a buffalo, the hunter was on horseback galloping at full-speed and taking aim at the buffalo.
The hunter could use a bow and arrow or a shotgun. The hunt would begin by closely following the herd. Sometimes a hunter would get so close to the bison that he could stretch out his arm and touch it. Parkman wrote, "Indeed, of all American wild sports, this is the wildest. Once among the buffalo, the hunter, unless long use has made him familiar with the situation, dashes forward in utter recklessness and self-abandonment." Hunters often successfully shot more than one buffalo in one hunt using this approach.
Running was a dangerous way to hunt for a couple of reasons. At any point, the horse could throw the hunter off its back. This could result in injury or death. Another problem was that, even for a skilled hunter, reloading a gun or bow on horseback at a full gallop was difficult.
When running buffalo, a hunter had to make sure that his horse was also very skilled at this technique. After shooting a buffalo, the hunter had no way of knowing which direction the animal would fall. This could be a great threat to both hunter and horse. Parkman noted, "the wounded buffalo springs at his enemy; the horse leaps violently aside; and then the hunter has need of a tenacious seat in the saddle, for if he is thrown to the ground there is no hope for him." Parkman also noted that this technique had other drawbacks. One was getting lost on the prairie. Some hunters would follow the herd too far and not know where to find their camps when returning. Also, local American Indians were knowledgeable of the Great Plains. So when tribe members spotted a lost hunter, his fate could be capture or death.
Hunting Buffalo on Foot: Approaching
The second hunting method Parkman learned about was called "approaching," or hunting buffalo on foot. Using this method, a hunter could crawl or duck among branches and trees to remain unnoticeable to the buffalo. Parkman noted that approaching was less dangerous than running on the Great Plains. Approaching posed fewer risks to the lives of the hunter and his horse.
Approaching buffalo relied heavily on keeping a watchful eye on the herd. A hunter needed to understand buffalo and know the land in which they lived. Knowing these things provided the hunter with confidence and calmness because he could make precise, calculated moves.
Once the buffalo were identified, the hunter would approach the herd quietly. Sometimes, the buffalo would not even see or bear the hunter approaching, giving the hunter the advantage. A hunter could get very close to the buffalo, allowing for an easy shot. Even if spotted, a hunter might succeed. Parkman described buffaloes as "strange animals; sometimes they are so stupid and infatuated that a man may walk up to them in full sight on the open prairie, and even shoot several of their number before the rest will think it necessary to retreat." Approaching was obviously very different than the fast-paced and unknown outcome of running.
In addition to understanding the animals and the land, a hunter had to be skilled with
guns. This would lessen the chances of a wasted shot. A wasted shot could scare the herd and ruin the hunt. Ultimately, a hunter had to keep a level head and make wise decisions when approaching.
Francis Parkman remained on the Great Plains for several months before returning east. He used his journal entries from his travels to write his book, which many historians today still use as a valuable source of record.
After reading answer the question, Compare and contrast how buffalo were hunted on horseback and on foot in 2-3 sentences