Kansas Buffalo

[Royal]

I've read about a few of the buffalo hunters of the 1800's. There were three types; the meat hunters, hide hunters and the so called "sport hunters" . The meat hunters were hunting for meat so their effect on the demise of the buffalo was probably rather minor. The hide and "sport" hunters were a different story. Never the less, Can you imagine working with a hide hunter as a skinner? I've read stories of hide hunters in western Kansas shooting over 100 buffalo in a day. Mind you, a "buff" is not a little animal you can roll around to skin. The skinners had a sturdy tripod to hoist the critter up with and as we all know it was manpowered with block and tackle. That was quite a feat in itself. I have worked where there was a slaughter house and have had to salt and then toss the cow and bull hides up into a truck. They are heavy. I can only imagine what a big bull buffalo hide would weight even without salt.
Can you just imagine following a hide hunter and topping a ridge to see over 100 buffalo spread out on the prairie for you to skin? The buffalo hunters have lived long in legend but the skinners probably died early from overwork. Royal- Salina KS.

[quigleysharps4570]

Yessir, I'd have to agree, a very unrewarding job! Would've been alot of lulls in the action, but damn hard work when they found a herd. I spent 10yrs. in a meat packing house and that would've been a walk in the park compared to what those guys endured.

[Tallperson]

If you read through the "encyclopedia of buffalo hunters and skinners" it is pretty amazing at the amount of back breaking manual labor that had to be done to make your fortune killin' and skinnin' buffs. Hundreds of hides hauled in after stretching and drying. Literally thousands of pounds of meat , either brined or fresh hauled to the army or nearby towns.. and a team and wagon will only make about 10 to 12 miles a day in good traveling conditions..... Man what a tough way to make a living by todays standards.....
Tallperson

[pete]

I talked to a living historian doctor at Bent's Ft. this summer and we were in agreement that people of these earlier times must have been different in their physical and mental makeups than most of us today. The hard work and inadequate nutrition of the time was just a way of life and anybody that wasn't in the correct physical condition was weeded out through attrition. Not just strength wise but the ability to go without alot of water and/or good water and food. Not only that they were just used to things that we in general today would find really hard. When I work or play outside for an extended time I end up sun and wind burned and it drains me. These guys did it day after day. But they didn't know any better. Modern ranchers, farmers and construction workers are similar, but even they have modern food and conveniences. Most of these guys were fairly young too. That always helps.

[Lee Stone]

And unfortunately, an awful lot of them died young too from disease, accidents or whatever.

[Royal]

Pete:
I have to agree with you. The men of yesterday were really MEN. I've had a chance to see a couple of orginal boats that the trappers rowed up the rivers in search of beaver to trap. This was in Canada and the boats were owned by the Hudson Bay Company. They were huge and I was told that besides portaging the boat each man was expected to portage his share of the supplies or pelts or at least 100 lbs at a time.
I've puffed and panted the mountains of Colorado just to reach one of the wooden cable towers that the miners built carry the buckets of ore from the mine to the crusher only to see dozens more snaking their way across and down the valley. I was winded just climbing up there. I can't even imagine the effort it took to build those massive towers, string the cable and hang the buckets let alone work there all summer. I'm sure food had to be scarce, the nights cold and the work backbreaking. Royal