In 1845, Father G. A. Belcourt went on a bison hunt with the Métis (MEH tee or MEH tees) people of the parish where he had established a mission 13 years earlier. Soon after the hunt, Belcourt wrote to a friend in Quebec (Canada) and described the hunt in great detail.

All the tribes used bison hides, hooves, heads, horns, tails, bones and many internal organs to furnish the necessities for a comfortable life. Skulls and other parts were important culturally for religious ceremonies.

Horses were an invaluable addition to the lives of Plains Indians. The Lakota loved and honored their horses. Decorative painting on tipis and hides often depicted men on horseback. On this tipi, the lowest row of horses and riders appear to be racing. Above, the images seem to indicate scenes of warfare.