The Sad Demise of Sir Donald

In 1907 Canada purchased the Pablo Buffalo Herd from the western plains of Montana. Banff received 77 of these animals, and a new paddock of 300 acres was built north of the railroad to hold the increasing herd.

Sir Donald was a handsome bull. It was said he represented well the ideal that Native hunters preferred—a bull with well-built forequarters and large head.

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Pablo’s Great Buffalo Shipments to Canada

In 1907 the Michel Pablo herd from western Montana began arriving in Canada. At their end of the railroad, Canadians cheered the buffalo’s arrival.

They knew they had scored a coup in getting “the finest buffalo herd in America,” as William Hornaday, president of the new American Bison Society, called Michal Pablo’s half-wild herd from Montana.

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Pablo’s Great Buffalo Roundup and Grand Shipment – Part 1. Pablo’s Grand Buffalo Roundup

When Michel Pablo sold all of his buffalo to the Canadian government, it took 6 years to get them rounded up and loaded. He expected the job to take one summer.

They were wild, and did not take kindly to being chased to the railway station in Ravalli, Montana—or getting loaded into railway cars. Especially the renegade bulls.

Pablo’s buffalo—he thought there were somewhere between 300 and 700 head—were grazing in the Bitterroot Mountain Range and the Lolo National Forest along the Flathead River.

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The Buffalo Hunt: The History and Culture of the Spirit Lake Dakota

For the Plains Indian nothing is more exciting and exhilarating than hunting buffalo or more enjoyable than feasting on their flesh.1

To the Plains Indian the buffalo was the source of life; this bovine scientifically called a Bison (Bison bison) provided everything required to exist in a plains environment. Every part of the buffalo was utilized including their excrement which was used for fuel.

The Dakota term for a buffalo hunt is Wanasapi which appears to be contraction of a descriptive name. During the period named Dog Days, before the coming of the horse, when dogs were used as burden carriers, the hunt was more individualized.

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Hi Everyone

Welcome to each of YOU who joins us on this incredible journey!! Together, we’ll share history and the wonderful buffalo stories that never grow old, that are told over and over, around campfires, in classrooms and at family gatherings!

Our Mission is to change the buffalo story to include the full heroic narrative of the magnificent buffalo, ordinary people Native and non-Native, saving them from extinction, caring for them and now all of us enjoying our amazing National Mammal on ranches, parks and tribal lands.

Our FREE Blog arrives every other Tuesday with a new Blog, News, Upcoming Events and Photos, it is written by Francie M. Berg, teacher and author of Buffalo Heartbeats, winner of 3 national awards. If you live on far distant shores—we bring you virtual buffalo tours to enlighten and delight from your armchair! We love having YOU aboard!! Subscriptions are FREE.

Let’s celebrate all things buffalo!

NEWS ARTICLE

Hundreds of volunteers gather for annual bison roundup at Antelope island

Over 220 volunteers on horseback gathered at Antelope Island in Davis County, Utah, last October for their annual bison roundup. Hundreds more folks came to watch. Robert DeRosa, who moved to Utah from New York City in 2020, brought his 12-year-old granddaughter to catch a glimpse of the bison herd. "You can’t do Antelope Island and miss the bison round up," said DeRosa. "I’ve seen a few before but never like this close," said DeRosa's granddaughter. Jeff Nichols has been a cowboy in the round...

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Feb 11, 2023. Dakota Dynamite Buffalo Sale Simulcast Auction. South Dakota.

Feb 24, 2023. Beltway Bison Consignment Auction. Pennsylvania. 

Feb 25, 2023. Manitoba Bison Assocation Great Spirit Sale. Brandon, Manitoba, Canada.

Mar 9, 2023. Eastern Bison Association Winter Conference. Check for conference updates at the following link: https://www.ebabison.org/

Mar 10, 2023. Alberta Bison Assoication Wildrose Auction. Camrose, Alberta, Canada.

Mar 11, 2023. Missouri Bison Association & Oklahoma Bison Association Show & Sale. Missouri.

Mar 11, 2023. Irish Creek Bull Sale. Camrose, Alberta, Canada.

Mar 25, 2023. Saskatchewan Bison Association Cream of the Crop Sale. Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Mar 30, 2023. Jack Auction Group Video Auction. Online.

Apr 27, 2023. Jack Auction Group Video Auction. Online.


Author
Francie Berg


Assistant
Ronda Fink

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