Faulk County, SD History .....Chapter VI Buffalo in Faulk County 1909
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 7, 2005, 4:38 pm

CHAPTER  VI.

BUFFALO IN FAULK COUNTY.



  The deep worn trails or tracks and numberless bleached heads and bones of the

American bison that were scattered over the prairies of Faulk county, gave to

the early pioneers the most positive assurance that at a time when the wild

Indians roamed unmolested over the western prairies, this was a favorite feeding

ground for vast herds of buffalo, which have now become almost exterminated in

the great North-west.



    The westward march of civilization had come in too close proximity, even

before actual settlement had commenced in the county. Only one small herd of

buffalo were seen by the. early settlers, and two or three single animals, one

of which was followed and killed near LaFoon, as the following account from the

LaFoon Record of Nov. 3rd, 1883, shows:



    "C. A. Ritter of this place, shot a buffalo three miles west of town on

Thursday, with a shot gun. The animal came from the north, and a party of

residents of 119-68 followed him several miles with Joseph Powell's team, from

the claim of Herbert Geddes, where he was first discovered. Upon overtaking the

animal three miles west of town, Mr. Ritter rode up within thirty feet of him

and shot him with No. 6 shot just back of the shoulder. That was a lucky day for

LaFoon. On the same day news came that the commissioners were appointed, two for

this place and one for Faulkton. Blessings as well as misfortunes, never come

singly. Buffalo steak is now on tap at the hotels through the kindness of Mr.

Powell, who brought it to town on Friday morning, and threw up his hat when he

heard that LaFoon had the county seat. Remember, two for LaFoon and one for

Faulkton."



    One was seen near Ellisville in the south-west townships of the county; but

no effort was made to kill or capture him. In fact, so sudden and almost

mysterious was the departure of all large game after the coming of the white

man, that Faulk county is almost without a record along this line.



    And yet sportsman may find an occasional coyote or prairie wolf and a few

prairie dogs. In their season ducks and geese in their northward flight, find

here a favorite feeding and resting place, and with the jack and cotton-tail

rabbits, prairie chicken, plover and snipe, make excellent and exciting pleasure

for the experienced sportsman.





Additional Comments:
From:



HISTORY OF

FAULK COUNTY

SOUTH DAKOTA

CAPTAIN C. H. ELLIS



TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PIONEERS AND PROMINENT CITIZENS



ILLUSTRATED

19O9





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