A Buffalo Bullfight 



By ED. D. CRABB 



Formerlv of the United States Forest Service 



This fight occurred in the Wichita National Forest and Game Preserve, near Cache, 

 Oklahoma, in September, 1916. There are 61,640 acres in this forest and game preserve. 

 Of this number of acres there is an enclosure of eight thousand acres constituting the so- 

 called "buffalo pasture." The fence, of heavy woven wire, around this pasture is about six 

 feet high with two heavy wires above it, and is supported by large oak or round steel 

 posts. This fence is sixteen miles long, and encloses mountains and flats, timber and 

 prairie, as well as some beautiful stretches of creeks that afford an ample supply of 

 sparkling cold water. The native grasses form the richest and most luxuriant pasturage 

 that Oklahoma affords. 



During the breeding season most of the buffalo bulls are segregated from the herdi in 

 a two-hundred-acre bull pasture, and here are staged some great free-for-all fights. On one 

 occasion during a fight nearly a quarter of a mile of woven wire fence was torn down, not 

 even one of the steel posts remaining upright after the bulls were finally separated. It was 

 in this pasture that the younger bulls of the herd killed "Quanah Parker," a twelve-year-old 

 bison shipped here from the New York Zoological Park and named in honor of the late 

 chieftain. — Ed. D. Crabb. 



THE large, surly, nine-year-old 

 Iniffalo l)ull,, "Black Dog," was 

 turned into the field with the 

 herd one morning late in September, 

 and when he was a short distance from 

 the herd another bull, named "Co- 

 manche," challenged him to a fight. 

 After but a few short, sharp rounds, 

 however, "Comanche" agreed to let 

 "Black Dog** share the herd's company 

 with him. Such was not the decision of 

 "John Kerr," a powerful l>ull of five 

 summers, who immediately attacked the 

 visitor savagely. As a result of his last 

 encounter, "Black Dog's" spirits were 

 high, but his wind was short, so "John 

 Kerr" had little difficulty in thrashing 

 him soundly in less time than it had 

 taken the former to whip "Comanche." 

 After this unwelcome reception, the 

 panting "Black Dog" repaired to the 

 farthest side of the pasture. Early in 

 the afternoon when he had rested and 

 regained his wind, the mighty M'rath 

 which had been kindled in his heart 



' The fifteen bison that formed the nucleus of the 

 herd in the "hutfalo pasture" of the Wichita, were 

 presented by the New York Zoological Society from 

 its Zoological Park herd. — f;r>iTOK. 



that morning goaded him on to an- 

 other encounter with his victorious 

 rival, "John Kerr." 



When "Black Dog" topped the hill 

 and started down the slope toward the 

 herd, he gave a mighty snort and bawl 

 which were answered by "John Kerr" in 

 a way which seemed to bristle with de- 

 fiance. This reply, however, did not 

 frighten "Black Dog," who answered 

 by viciously tossing his great shaggy 

 head, then wallowing and violently 

 thumping his hump on the ground and 

 kicking his feet in the air. This for- 

 mal announcement being over he 

 ambled leisurely toward the herd, emit- 

 ting powerful "brawps," that sounded 

 as if they were coming from the throat 

 of a locomotive, while pawing the dust 

 over his back as if he were master not 

 only of the herd, but of the whole 

 world. When "Black Dog" was about 

 two hundred yards from the herd, he 

 began threatening battle in dead ear- 

 nest. Wallowing in the dust, the 

 powerful brute would strike the turf 

 mighty whacks with his hum]), kick up 

 his feet, roll his eyes, and toss his great, 



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