Sanctioned the killing of bison U.S. authorities. Killing animals is not only for their meat and skins, but also to undermine the traditional lifestyle of the Indian tribes inhabiting the western United States, to deprive them of the power supply and starve to death. Military General Philip Sheridan thought, «buffalo hunters have done over the last two years more to address the acute problem of the Indians than the entire regular army for the last 30 years. They destroy the material basis of the Indians. Send them powder and lead, if you will, and let them kill, flay their skin and sell until they have devoured all the buffalo! «. General Sheridan proposed to the U.S. Congress to establish a special medal for hunters, emphasizing the importance of the extermination of the buffalo. Col. Richard Irving Dodge said: «The death of each bison — is the disappearance of the Indians.»Bison also killed for the sake of entertainment: the American railroad companies in the advertising of passengers attracted by the opportunity to shoot buffalo from oknon cars. In 1887, the English naturalist William fungus that drove the prairies, said: «The whole buffalo trails were visible, but there was no live bison. Only the skull and bones of these noble animals were white in the sun. » Winter of 1880-1887 years were hungry for Indian tribes, among them there was a high mortality rate.
Most famous was hired by the railway administration «Kansas Pacific reylueyz» Buffalo Bill Hunter, who killed thousands of buffalo.
Bison meat is considered very tasty, especially appreciated the language and the rich fat hump. Heroes Fenimore Cooper or Mayne Reid is preparing buffalo hump at the stake after a successful hunt.
Dried and chopped buffalo meat, called pemmikanom serves to winter stores Indians. His thick skins go to coarser varieties of skin, especially for soles.
Tanned skins of young animals Indians make the clothes, in addition, buffalo skins go for tents, saddles and belts made from the bones of the dishes, knives, sinew string, thread, etc., of the hair rope, litter is the fuel of the feet boil glue.
During the 19th century the population of buffalo declined from 30-40 million animals up to several hundred individuals.
