Before horses were brought over to America by the Spaniards, the native Indians had to use other means to catch and kill buffalo. One particular method was to lure the buffalo off a cliff, then use bow and arrows to kill the ones that did not die in the fall. Such a method was a great fanfare to the tribes, and much planning and ceremony went into the event.
Several of the men of the tribe would cover themselves in wolf or bear hides to scare the buffalo into a stampede. It would take time and special skills to get enough buffalo herded toward the cliff. Once the head buffalos started running, the others would follow. The men in bear or wolf robes would continue to run toward the cliff, then would jump to a small ledge below.
The head buffalo, on the other hand, could not see the approaching cliff and would take the plunge. Even if they did see that they were about to drop and tried to stop, the momentum of the buffalo behind them would push them over the edge.
From such a custom came the name of a state park outside of Great Falls in Ulm. First People's Buffalo Jump State Park is located on one of many cliffs that were used by American Indians to kill the bison for food.
Left: During a buffalo jump, teepees would be set up for the women and children to watch the event. This is the remaining frame of such a teepee.
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