USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -But by the late 1800s, there were only a few hundred bison left in the United States after European settlers pushed west, reducing the animal’s habitat and hunting the bison to near extinction.

Detailed explanation-2: -The decline of the buffalo is largely a nineteenth-century story. The size of the herds was affected by predation (by humans and wolves), disease, fires, climate, competition from horses, the market, and other factors. Fires often swept the grasslands, sometimes maiming and killing buffaloes.

Detailed explanation-3: -In 1883, bison were nearly extinct; fewer than 25, 177 animals remained (calculated from Hornaday, 3 Stermitz Ricketts, 4 and Koucky9). Removing 840, 000 animals from 4.5 million leaves them a good 3 million short of extinct.

Detailed explanation-4: -Army commanders who operated in the West often attempted to drive the Indians off of desired lands by killing the buffalo as a way to deprive the Indians of supplies. Between 1872 and 1875, only three years, hunters killed 9 million buffalo, most often taking the skin and leaving the carcass to rot in waste.

Detailed explanation-5: -By the 1800s, Native Americans learned to use horses to chase bison, dramatically expanding their hunting range. But then white trappers and traders introduced guns in the West, killing millions more buffalo for their hides. By the middle of the 19th century, even train passengers were shooting bison for sport.