This great animal once roamed North America in what seemed endless numbers. The Plains Native Americans relied on the Buffalo for just about everything and used all of the animal from the hides to even the blood. These uses included food, tools, ceremonial decorations and much more. It is estimated that the herds were decimated to less than 2000 by the 1890's. This occurred for two reasons; first, the greed factor. For most of the 1800's, they were considered limitless in numbers and for most of the non-native buffalo hunters, they were a jackpot of wealth on four legs. The second reason was that the government encouraged hunting of the Buffalo to dwindle down the food supply for the Plains Native Americans, which would force them out of the area.
Today, whereas the herd numbers are not nearly what they once were, they have made a comeback and are doing well. As you know, I have a obsession with western art, and this metal wall hanging fits right in with the rest of my collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this look back into the history of the Buffalo!
