# Vore Buffalo Jump



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

The country around Sundance in northeast Wyoming is rich in Indian lore. Native American gods and spirits resided on Devil's Tower and eerie white buffalo roamed the rolling plains at night. Bison were plentiful there and between 1500 and 1800 at least five different Indian tribes hunted the shaggy beasts in what is now Crook County Wyoming. The Indians often times would drive a herd of buffalo over a cliff into a pit or ravine where the animals were killed and then butchered on the spot.
One such trap is what is now known as the Vore Buffalo Jump. Archaeologists from the University of Wyoming claim up to 20,000 bison perished in the 40-foot deep by 200-foot in diameter "sink hole." An on-going archaeological dig, 5.5 tons of bones have been excavated from the hole to date. Hundreds of projectiles and meat cutting tools, even a couple grizzly bear skulls, have been retrieved from the sink hole. It is estimated that only 5% of the bones and artifacts have been exposed. 
As one walks the rim of the Buffalo Jump you can't help but hear the long-ago echoes of Indians hooping and hollering, and the thunderous roar of a herd of bison stampeding over the cliff into the pit surrounded by hunters, armed with bows and arrows and spears, hiding in the bushes. 
If traveling Interstate 90 in northeast Wyoming take the time to visit the Vore Buffalo Jump, it's as we say in Wyoming "Worth the Watching"

Highway info sign:









Ground-level view of the sink hole:









The cliff:









Layers of bones:


















See:


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Dem bones
Dem bones
Dem dried, up, bones.


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## Wind In His Hair (Dec 31, 2009)

Very interesting. Thanks Goob!


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

That is freaking awesome!!! I figured there are always millions of ways to kill big game other than a bullet or an arrow. Many times I have been sitting over Bighorn sheep on very steep terrain and thought that if I was really really hungry and in dire need of some mutton I could just roll a large rock down upon the middle of the herd. A sure kill or atleast pinned animal would definitely be the result.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Pretty cool


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I really enjoyed this post. Very educational and shines a little light into how things were once done. Very cool 8)


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm bumpin this for *GaryFish *and this thread:

http://utahwildlife.net/forum/21-great-outdoors/145553-2000-bison-slaughtered-2.html


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Yea, every mountain state I've lived, has had a buffalo just jump, or pishkun as the Blackfeet called them. Growing up, the buffalo jump was where kids went to park. Then the state parks built a visitors center and that spoiled the fun. Word has it, pregnancy rates dropped in half once that happened.


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