American Bison

American bison carved emu egg

Buffalo Side One

Buffalo Side 2

American Bison (Buffalo)

This carved emu egg features the American Bison, commonly called the buffalo. This emu egg is carved with buffalos on both the front and back, but is available with just one side carved (see below). This egg can also be carved with a buffalo on one side and your choice of American Indians on the other.

Originally found throughout the plains of North American and Canada, these massive animals are now found only in parks and reserves. Two types of American Bison are recognized, the Plains Bison and the Woods Bison. The Woods Bison of Canada is still endangered. The massive head and forequarters of the buffalo is covered with long, dark brown woolly hair. The forehead is short and broad, the neck short and the shoulders are high and humped. The hips and hindquarters are much smaller and the hair is shorter. This makes a distinctive slope from the hump to the tail. Both male and female have horns and "beards". An adult will stand between 5 to 6 feet at the shoulder and can weigh as much as a ton.

Buffalo society is similar to that of elephants in that the family unit is led by a cow. Solitary males and small bachelor groups will rejoin the cows during breeding season in August and September. The female moves away from the herd to give birth to a single calf at the end of her 270 to 285 gestation period and rejoins it when the calf can stand (3 to 4 days). The calf will nurse for a year. At three years it is mature. The lifespan of a buffalo is roughly 20 years.

During the late 1800's, an industry sprang up around the American Bison that helped with the demise of the American Indian. Buffalo runners, as they called themselves, took a team of men into the plains and hunted the buffalo. They learned very quickly that if they wounded the lead cow, the others would mill around her and these family units of 15 to 60 buffalo would be easily picked off. According to former buffalo hunter Frank Myers, the U. S. Army encouraged slaughter because with buffalo gone, the American Indian would become dependant upon them and more easily controlled. By 1874 there was a market for buffalo meat and buffalo tongue, but it was too time consuming to get the meat to market before it spoiled and the buffalo runners were more interested in making a profit than in using every aspect of the animal.

From the bodies of the buffalo came another industry - harvesting wolf hides. The "wolfers" would poison the abandoned buffalo with strychnine. Wolves would eat the meat and die in great pain. The wolfer would skin the wolf and leave another body on the plains for the vultures. Following this came the boners. Men in wagons picked up the cleaned bones and shipped them east for use in fertilizer and refining sugar.

The American Bison Carved Emu Egg comes with it's own hand turned wood egg stand. Because of the variations of color and texture inherent in the emu egg itself, each carved egg will be unique and make a distinctive addition to any decor or collection. If you are looking for a "different" housewarming gift, birthday present or other special occasion gift for someone interested in western history, this egg would delight them.

#182 American Bison Carved Emu Egg (front and back w/buffalos) $150.00
#183 Buffalo Side One $95.00
#184 Buffalo Side Two $95.00
#185 American Bison/American Indian Carved Emu Egg $150.00
#186 Buffalo Trails End Carved Emu Egg $150.00