Bison Impounds were used by early peoples to hunt bison. In this method of hunting, the community trapped the bison in an area where the hunters held the advantage - either on an ice-covered pond, in a swampy area, or in a corral built in a draw or coulee.
The other method of harvesting bison was to use a buffalo jump, the animals were moved to the edge of a cliff. In the fall off the cliff, the bison either were killed or severely injured, after which the community processed the animals. One of the most dramatic examples of a bison jump is the Ulm Pishkun State Park, located at the nearby town of Ulm. This jump is one of the largest of its kind in North America and was used approximately 1500 years ago. In later years, stone was quarried from the site for buildings in the area, and the bison bones were mined and shipped east for use as fertilizer.
Both types of kill sites are a testimony not only to human ingenuity, but also to human skill and the power of a human community working together to accomplish a goal. The buffalo culture tied to these sites is celebrated at the Ulm Pishkun Interpretive Center at Ulm, MT.
For further imformation about the Ullm Pishkun, check our Ranch Store for From the Beginning: Ulm, Flood, Gore Hill, Riverdale 1805-1907.