From Hype to History: J.P. Souligny and the 101 Ranch Buffalo Hunt

Though newspapers claimed 100 buffalo would be killed for dinner, it was all hype – only one buffalo was shot, and it was done by Geronimo, seated in a Locomobile, using a Winchester. It was both his first and last buffalo kill, as no buffalo roamed his native Apache homelands.

The spectacle drew a crowd of 65,000, arriving by train, wagon, and horseback. To accommodate the audience for a dramatic cowboy and Native American show, a quarter-mile grandstand was built.

This button, dated June 11, 1905, is tied to this event and is one of the biggest publicity stunts in Oklahoma history. Unlike others labeled “Buffalo Chase,” this one reads “Buffalo Hunt” and was issued by J.P. Souligny of Ponca City, known for the phrase “Cheap Homes Where Buffalo Did Roam.”