Estimates of the Number of Buffalo and Elk
in Yellowstone National Park, 1877-1918: Source
is Aubrey Haines, The Yellowstone Story, (volume 2), Yellostone:
Yellowstone Library and Museum Association, 1977, 483-484. Taken
from reports of superintendents and acting superintendents. 1877,
1881, 1890 originate from the annual report of the Secretary of the Interior.
|
Year
|
Number of Buffalo
|
Number of Elk
|
|
1877
|
"three... or four hundred"
|
"thousands"
|
|
1879
|
|
"have increased"
|
|
1880
|
3 bands, totaling 600
|
"not seriously diminished"
|
|
1885
|
"neighborhood of two hundred"
|
"many thousands"
|
|
1886
|
"abundance of game"
|
"abundance of game"
|
|
1887
|
"will not exceed one hundred"
|
"estimated...several thousands"
|
|
1888
|
"not less than two hundred"
|
"many thousands"
|
|
1889
|
"in undiminished numbers"
|
"in undiminished numbers"
|
|
1890
|
"a great increase in all"
|
"a great increase in all"
|
|
1891
|
"probably there are 400"
|
"numbers at 25,000"
|
|
1892
|
"not less than four hundred"
|
"estimate of 25,000"
|
|
1893
|
"four hundred...not too high"
|
"there are 25,000"
|
|
1894
|
"estimate...200"
|
"wintered well"
|
|
1895
|
"two hundred still remain"
|
"held there own or increased"
|
|
1896
|
"existence...possibly of 50"
|
"in herds of thousands"
|
|
1897
|
"estimated at 24"
|
"increasing"
|
|
1898
|
"probably 50"
|
"numerous...increasing"
|
|
1899
|
"fifty or more"
|
"from 35,000 to 60,000"
|
|
1900
|
probably 39
|
"are increasing"
|
|
1901
|
"not...more than 25"
|
"about 25,000"
|
|
1902
|
22 seen
|
"considerable increase"
|
|
1903
|
captive herd of 27
|
"loss...was very small"
|
|
1904
|
captive herd of 39
|
a favorable year
|
|
1905
|
44 captive, 30 wild
|
"quite enough"
|
|
1906
|
captive herd of 57
|
"loss was very small"
|
|
1907
|
59 captive, 25 wild
|
"25,000...a safe estimate"
|
|
1908
|
captive herd of 74
|
"between 25,000 and 30,000"
|
|
1909
|
95 captive, 20 wild
|
"between 30,000 and 40,000"
|
|
1910
|
121 captive, 34 wild
|
"from 30,000 to 40,000"
|
|
1911
|
147 captive, 35 wild
|
"are very numerous"
|
|
1912
|
143 captive, 49 wild
|
census 27,801
|
|
1913
|
captive herd of 162
|
census 32,967
|
|
1914
|
captive herd of 193
|
census 35,308
|
|
1915
|
captive herd of 239
|
"estimated total of 37,192"
|
|
1916
|
276 captive, 76 wild
|
census 29,544
|
|
1917
|
330 captive, 67 wild
|
hard winter for elk
|
|
1918
|
captive herd of 385
|
estimated at 20,000
|