Why is their only one bison jump kill site in the Lower Pecos?
Let’s begin at the beginning – not only is Bonfire Shelter the only bison jump in the Lower Pecos, it is the scene of two kill episodes separated in time by about 7500 years. It is also both the oldest example of this strategy in the New World and the southern most example on the Plains where bison hunting was elaborated into a complex and fairly ritualized endeavor. We therefore have three conundrums rather than one unless we take into account that formidable enemy of archeology – differential preservation. Bonfire Shelter provides a rare combination of a fortuitous place to drive bison over a cliff with a receptacle below capable of preserving their remains. I am sure that there were other locations equally suitable for the jump-kill strategy along the multitudinous sheer canyons but the remains either degraded or were washed away over the 10,000 years between then and now. For those of you unfamiliar with Bonfire Shelter, let me recapitulate – this huge shelter is now midway between
