Vore Buffalo Jump

10/23/2026

Vore Scholar Elijah Applegate is sharing a find from the University of Wyoming Archaeological Repository - UWAR this week.

This photo is of the north-facing wall of an excavation pit labeled N1 at the Vore Buffalo Jump. This photo comes from Dr. Charles Reher’s slide collection and was taken during the course of the 1970s excavations. This photo clearly shows the layers of bones from the kill site. At its deepest point, the pit was excavated to around 11 meters (~36 feet), with the bones present between approximately 2 and 8 meters deep (6.5 to 26 feet deep). This is so cool because you can see the exact layers where the bison came to their final resting place, as well as the soil deposits below and above the bones. This also gives you an idea of just how many bison were killed during these events. Dr. Reher estimated that an average hunt killed about 225 bison. In this photo, about 6 meters (~19.5 feet) of bison remains are visible. Just think about how many people that many bison could feed!

Stipends for the Vore Scholars are provided by the VBJF and are made possible by donations from supporters like Sundance State Bank.

10/16/2026

This week our artifact is shared by Vore Scholar Aislinn Riley. The artifact is a bone awl that was discovered during excavations at the Vore Site. Aislinn writes: Work by McKenna Litynski revealed that the awl is made from the bone of a pronghorn. Bone awls were primarily used to piece holes in leather and plant fiber for making clothing, baskets, and other items. Awls were often made from bones of medium-sized artiodactyls (such as mountain goat, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and mule deer). Bones from these animals may have been preferred for making this tool as their limbs and metapodials are straight, and the bone thicknesses are close to the dimensions of bone awls. Similarly to last week's bone needle, this bone awl stands out in the Vore Collection due to its association with thousands of bison skeletal elements. Although bison bones make up the vast majority of the animal remains at the Vore Site, this pronghorn bone gives us a glimpse into the other animals that were present in the lives of the people who hunted the region.

Note: The scale is in centimeters so this awl is about 6 inches long.

The Vore Scholars program is made possible by support from donor to the VBJF including Sundance State Bank and by mentorship from staff at the University of Wyoming Archaeological Repository - UWAR.

10/15/2026

The Sundance Times is helping me out with a throwback this Thursday. It was 25 years ago that the Vore family deeded the land that includes the Vore Site sinkhole to the Vore Buffalo Jump Foundation. That's past VBJF board president Gene Gade and our current treasurer Ted Vore on the left and in the center, respectively. Doris Vore is signing the deed. All were instrumental in development of the Jump as you see it today.

10/09/2026

This week Vore Scholar Elijah Applegate shares some information about a very small artifact found in the Vore Site sinkhole:

In a previous post (March 2024), we shared information about a slender bone needle about 2 inches long (the scale in the photo is in centimeters) found at the Vore Buffalo Jump. At the time, the type of bone from which it was made was unknown. Since that post, Dr. McKenna Litynski took another look at the artifact as part of her dissertation and found that the bone needle is made from jackrabbit bone. Hunter-gatherers at the time most likely used the bone needle to sew clothing from hides. That a needle was found in the sinkhole, where butchering was happening, suggests that some level of hide processing was taking place at the site. This artifact stands out because the Vore Site assemblage consists overwhelmingly of bison bone. Bone mechanics, weight, size, and other cultural influences, rather than simple opportunism, may have influenced what type of animal bone was used to make tools like needles.

Stipends for the Vore Scholars, who work in the University of Wyoming Archaeological Repository - UWAR are made possible by donors to the VBJF, including Sundance State Bank.

10/02/2026

This week, Vore Scholar Aislinn Riley shares an artifact:
Pictured are two pieces of a bison humerus (upper arm bone) from the Vore Site: a section of the diaphysis (or middle of the bone), and a proximal (or upper) end. Both show evidence of being gnawed on by a carnivore.

Carnivores such as coyotes, wolves, dogs, or even grizzly bears may have chewed on bones left behind after bison were hunted and butchered at the Vore Site. Their chewing can leave behind puncture marks, scrapes, and areas where pieces of the bone have been removed.

Carnivores tend to focus their chewing on the ends of bones, where the softer, spongy bone is found. As a result, archaeologists often find bones with partially or completely missing ends. In this case, the carnivore removed large portions of the bone during the gnawing process.

Evidence like this helps archaeologists understand that the story of a bone does not end when humans are finished with it. Scavenging by animals can leave its own marks on the archaeological record, giving us additional clues about what happened at archaeological sites hundreds or thousands of years ago.

Work by the Vore Scholars in the University of Wyoming Archaeological Repository - UWAR is supported by donations to the VBJF by supporters including Sundance State Bank.

09/26/2026

Busy afternoon at the Jump hosting drivers of these classic cars!

09/25/2026

This week, we introduce you to Vore Scholar Elijah Applegate, who will intern in the University of Wyoming Archaeological Repository - UWAR this fall semester:
I am a third-year anthropology major with a focus on archaeology. I grew up in the small town of Lander, Wyoming, where I was exposed to many aspects of history from an early age. This environment gave me a deep appreciation for both historical and prehistoric artifacts. One of my earliest memories is exploring Sinks Canyon near Lander with my dad in search of projectile points. Ever since then, I have been hooked on archaeology. I applied for the Vore Internship to gain more experience with collections management. I also hope that this internship will help me build professional connections within the University of Wyoming Anthropology Department and further develop the skills necessary for my future career in archaeology.

The Vore Scholars Program is supported by donors to the VBJF including Sundance State Bank.

09/18/2026

This week, we're introducing one of the two undergraduate students who will be working in the University of Wyoming Archaeological Repository - UWAR on the Vore Collection during the fall semester. Aislinn Riley, has a special connection to the Vore Buffalo Jump -- she has worked as an interpreter at the Jump for three summers! Aislinn shared this with us:
I’m a junior at the University of Wyoming, majoring in Anthropology with a minor in History. I’ve always loved history, old artifacts, and the stories hidden within the past. In this picture, I’m guiding a tour at the Vore Buffalo Jump, where I work as an interpreter. I applied for the Vore internship to gain hands-on experience with archaeological materials, especially bones and other faunal remains. I’m excited to learn more, build my skills, and discover what these materials can tell us about the people who came before us!

The Vore Scholars Program is funded by donations to the VBJF by supporters including Sundance State Bank.

09/16/2026

I realized that the headline on the Cowboy State Daily article is misleading. Here are some numbers for you:

There were 22 hunts at the Vore Site. Based on Chuck Reher's estimate that an average hunt at the Vore killed 225 bison, there were at least 5,000 bison killed in the sinkhole. An adult bison has about 240 bones, so there are likely more than one million bison bones buried in the sinkhole floor. About 10% of the sinkhole floor has been excavated, and the Vore collection at the UWAR includes about 22,000 artifacts.

09/15/2026

With thanks to reporter Andrew Rossi!

When highway workers ran into a sinkhole with 20,000 bison bones in it, they had to completely re-route Interstate 90 in 1969. What became known as the…