Museum Minute

Museum Minute: Later in life William F. Cody hunted often outside of Yellowstone; he used a Winchester rifle

Wyoming Public Radio | By Olivia Weitz

Published August 16, 2024 at 2:51 PM MDT

William F. Cody on a hunting trip — William F. Cody, Chief Iron Tail, and Mike Russell (lower left front) with a mixed hunting party of Native American men and European American men holding rifles in a snow covered wooded area. Handwritten caption, "The life I love. Camp head of Shoshone river Wyo. Nov. 20th 1901. W. F. Cody"

In 1901, William F. Cody was photographed on a group hunting trip near Yellowstone National Park’s East entrance. Cody Firearms Museum Curator Danny Michael said he’s carrying an 1895 Winchester rifle.

“It has all of the dings and dents and scratches and all of the wear that you would expect of somebody that took this gun out into the woods and carried this around Wyoming,” he said.

Michael said this firearm portrays how Cody’s relationship to hunting changed over the years. Early on in his career he was paid to hunt bison to feed railroad workers as westward expansion displaced Native Americans.

“Hunting transfers from this job to pay the bills to a refuge to find some peace and relaxation away from the show, and away from the spotlight,” he said.

In between touring with his Wild West show, Cody spent time at his hunting lodge and ranch in Wyoming near Yellowstone.

This firearm is currently on display as part of exhibition sharing the guns associated with performers in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show.